En Jie continues her introductory series. En Jie is a Sydney (Australia) based Chinese tea specialist, with a passion to share the modern rediscovery of an ancient beverage. She sells tea online at Valley Green Tea

Chinese tea houses

In China, tea houses serve as a venue for people to meet informally and socialise, similar to the café tradition in the west. They open all day and night, with young people being the main clientèle.

Characteristics of teas such as its inertness and ability to repeatedly infuse by topping up a teapot with hot water allow for informal chats that can last longer then a cup of coffee. A serve of tea leaves is generally subject to repeat to up to 4 infusions.

Aiding this is the ambiance created through layout of the tea house, comfortable setting, background music, and availability of a variety of small food dishes that can compliment the tea, and sometimes entertainment. Some tea houses also offer the option of a private room or cubicle.

Tea is ordered by price (eg. a serve of 10 Yuan Tie Guan Yin up to 200 Yuan Tie Guan Yin). Affordability and importance/status of the guests are determinants of what quality to order.

Teas are also consumed at restaurants – but the emphasis here is on the food rather than the tea.