Drinking Tea in Different Cities
Updated: 2008-07-16 10:09
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Beijing, Faded Tea House
Tea houses used to be places for expressing one's eloquence in old times in Beijing; as for drinking tea itself, is not as important as it in South China. Beijing men drink tea in tea houses just for enjoying traditional opera and chatting with friends.
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Nowadays, many different kinds of tea houses have emerged in Beijing, but, the tea houses with Pekingese characters have become more popular, Many people go to tea houses just because it is a quiet place for chatting or business negotiation, and few people care about the style and culture of tea houses. No wonder most tea houses cluster in shopping centers or neighborhood of office buildings, while they are hardly seen in residential areas.
Indeed, the fast-moving life and expensive price of tea houses in Beijing mean Beijing men can't spend a whole day at a tea house like Chengdu men do.
Guangzhou, Life in Tea house
Cantonese are addicted to drinking tea, as keeping with tradition. Drinking tea is not only a habit but also a life style of the Cantonese. Tea house is undoubtedly a brand of Guangzhou.
Actually, drinking tea in Cantonese tea house not only includes tea but also snacks or dim sum in the local dialect. Dim sum is an important part in tea house, by which its making and variety can fully reveal the quality of the tea house.
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Comparing with Beijing and Hangzhou, Cantonese tea house is lucky for its retaining its original flavor. In Beijing, young generation has already forgotten the word "tea house"; while in Hangzhou, stylish tea house has been turning into a place for relaxation just as bar did a few years ago. But, in Cantonese tea house, everything you can hear, see or smell is the original flavor of life.