Anthony Chiodo, Political and Economic Development in China, Summer 2012
During our trip to Hangzhou, my classmates and I found a teashop in the middle of one of the local ancient streets. While we were there, we were given a tea pouring performance by the storeowners. We were also taught the techniques of drinking tea, such as how women cover their faces as they drink.
Since tea is such an important part of Chinese culture, it was awesome to see just how intricate pouring and drinking tea can get. There were a variety of teas that we were given, and each kind had different leaves. Just being able to smell and compare then gave us a good idea of just how many different kinds of teas exist. The process seemed very similar to wine tasting, but this time China style. There were also different types of tea glasses that we used. The most interesting by far was a two-piece set of cups: one long and slender and the other shaped like a bowl. For a small sip of tea, we were instructed to flip the two cups upside down, and then allow the tea to pour into the bowl shaped cup.Overall, it was one of the smaller experiences here in China, but great nonetheless!
