Teahouse

Tea is a Chinese traditional drink, like coffee in Western countries. Many Chinese drink tea everyday, those who don't do so will make tea during Spring Festival or when entertaining friends, which is a way to show their respect to others.

A teahouse used to be a place both for drinking tea, watching traditional performances and having snacks and doing business, entertaining friends and for reporters it is even a place of gathering news. So the old-style or Jing-Style teahouses are quite bustling. Lao She Teahouse (Lao She Chaguang) and Tianqiao Happy Teahouse (Tianqiao Le Chayuan) are of this sort. They are a window for visitors to know about Beijing folk customs and folkways.

There is another kind of teahouse in Beijing; we may call them new-style teahouses which are quite tranquil. In these teahouses you will find everything matches each other, best teas, fine tea-pots and nice atmosphere. That is what we call the Tao of Tea (Cha Yi).

Chinese, especially Southerners pay great attention to tea and everything what has to do with it. Gongfu Cha is a way of making tea with special tea sets, teas, water and the most important one: ways of pouring and drinking.

In new-style teahouses besides having good teas and nice snacks you could know more about Chinese culture, especially culture of tea. The best thing is its Chinese traditional atmosphere, making you relax and comfortable.