09
2019
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05
Several Basic Mistakes That Tea Lovers Should Avoid
Chinese people love drinking tea and often make friends over tea. However, there are many etiquettes involved in brewing tea, and even small mistakes in the details can easily ruin others' good impression of you. Therefore, beginners should pay close attention to the following tea ceremony etiquettes when brewing tea!
Chinese people love drinking tea and often make friends over tea.
However, brewing tea also requires attention to etiquette; even small mistakes in the details of brewing tea can easily ruin others' good impression of you. Therefore, beginners must pay attention to the following tea ceremony etiquette when brewing tea!
Appearance and Attire
When brewing tea, women should tie up their long hair to prevent it from falling into the tea, and their makeup should be light and elegant, avoiding heavy makeup. It's not advisable to wear too much jewelry on the hands, as it can affect the aesthetics of tea brewing. Clothing should match the atmosphere of the tea gathering or the tea set, and it is best to dress simply and elegantly.
Brewing Posture
When brewing tea, sit on one-third of the stool, keep your body upright, and maintain a straight back. During the tea brewing process, also keep your body straight and do not lean to one side while pouring water or holding the teapot.
Additionally, relax all your muscles during the tea brewing process. Do not appear too stiff due to nervousness; when you are relaxed both mentally and physically, the movements of brewing tea will appear graceful and seamless.
Cleaning Tea Utensils
Before brewing tea, you must first clean the tea utensils. Even if the utensils have been cleaned before, they should be washed again in front of the guests. When cleaning the tea cups, do not touch them with your hands; instead, use tea tongs to pick up the cups and clean them with boiling water.
Appreciating Tea and Smelling Aroma
After cleaning the tea utensils, pour the dry tea into the tea holder, hold the tea holder with both hands, and present it to the guests, allowing them to appreciate the appearance and aroma of the dry tea. In a tea ceremony performance, there is usually a step for smelling the aroma, where the aroma cup is elegantly handed to the guests for them to smell.
Brewing and Pouring Tea
When brewing tea, there are many small details to pay attention to, such as the spout of the teapot, the spout of the fairness cup, and the spout of the casual brewing pot, which should not face the guests; they are generally placed horizontally. The movements during the tea brewing process should not be too large, and avoid making loud clashing sounds.
When pouring tea, wipe the fairness cup with a tea towel before pouring it for the guests. Generally, fill the cup to about seven-tenths full, and pour according to seniority, starting with the elders.
Serving and Refilling Tea
Serving tea also has its intricacies; it is not just about handing it to the guests with both hands. When serving tea, it should not be too high or too low, too far or too close. When holding the tea, the hands should be level and steady, ensuring that the guests can comfortably receive the tea. If the guest's cup is empty, it should be refilled promptly; do not let the guest's cup remain empty unless they indicate that they do not want more tea.
Tasting for Oneself
Brewing tea is not just for the guests to drink; the person brewing tea also needs to taste each brew. If the tea is too weak or too strong, the brewing time can be adjusted to achieve the best quality tea.
Changing Tea Leaves
When the tea brewed is very weak and lacks flavor, it is necessary to change to new tea leaves promptly; otherwise, the guests may think you are signaling them to leave. Unless you genuinely have something to do next and the guests are not leaving, you can hint to the guests that it is time to leave by not changing the tea leaves.
Tea friends, after saying so much, do you remember these tea brewing etiquettes? If you do, be sure not to make some small mistakes when brewing tea in the future!
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This expert guide to Black Tea is created by Guilin Lijiang Tea Factory Co., Ltd, a professional Chinese tea manufacturer with over 70 years of growing and processing experience. We cover core definitions, proven health benefits, step-by-step brewing, common myths, and frequently asked questions. All insights are based on 2026 industry data and hands-on factory practice.
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