Tea House

A tea house is an establishment which primarily serves tea .Although the functions of tea

houses vary widely in different countries, tea houses often serve as centers of social interaction,

like coffeehouses.

In China and Japan , a tea house is traditionally a place which offers tea to its consumers.People

gather at tea houses to chat and enjoy tea and young people often meet at tea houses for dates.

Tea house has been ranked as the public place for drinking tea, relaxation and entertainment

since ancient times, acting as a vivid epitome of Chinese tea culture and Chinese people’s leisure lives.

Chinese tea house culture prospered in the Song Dynasty, with teahouses all over cities and villages,

when teahouses were as many as restaurants. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the number of the

teahouses exceeded that of restaurants, becoming more popular and famous. The owners of teahouses

in the Song Dynasty preferred to decorate their teahouses with calligraphy and painting of celebrities

and various rare and precious plants, in order to attracting customers. In the Qing Dynasty, with the

acculturation of western culture, teahouses of China took on new look. Teahouses could be found in the

beautiful suburb, by the pool and in the vineyard, providing a peace and quiet place for drinking tea as well

as enjoying the natural scenery in every season. Besides, some magnificent western-style teahouses

occurred during that period.