Chinese tea culture runs deep - gongfu tea, gaiwan and tea ceremonies each have their rules, and offering tea to guests is basic etiquette.
Gongfu tea: popular in Guangdong and Fujian, using a small purple-clay pot and tiny cups, with careful pouring ("Guangong patrols the city, Han Xin counts the troops"); drink warm, smell and observe the colour.
Gaiwan tea: common in Beijing and Sichuan - bowl, lid and saucer; skimming and refilling are rituals of their own.
Table etiquette: when someone pours you tea, tap the table lightly three times with index and middle fingers to say thanks (from a legend about a disguised Qianlong emperor); with elders, take the cup with both hands.
Common teas: green (Longjing), oolong (Tieguanyin, Dahongpao), black (Lapsang Souchong, Jin Junmei), pu erh, white, and jasmine.
Where to try: Chengdu People Park teahouses, Hangzhou Longjing Village, and Chaozhou gongfu tea.
