Teahouses are China's oldest "third place": chat, business, opera or daydreaming — one pot of tea earns you an entire afternoon.
Chengdu's teahouse culture: the Heming Teahouse in People's Park is a century old — bamboo chairs, covered-bowl tea, ear-cleaners threading between tables. Slow life, alive and well.
Kung fu tea (Chaoshan): tiny pots and cups, an artful pour ("Guan Gong patrols the city, Han Xin counts the troops"), with Phoenix Dancong oolong and Tieguanyin as stars. It's about ritual as much as flavor.
The ritual: order a "pao" (brew) and brew it yourself, or have a tea master demonstrate. The first steep is usually a quick "wash" — discarded — and the drinking begins from the second.
Where to try: People's Park in Chengdu, Longjing Village in Hangzhou, the old town of Chaozhou, and Lao She Teahouse in Beijing. Many fine hotels also offer tea ceremonies.
