Tea is made from the young，tender leaves of the tea tree. The differences among the many kinds of tea available are based mainly on the roasting and fermentation of the tea leaves. Through fermentation，the originally deep green leaves become reddish-brown in color. The longer the fermentation，the darker the color. Depending on the length of the roasting and degree of fermentation，the fragrance can range from floral to fruity to many.

Tea is China's national drink. It contains vitamins，chlorophyll，essential oils, and fluoride. It is a diuretic capable of improving the eyesight and increasing alertness，so Chinese believe that frequent tea drinkers enjoy a longer life span. Its medical properties and benefits to the human body have actually been scientiflcal1y proven，and tea has come to be generally recognized as a natural health food.

There are several special circumstances in which tea is prepared and consumed.To show respect; In Chinese society，the younger generation always shows its respect to the older generation by offering a cup of tea. Inviting and paying for their elders to go to restaurants for tea is a traditional activity on holidays. In the past,people of lower rank served tea to higher ranking people. Today, as Chinese society becomes more liberal，sometimes at home parents may pour a cup of tea for their children，or a boss may even pour tea for subordinates at restaurants. The lower ranking person should not expect the higher rank person to serve him or her tea on formal occasions，however.

For a family gathering:When sons and daughters leave home to work and get married，they may seldom visit their parents. As a result, parents may seldom meet their grandchildren. Going to restaurants and drinking tea，therefore, becomes an important activity for fami份gatherings. Every Sunday, Chinese restaurants are crowded，especially when people celebrate festivals. This phenomenon reflects Chinese family values.

To apologize:In Chinese culture，people make serious apologies to others by pouring tea on them. That is a sign of regret and submission.

To express thanks to your elders on one's wedding day:At the traditional Chinese marriage ceremony，both the bride and groom kneel in front of their parents and serve them tea. That is a way to express their gratitude. In front of their parents，it is a practice for the married couple to say，“Thanks for bringing us up.Now we are getting married. We owe it all to you”The parents will usually drink a small portion of the tea and then give them a red envelope, which symbolizes good luck.

After a person's cup is filled，that person may knock their bent index and middle fingers (or some similar variety of finger tapping) on the table to express gratitude to the person who served the tea. Although this custom is common in southern Chinese culture such as the Cantonese, it is generally not recognised nor praciced in other parfis of China.

This custom is said to have originated in the Qing Dynasty when Emperor Qianlong would travel in disguise through the empire. Servants were told not to reveal their master's identity. One day in a restaurant， the emperor, after pouring himself a cup of tea，filled a servant's cup as well. To that servant it was a huge honour to have the emperor pour him a cup of tea. Out of reflex he wanted to kneel and express his thanks. He could not kneel and kowtow to the emperor since that would reveal the emperor's identity so he bent his fingers to knock on the table to express his gratitude and respect to the emperor.

Though not as strict as the tea ceremony in Japan，certain rules govern the Chinese understanding of tea. Take tea wares as an example.Green tea goes with white porcelain or celadon without a cover; scented tea with celadon or blue and white porcelain with a cover; black tea goes well with purple clay ware with white inside glaze，or with white porcelain or warm colored wares or coffee wares; and Oolong tea is also excellent in purple clay ware. In a word，the harmonious combination of function，material，and color of tea ware is essential to brewing excellent tea.

Tea wares consist of ovens，teapots，cups，tea bowls, and trays and so on.Nowadays with the development of tea procedure，we can make。cup of tea wit with a single porcelain cup. In the following paragraphs，we will focus on the most essential tea ware-tea cups and teapots.

The custom of drinking tea propelled the development of the porcelain industry. Tang scholars preferred green porcelain from Shaoxing，Zhejiang Province.This kind of green porcelain was like crystal or jade with elegant design and exquisite decoration. Since the true color of tea was set off beautifully in this dainty cup(ou in Chinese )，it was number one in Lu Yu's Book of Tea .As to function，the size and design of the cup best suited to the tea drinking habit of that time allowed for cooking tea powder with green onion，ginger, dates，tangerine peels and mint, Then drinking the whole soup.

The preference for green porcelain or white porcelain was suddenly changed to black glazed teacups in the Song Dynasty. Scholars emphasized the white foam that formed when boiled water was added to the teacup. The most desirable foam was white，best presented in black tea ware. Black glazed tea ware from Fujian was dominant, while purple clay tea wares emerged in Yixing，Jiangsu.

In the beginning of the Ming Dynasty，tea was made by pouring boiled water onto loose tea leaves. The tea liquor turned yellowish white，so snow-white teacups replaced the black-glazed tea ware of the Song Dynasty. In the middle of the Ming，with the advent of purple clay tea ware，focus was not limited to the color contrast of tea liquor and tea ware，but switched to the fragrance and taste of tea. The production of various teapots came to its pinnacle at the time.

Tea wares made for the royal family in Jingdezhen，Jiangxi，shone brilliantly among numerous tea wares. New designs of teapots and cups increased continually with the development of tea types.

There are many different ways of brewing Chinese tea depending on variables like the formality of the occasion the means of the people preparing it and the kind of tea For example, green teas are more delicate than oolong teas or water as a result. being brewed. black teas and should be brewed cooler.

The chaou is a three piece teaware consisting of a lid，cup/ bowl，and a saucer，which can be used on its own or with tasting cups on the side. Chaou brewing is usually employed in tea tasting situations，such as when buying tea，where neutrality in taste and ease of access to brewing leaves for viewing and sniffing is important. This method of serving is often used in informal situations，though it can also be used in slightly more formal occasions. Chaou brewing can be used for all forms of teas though lightly oxidized teas benefit most from this brewing method.

1. Boil water，or heat to specified temperature for tea，which is 800C for Oolong tea.

2. Heat chaou with boiling water.

3. Add leaves to line bottom of chaou.

4. Rinse tea leaves and drain.

5. Slip water along the side while pouring into cup to 2/3 full

6. Wait for 30 seconds，pour the tea.

7. Serve.

This is a tradition of the Minnan people and Chaozhou or Chaoshan people have made this Kungfu cha famous. Kungfu cha teapot brewing uses small Yixing purple clay teapot to“round out" the taste of the tea being brewed. Yixing teapot brewing sides towards the formal，and is used for private enjoyment of the tea as well as for welcoming guests. The following steps are one popular way to brew tea in a form widely accepted to be a kind of art. This procedure is mostly applicable to Oolong teas only.

1. Boil water.

2. Rinse the teapot with hot water.

3. Fill the teapot with tea leaves up to one third of the height of the pot.

4. Rinse the tea leaves by filling the pot with hot water up to half full and draining the water immediately leaving only tea leaves behind.(This step, and all sub- sequent steps involving pouring water, should be performed in a large bowl to catch any overflow.

5. Pour more hot water into the teapot and pour water over the teapot in thelarge bowl. Bubbles should not be permitted to be formed in the teapot. The infusion should not be steeped for too long:30 seconds is an appropriate maximum.

6. Pour the first infusion into small serving cups within a minute by continuously moving the teapot around same flavor and colour. over the cups. Each cup of tea is expected to have the same flavor and colour.

7. Pour excess tea from the first infusion，and all tea from further infusions,into a second teapot after steeping. It is possible to draw five or six good infusions from a single pot of tea，but subsequent infusions must be extended in duration to extract maximum flavour:the second infusion extended by approximately ten seconds to 40 seconds，the third extended to 45.

This form of the art of brewing and drinking tea is deeply appreciated by many people，including non-Chinese. Many people are enthusiastic about the art;they enjoy not only the taste of Chinese tea，but also the process of brewing it. The tea culture involved is attractive besides the relaxation it generates，allowing them to purportedly forget all the trouble in their life during the process of brewing，serving and drinking tea. Some people enjoy serving others with a cup of tea not just because they want to share their excellent tea but also their peace of mind with others.