Chengdu Tea Houses - Part of Local People's Daily Life

Visitors to Chengdu will find there are a lot of tea houses scattered throughout the city. Drinking tea has become a quintessential part of Chengdu people's daily life. Because of this, Chengdu has formed a special tea culture all its own which attracts visitors from across China, and around the globe.

For Chengdu locals, it is very important to have the proper atmosphere to enjoy their tea. For most people, the perfect place would be a teahouse. The most popular location for tea houses in Chengdu is along the south bridge of Dujiang Weir, where the scenery is wonderful and the weather is pleasant.

People's Park

There is a kind of teapot that is unique to Chengdu. It is made of brass and has a spout that is approximately three feet long. The people in the tea houses that can use this style of teapot are called "Tea Doctors". The use of these teapots is an art in itself. The Tea Doctors spin the teapots and it resembles traditional martial arts. Because of the long spouts, the tea can be shot at a very long distance. The Tea Doctors can shoot the tea from across the room into a small teacup without spilling a drop. Visitors, who have the opportunity to witness this performance of pouring tea, will never forget it. This is something unique to Chengdu. The Tea Doctors besides being experts in the art of tea are also very familiar with the local culture and area and are the perfect source to find out about Chengdu's local lifestyle, and places to visit.

The design and layout of the tea houses vary according to the owner's tastes. Some teahouse owners prefer a simple and rustic teahouse, while others design tea houses in an opulent style that even the ancient emperors of China would be comfortable in. No matter the style, the tea in each one is of the highest quality. Each Chengdu local has his or her favorite tea houses to visit, ones that they feel most comfortable in. Besides tea, tea houses in Chengdu also have various local snacks or entire meals on the menu. Since many of Chengdu's locals spend many hours in the tea houses, food is a necessity.

One of the most unique parts of Chengdu's tea houses is the community atmosphere. Everyone from infants to the elderly comes to the tea houses to relax, do business, chat with friends, or just drink tea. Many elderly come to the tea houses early in the morning and do not leave until late at night. Normally when somebody decides to leave, they give what remaining snacks they have to the table. It is the perfect place to meet new friends. There are also people wandering the tea houses offering to clean out patron's ears or cut their fingernails. They wander through the crowds with handfuls of metal tools that they use. It may look a little scary, but it is a wonderful experience.

Tea House

Chengdu has one of the few remaining bastions of true teahouse culture left in China. It is a wonderful experience for locals and visitors. It is something that should not be missed because the only way to truly understand it is to experience it.

Contact us for more Chengdu tours, or tailor a China tour that includes a Chengdu teahouse with us.