The Cultural Side of Tea: Customs and Traditions

Tea Customs and Traditions

The Chinese Art of Tea Drinking. Interesting article about the importance of tea to Chinese life in Taiwan. Includes information on brewing and types of teas produced in Taiwan.

Chinese Tea. A comprehensive, non-commercial site including history, culture, production and preparation. Maintained by two Chinese students @ ASU. Includes a quiz to test your knowledge.

Chanoyu as a Cultural Institution. Long and detailed article on the history and cultural significance of the Japanese tea ceremony.

The Encyclopedia of the Japanese Tea Ceremony. Poetry, Zen philosophy, an illustrated explanation of the teahouse, traditional fabrics, etc.

Tea In Japan. Another nice site with good content on the history of tea, equipage, the tea house, the tea ceremony, philosophy, and a helpful glossary.

Chado - The Way of Tea. This is a good introductory site covering the Japanese cultural tradition of tea. Includes the history of the tea ceremony, the principles of Chado, the teachings of Rikyu, and detailed information on the ceremony experience.

Japanese Art of Chanoyu. Kimika Takechi & Larry Tiscornia are long time instructors of the traditional Japanese art of Chanoyu. They teach Chanoyu and its many related arts in San Francisco, California.

The Setting of a Japanese Tea Ceremony. This was a project done at Case Western Reserve University and it is focused solely on the elements of the Japanese teahouse. The article describes the two basic styles of teahouses, So-an [grass hut] and Shoin [scholar's study], the entrance way and its role in promoting humility, the layout of tatami mats, and special features of the ceiling, walls, windows, central post, mizuya [kitchen], and winter fire pit.

The Japanese Tea Aesthetic. This is an essay by a college student, whose topic was to define the art of tea as a Japanese aesthetic expression, giving the reasons for its Japaneseness. Well documented with a good bibliography.

Tea in Japanese Theater. In Kyoto, the old geisha district, and current nightlife district, is Gion. On the edge of the district is a theater where a traditional musical play, the Cherry Blossom Dance [Miyako-Odori], is performed nightly for tourists. Act 4 has a famous song, Satsukino Uji Chatsumi Uta (Song for Picking Uji Tea Leaves in May), in it and the link above leads to two photos of the performance of that Act.

Panyaro - the Korean Way of Tea. Panya-ro means the 'Dew of Enlightening Wisdom' and the article deals with revival of the Spirit of Tea in Korea.

Korean Traditional Tea & Health. A commercial site that discusses tea as medicine and beverage, its ingredients and effect on the body, teapots, water, boiling method, and etiquette in Korean society.

Chai Tea Page. Home page of India's unique mix of tea, heavy milk and spices. History, recipes, stories, links to vendors.

Turkish Tea. Some general information about tea grown in Turkey, instructions for brewing, and some tasting notes.

Turkey: Coffee, Tea and Sociability. According to the author, not only do Turks prefer tea over coffee after meals, they drink tea all day long, during business negotiations or socializing.

A-ya-ran. Photo of the inside of a teahouse near Ferdosi square in Tehran, Iran. No content, but interesting picture.

Moroccan Tea. Includes a brief introduction to the utensils required and a recipe.

Irish Tea Traditions. How to brew it, what to put in it, and what it's made of. I especially liked the concept of a tea "Mother."

Index to The Cultural Side of Tea


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I am grateful for the recognition others have given this page. Please see my Awards page.

This site is updated regularly [most recently 11/14/98]. If you have a site you want to contribute, want to suggest a new topic, or just want to talk about tea, please e-mail me [wazee17th@aol.com].

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	The Chinese Art of Tea Drinking. Interesting article about the importance of tea to Chinese life in Taiwan. Includes information on brewing and types of teas produced in Taiwan.
	Chinese Tea. A comprehensive, non-commercial site including history, culture, production and preparation. Maintained by two Chinese students @ ASU. Includes a quiz to test your knowledge.
	Chanoyu as a Cultural Institution. Long and detailed article on the history and cultural significance of the Japanese tea ceremony.
	The Encyclopedia of the Japanese Tea Ceremony. Poetry, Zen philosophy, an illustrated explanation of the teahouse, traditional fabrics, etc.
	Tea In Japan. Another nice site with good content on the history of tea, equipage, the tea house, the tea ceremony, philosophy, and a helpful glossary.
	Chado - The Way of Tea. This is a good introductory site covering the Japanese cultural tradition of tea. Includes the history of the tea ceremony, the principles of Chado, the teachings of Rikyu, and detailed information on the ceremony experience.
	Japanese Art of Chanoyu. Kimika Takechi & Larry Tiscornia are long time instructors of the traditional Japanese art of Chanoyu. They teach Chanoyu and its many related arts in San Francisco, California.
	The Setting of a Japanese Tea Ceremony. This was a project done at Case Western Reserve University and it is focused solely on the elements of the Japanese teahouse. The article describes the two basic styles of teahouses, So-an [grass hut] and Shoin [scholar's study], the entrance way and its role in promoting humility, the layout of tatami mats, and special features of the ceiling, walls, windows, central post, mizuya [kitchen], and winter fire pit.
	The Japanese Tea Aesthetic. This is an essay by a college student, whose topic was to define the art of tea as a Japanese aesthetic expression, giving the reasons for its Japaneseness. Well documented with a good bibliography.
	Tea in Japanese Theater. In Kyoto, the old geisha district, and current nightlife district, is Gion. On the edge of the district is a theater where a traditional musical play, the Cherry Blossom Dance [Miyako-Odori], is performed nightly for tourists. Act 4 has a famous song, Satsukino Uji Chatsumi Uta (Song for Picking Uji Tea Leaves in May), in it and the link above leads to two photos of the performance of that Act.
	*Panyaro - the Korean Way of Tea. Panya-ro* means the 'Dew of Enlightening Wisdom' and the article deals with revival of the Spirit of Tea in Korea.**
	Korean Traditional Tea & Health. A commercial site that discusses tea as medicine and beverage, its ingredients and effect on the body, teapots, water, boiling method, and etiquette in Korean society.
	Chai Tea Page. Home page of India's unique mix of tea, heavy milk and spices. History, recipes, stories, links to vendors.
	Turkish Tea. Some general information about tea grown in Turkey, instructions for brewing, and some tasting notes.
	Turkey: Coffee, Tea and Sociability. According to the author, not only do Turks prefer tea over coffee after meals, they drink tea all day long, during business negotiations or socializing.
	A-ya-ran. Photo of the inside of a teahouse near Ferdosi square in Tehran, Iran. No content, but interesting picture.
	Moroccan Tea. Includes a brief introduction to the utensils required and a recipe.
	Irish Tea Traditions. How to brew it, what to put in it, and what it's made of. I especially liked the concept of a tea "Mother."

	I am grateful for the recognition others have given this page. Please see my Awards page.

	This site is updated regularly [most recently 11/14/98]. If you have a site you want to contribute, want to suggest a new topic, or just want to talk about tea, please e-mail me [wazee17th@aol.com].