Chinese tea is more than a drink, it is an experience, a culture and a way of life. For the Chinese, serving tea is an act of humility in which the server shows their willingness to be in a submissive position to the recipient.
In Chinese culture, serving tea features prominently in many rituals. A couple is not considered married until they serve tea to their parents and elders. Traditionally, the couple serves tea to their parents on their knees, signifying their gratitude to their parents and to the son-in-law or daughter-in-law, a willingness to serve the in-laws as they would their own parents.
The following application may not be so common these days, but in the old days, when a master takes a disciple, the disciple also serves him tea to show his submission to the master. Not surprising since in Chinese culture, a teacher is like a parent. If you were to watch any Kung fu show, you would hear the world ‘Shifu’, which combines the words master and father. This illustrates the great respect that disciples have for their teachers, and therefore, before being admitted to the school, tea must be served.
More commonly, even today it is the act of a public apology. In the old days, people didn’t take out an ad in the newspaper to apologize, the perpetrator pours tea to indicate his sincerity by apologizing and usually in a public place. Once the tea is drunk, it signifies the willingness to forgive.
In a Chinese home, the culture of humility continues. The host would go through a somewhat elaborate ceremony to serve tea to his guest and the guests are always served first.
In fact, the protocol is as follows:
guest before host,
ladies before men
Guest of honor before other guests
and the old before the young.
Cups of tea are handed out counter-clockwise, ending at the host, meaning the guest is welcomed as they are ushered in.
In return, the guest must tap his cup with two fingers when the host is serving him as a token of respect.
As you can see, serving tea to the guest is an act of humility and hospitality, not just the provision of basic necessities.
Today, we can incorporate this into our company culture. When taking clients out for a business lunch, always serve them tea before helping yourself.
Or if you are in the service retail business, you might consider serving Chinese tea to your customer, even better if you made it for them. If you are a private banker, for example, you can show your willingness to be of service to your client and the gesture relaxes him, opening him up to a more rewarding discussion.
Give it a try, show your humility by serving Chinese tea to your guest or client.
