Pod Coffee Makers 411

Tea and China tea sets have been around in China for over 5,000 years. And ancient Chinese tea customs are still often followed.

There is one custom in particular that many of you may not be familiar with. It’s finger tapping, and it’s a gesture of thanks for a great cup of tea.

As the Chinese tea customs go, when tea is served, the guests should thank their host for the tea. However, many find it interesting that rather than say it, the Chinese simply tap the table with three of their fingers (the middle, index, and ring fingers). Each time you get your cup refilled, you repeat the gesture.

You may think this comes from some strange, mystical superstition. But really, this custom comes from a very real incident during the Qing dynasty.

At that time, the ruling emperor traveled all over the empire to see how everyday people were doing. He would go literally everywhere in the country. But he never missed a visit to the local tea house.

Then on one occasion, the emperor cam across a tea house in a very small village where the waiters could bend their bodies in almost inhuman ways to serve tea around the table. The emperor wanted to tries this pay of pouring tea.

Now having the emperor serve you tea was something completely unheard of. Even just being in the presence of the emperor usually meant you had to bow down. So what could his companions do? They couldn’t let everyone know he was the emperor by bowing down, but they had to thank him somehow.

Then one of the ministers thought of a way to thank the emperor: he tapped his fingers on the table, thereby symbolizing the bow he would have usually performed.

Thus, the finger tapping gesture was born! The tale spread fast. Before long, the gesture became popular in tea drinking, as both commoners and officials alike all tried to copy their emperor.

Next time you visit a Chinese tea house, try to observe the interesting finger tapping technique to quietly thank your host for their delicious Chinese tea and beautiful China tea sets!

D. Cheng has studied Chinese culture, calligraphy, and arts & crafts such as Jingdezhen china tea sets for ages. Once in a while, he endorses skilled Chinese craftsmen. See samples of quality Chinese tea sets.

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