Tea Customs
Afternoon Tea:
In the early 1800’s Anna, The 7th Duchess of Bedford, is reputed to have originated the idea of afternoon tea. She conceived the idea of having tea around four or five in the afternoon in order to ward off hunger between lunch and dinner. Afternoon soon became a good reason for social gatherings and started a trend that is still an integral part of British society.
Tea Gardens:
With the growing popularity of tea, it became an essential part of people’s entertainment out of the home. By 1742 an evening spend dancing or serving would round off watching firework in Vouxhall or Ranelage Gardens. Tea gardens soon opened up all over England with tea being served as the high point of the afternoon on weekends.
Dancing was included as part of the day's festivities, so from the tea gardens came the idea of the tea dance, which remained fashionable in Britain until World War II when they disappeared from the social scene. Tea dances are, however, once again becoming an area of interest.
Teetotal:
During the temperance movement during the 1920’s and 1930’s tea became an important tool against alcohol consumption. Tea meetings where held all over Britain in an attempt to convert drinkers and also to raise money for the cause. The phrase “teetotal” may be been derived from this practice.
High Tea:
For the working and farming communities, afternoon tea became high tea. As the main meal of the day, high tea was a cross between the delicate afternoon meal enjoyed in the ladies' drawing rooms.
Tea Shops:
In 1864 the manageress of an Aerated Bread Company shop persuaded her directors to allow her to serve food and liquid refreshments in the shop. She dispensed tea to her more favored customers and soon attracted many clients clamoring for the same service.
Not only did she start the fashion for tea shops but also unwittingly laid one of the foundations for women's emancipation, since an unchaperoned lady could meet friends in a tea shop without sullying her reputation. Tea shops spread throughout Britain, becoming as much a tradition as tea itself: and even today, despite the plethora of fast food and drink outlets, this tradition remains, attracting huge numbers of UK and foreign tourists.
Tea Breaks:
Tea breaks is a tradition which has been common for about 200 years especially in the United Kingdom. Initially workers commenced their day at around five or six in the morning and employers allowed a break in the morning when food and tea was served. Some employers would repeated this break in the afternoon as well.
Between 1741 and 1820 industrialists, landowners and clerics tried to put a stop to the tea break maintaining that tea drinking and rest made working people slothful. Modern thinking couldn't be further away from this - regular tea breaks are a vital part of the day and help to maintain a positive balance and health.
Tea in Chinese Weddings:
The tea rite was most reflected in traditional Chinese weddings. The Chinese regarded the marital ceremony as the most important event of their lives. The meaning in tea represented the backbone of a marriage, for tea represented the purest thing, firmness in decision and symbolized the unchanging love between husband and wife. The physicality of tea also had its symbolic meanings. For tea plants were believed to not survive once they were transplanted, similarly, love is based good foundation. Also, it was believed that tea had many seeds, and these many seeds represented many children for the couple. Every since tea was used in the ceremony, it was presented to the bride as a gift, a "tea gift" chali. The present itself may not have been tea, but the idea of tea’s purity and firmness represented an engagement. The related custom has the bride offering a cup of tea to her mother-in-law, and in turn, by accepting the tea, the elder woman accepts the bride into their family. Hence, this cup of tea signifies a unity between the families and the couple would have completed the most solemn ceremony of their lives.
Tea in Chinese Funerals:
Other traditional customs where tea was used were funerals and sacrificial customs. These customs were often considered to be very superstitious and meaningless. Using tea as a funerary object was a custom of many emperors and kings. Through archaeological findings, boxes of tea were found in the famous tombs from the Han Dynasty belonging to many high officials. Similarly, it was a ritual to paint murals and paintings in these tombs depicting a lifestyle which they lived, so that they can continue in it in their afterlife, and tea drinking was repeatedly drawn. Other superstitious heresy thought that when a man passed away, he was often tempted by ghosts to drink a deadly magic potion. The only prevention from this devil would be to keep a clean and clear mind, and tea was often used. So, tea became an important part of funeral customs. On the other hand, tea was widely used in sacrificial rites to gods, spirits and ancestors. It is a tradition for the Chinese to offer tea and hay to the "kitchen god", so that He would bless and protect them as they live peacefully on earth.
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Tea Customs