Teahouse in China

随着饮茶习俗的兴盛，茶馆应运而生，成为一种群众活动场所。茶馆的雏形出现在晋元帝（276-322）时，到了唐代开始萌芽，特别是在唐都长安。通常，在茶馆中供奉“茶神”陆羽像。在唐代，茶馆与旅店、饭店相结合，未完全独立。宋代，茶馆日益兴盛。明清之际，茶馆终成时尚。
With the growing popularity of tea drinking, teahouses have developed into venues for public activities. Theearliest form of teahouses appeared during the reign of Emperor Yuan (AD317-322) of the Jin Dynasty.During the Tang Dynasty, teahouses began to emerge, particularly in Chang’an (the Tang capital). Normally,the statue of Lu Yu，who is respected as the Sage of Tea, was enshrined in the teahouses. At the time,teahouses were not independent businesses: they were usually part of hotels and restaurants. After furtherdevelopment in the Song Dynasty, teahouses finally became the fashionable places for leisure in the Mingand Qing dynasties.

四川成都的茶馆已经成为这座城市的传统的一部分。成都人也为自己的茶馆文化而自豪。由茶碗、茶盖和茶船（即茶托或茶盘）组成的“盖碗茶“三件头，和由小木桌和有扶手的竹椅组成的桌椅，也富有地方特色。堂倌是茶馆的灵魂。堂倌可一手提茶壶，于数尺之外，将水注入茶杯。水柱凌空而降，茶水恰与碗口平。整个上茶过程既是一门绝活，又是艺术享受。
Teahouses in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, have become an integral part of the traditional culture of the city.Local residents in Chengdu feel proud of their teahouse culture. Tea sets, consisting of three pieces, a cup,lid and saucer, and furniture, a little wooden table and bamboo armchairs, in the teahouses are the mostdistinctive features. Waiters are the souls of the teahouse. The waiter holds the teapot and fills the cup whilestanding a few feet away. The water spurts from the teapot directly into the cup and fills the cup just to thebrim. This whole process of serving tea amazes customers.

老北京的茶馆曾遍及京城内外，各种茶馆又有不同的形式与功能。评书茶馆内，评书先生精湛的口才技艺，不仅提供了娱乐，而且潜移默化地将历史故事中所蕴含的仁、义、礼、智、信等中华传统美德传承给普通民众。还有一类清茶馆，人们在茶馆里议论时事、交流新闻。最有趣的是野茶馆，在北京西北的山泉旁，文人雅士结庐而坐，既为风景清丽，也为好水品茗。
In the past, teahouses abounded in Beijing. They served various functions. At some teahouses, storytellersgave performances that were both entertaining and enlightening, disseminating the traditional virtues ofbenevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom and trust. At other teahouses, customers sat chatting overcurrent affairs and exchanging views. The most interesting teahouses were open-air ones at the springs innorthwestern Beijing, where scholars sat down to enjoy tea while appreciating the scenery.