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The special function of tea

In China, around the Song Dynasty, tea was used as the engagement gift, for the reason that “All tea plants have seeds and the plant will die if moved”, which symbolizes the loyalty and fertility of the couple. A man’s giving betrothal gifts to his fiancée is called “to give tea” or “to pass tea”, while the woman’s accepting the gifts is called “to accept tea” or “to drink tea”. The whole set of marriage rituals used to be named as “three teas and six gifts”, with the three teas indicating the ritual to give tea engagement, the ritual to decide tea of marriage, and the ritual to mix tea of consummation. The custom of using tea for engagement and marriage has been handed down to today, therefore the saying goes whose tea your drink, whose family you will marry into. Because of the prevalent tea-drinking custom, tea houses, tea rooms, tea shops and tea stalls are everywhere in China. Teahouses and tea rooms are not only the places for quenching your thirst, but also an important occasion of social life.

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