What happens in a Chinese tea ceremony?
At a Chinese tea ceremony, brides and grooms serve tea in a stylized ceremony to their parents, grand-parents and other elder relatives. At traditional Chinese weddings, the tea ceremony is the equivalent of the exchange of vows at a Western wedding.Tea Ceremony ElementsAs part of the tea ceremony, in addition to actually serving and drinking the tea, the bride and groom go to the family altar at the groom’s house and pay their respects to Heaven and Earth, the Kitchen God and family ancestors.Selecting the TeaAn important aspect of a tea ceremony takes place before the actual event, the selection of the tea. Any sweet tea is acceptable. Lotus seeds and red dates are usually used in the tea as well. The ancient Chinese believed putting these items in the tea would help the newlyweds have children early in their marriage. The sweetness of the tea symbolizes hopeful sweet relations between the bride and her new family.Serving the TeaIn very traditional Chinese families, the bride and gro