Tea is very important in China. And in what I have seen of China, people rarely walk around without a cup of tea. They mostly drink tea from a thermos or glass thermos, where they pure hot water (everywhere available) on tea leaves. And they drink that all day long.

But there is also the art of tea drinking. In many places there are tea shops, tea rooms, and tea markets, or monasteries where tea can be tasted and consumed.

When I am in Chengdu, I like to go to the Northside Tea Marked, Wukuaishi Tea Market. The market is huge, one shop next to the other, and you can find everything from the cup, the tea pot to the water boilers. Nobody speaks english, so it is good to bring a local guide/friend/translator.

Tea tasting can take hours and it is good to have enough time. The teas are presented, you smell and taste. They pure the tea once, twice, three times and many more if you like. And the tea tastes a little bit different every time. So, it is good to taste it for a couple of rounds to see how the taste develops and if you still like it.