Welcome to a TeaRoom TeaDay on TeaChat. Please stop by and share what is in your cup.
Yesterday 75% of responders indicated they were likely to give Tea related gifts this holiday. You can still vote and discuss yesterday's topic.
Today's TeaRoom Poll and discussion topic. For you, is tea more personal or more social? Please share.
As always, I am looking forward to sharing TeaDay with everyone.
Dec 6th, '08, 03:07
Posts: 20891
Joined: Apr 22nd, '06, 20:52
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Location: Back in the TeaCave atop Mt. Fuji
Dec 6th, '08, 03:12
Posts: 553
Joined: Oct 14th, '08, 03:54
Location: Cinnamon King of San Diego, Ca
Contact:
Vulture
Dec 6th, '08, 03:15
Posts: 5151
Joined: Dec 20th, '06, 23:33
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Location: Gainesville, Florida
2004 Premium Ripe Puerh Tea Brick by Huali Tea Factory
I always feel much more in tune with my tea when I am alone with it. Adding a social dimension distracts me completely.
Dec 6th, '08, 03:18
Posts: 921
Joined: Feb 6th, '08, 04:57
Location: enjoying a cup of Red Rose down in GA
Absolutely, positively more personal.
It's just me and the tea. Quiet and personal. It's very rare that
I share the experience with anyone.
It's just me and the tea. Quiet and personal. It's very rare that
I share the experience with anyone.
- Victoria -
http://victoriasown.blogspot.com/
http://victoriasown.blogspot.com/
Wow, given that we're on a site for linking tea drinkers, I thought I'd see more social responses. But I guess we're only connected by threads as opposed to the internal ingestion of tea.
So yes, I said it was more personal.
Adagio's pouchong in my cup this morning. Getting low on my oolongs. Guess it's a good thing I have a ton of pu-erh to fall back on!
So yes, I said it was more personal.
Adagio's pouchong in my cup this morning. Getting low on my oolongs. Guess it's a good thing I have a ton of pu-erh to fall back on!
Dec 6th, '08, 08:18
Posts: 132
Joined: Sep 15th, '08, 21:01
Location: Millerton, NY
Contact:
toastedtoads
It's hard to say for me. At work obviously it's more social, but at home it's just me and the tea. I get in a very peaceful state and play with my tea.
My friend was over Thursday however when I got my new tea table and gaiwans, and she sat and played gong fu with me and we talked and caught up on each other's lives. It was wonderful, and I think if I had a choice that is what my ideal would be. However when she's living in Istanbul it makes it harder, and not too many people in this little town want to hang around in my kitchen and drink tea with me.
My friend was over Thursday however when I got my new tea table and gaiwans, and she sat and played gong fu with me and we talked and caught up on each other's lives. It was wonderful, and I think if I had a choice that is what my ideal would be. However when she's living in Istanbul it makes it harder, and not too many people in this little town want to hang around in my kitchen and drink tea with me.
For me it's personal. I like and drink tea in a region where coffee rules and when you don't drink coffee you're looked upon as an oddity.
I'd love to share a pot of tea with someone, but as ToastedToads said above, no one is interested. Talk yes, tea no.
My sigline isn't visible here, but this is what it says:
Although my neighbors are all barbarians,
And you, you are a thousand miles away,
There are always two cups on my table.
--Tang Dynasty
I'd love to share a pot of tea with someone, but as ToastedToads said above, no one is interested. Talk yes, tea no.
My sigline isn't visible here, but this is what it says:
Although my neighbors are all barbarians,
And you, you are a thousand miles away,
There are always two cups on my table.
--Tang Dynasty
Definitely personal for me. Most people I know drink coffee, some iced tea, but if I start to talk about tea I get blank looks so I keep it to myself now. My husband is slightly interested, if only to ask why I need so much STUFF. 
This morning I have some Adagio Fujian Baroque in my cup. It's my first try of this tea, I like it very much!
This morning I have some Adagio Fujian Baroque in my cup. It's my first try of this tea, I like it very much!
Both.
I enjoy drinking gongfu or with gaiwan in a teahouse because then I can discuss the tea with the people who know it, and play around with the brew. For many reasons, tea is, IMO, important to understand socially because teahouses traditionally functioned the way a corner bar or coffeeshop or cafe might function in Western cultures. (Read the classic play "Teahouse" for a picture of the teahouse as a gathering place in Chinese culture. Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Teahouse-Bilingua ... 205&sr=8-5)
Furthermore, tea houses were traditionally places where people involved in all sorts of arts would gather and do their art: musicians, painters, poets, etc. A classic teahouse is a place where you can bring a book and sit; so I can bring my own work and study and write there too; if a place is truly run traditionally, this is welcomed and encouraged as proper behavior in a teahouse.
I have found in my own life that tea as a social activity has been almost magical in terms of the way it has brought people together and into my life, like plants sprouting vines and connecting with one another. I really cannot dismiss the significance to me of this part of tea, and how it works on relationships. People sit, relax, and really communicate with one another.
And then at home - I drink tea all day. I work in my home (mostly studying and writing) and for the most part in solitude. Then my tea drinking becomes a little different. I make larger amounts of tea for one. And I experiment with tea. I have always been one for getting as much out of tea as possible, multiple brews, coming to understand the leaves better. Home gives me more time for this and no social constraints - I don't feel bad about a bad brew or steeping too many times or tumbling out the leaves to take a good look, or whatever - or about trying all kinds of experiments with brew times, brew vessels, and varying amounts of tea and/or water... and all kinds of teas.
If I had my way, I'd probably do more social tea drinking. It's so special.
I enjoy drinking gongfu or with gaiwan in a teahouse because then I can discuss the tea with the people who know it, and play around with the brew. For many reasons, tea is, IMO, important to understand socially because teahouses traditionally functioned the way a corner bar or coffeeshop or cafe might function in Western cultures. (Read the classic play "Teahouse" for a picture of the teahouse as a gathering place in Chinese culture. Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Teahouse-Bilingua ... 205&sr=8-5)
Furthermore, tea houses were traditionally places where people involved in all sorts of arts would gather and do their art: musicians, painters, poets, etc. A classic teahouse is a place where you can bring a book and sit; so I can bring my own work and study and write there too; if a place is truly run traditionally, this is welcomed and encouraged as proper behavior in a teahouse.
I have found in my own life that tea as a social activity has been almost magical in terms of the way it has brought people together and into my life, like plants sprouting vines and connecting with one another. I really cannot dismiss the significance to me of this part of tea, and how it works on relationships. People sit, relax, and really communicate with one another.
And then at home - I drink tea all day. I work in my home (mostly studying and writing) and for the most part in solitude. Then my tea drinking becomes a little different. I make larger amounts of tea for one. And I experiment with tea. I have always been one for getting as much out of tea as possible, multiple brews, coming to understand the leaves better. Home gives me more time for this and no social constraints - I don't feel bad about a bad brew or steeping too many times or tumbling out the leaves to take a good look, or whatever - or about trying all kinds of experiments with brew times, brew vessels, and varying amounts of tea and/or water... and all kinds of teas.
If I had my way, I'd probably do more social tea drinking. It's so special.
Last edited by Janine on Dec 6th, '08, 11:48, edited 1 time in total.
