Chinese wedding tea ceremony

China consists of around 84 ethnic groups by some estimates. However, it is 80% Han Chinese. In many parts of China, Chinese tea ceremony for weddings still exists. However, they are slowly dying out as more and more Chinese opt for modernity.

One of the ceremonies that is still being practiced by the Han Chinese is found in the south. Before the wedding, the bride and the bridegroom would gather before the parents and the immediate relatives. They would then kneel in front of these important guests and offer a cup of hot Chinese tea.

The type of tea that can be used range from oolong tea to jasmine tea. This ceremony usually take place on the day of the wedding itself. The guests (usually the parents first) would then give their approval to the couple and they would respond by giving them red packets. These red packets contain money to wish the couple a blissful life ahead.

When presenting the tea, one should always present it with both hands and from a kneeling position. The groom would do the honour first, presenting the red packet to the father followed by the mother. The sequence is always male first followed by the female. The guests would be seated on chairs usually draped in red. When the guests receive the tea, they would also receive with both hands.