View source for Hong Kong tea culture

{{short description|Regional tea culture}}
{{notability|date=September 2020}}
{{Demographics and Culture of Hong Kong}}
The [[tea]]-drinking habits of [[Hong Kong]] residents derive from [[Chinese tea culture]], primarily the Cantonese traditions such as [[yum cha]]. Because of Hong Kong's period as a [[United Kingdom|British]] colony, Hong Kong tea culture is distinct from the tea culture of the mainland. The uniqueness of its tea culture applies both to the tea itself, and also the underlying social and cultural values.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tea |first=Golden Moon |title=How People in Hong Kong Drink Tea |url=https://www.goldenmoontea.com/blogs/tea/106695943-how-people-in-hong-kong-drink-tea |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Golden Moon Tea |language=en}}</ref>{{Disputed inline|Reference is a blog from a tea company and does not support claims of differences in "social and cultural values"|date=November 2023}}

== History of Teahouses in Hong Kong ==
{{see also|Yum cha}}

The first teahouse in Hong Kong was established at the end of the 19th century. At that time people bought tea leaves from tea houses so that they could serve tea to visiting guests. Tea would be brewed at the beginning of the day and would be served as guests arrived during the day. At night, the remaining tea would be poured away. They did this whether or not visitors actually arrived. This gave rise to the idiom "''Tea is for pouring away.''"

In contemporary society, Hong Kong people buy tea at teahouses not only for serving their guests, but also for themselves.

== Ritual of Tea Drinking in Hong Kong – "Morning Tea and Newspaper" ==

Hong Kong is a place with plenty of night life. In contrast, streets are almost empty from seven to eight in the morning. Most shops open at or after nine o'clock in the morning, whereas [[Cantonese restaurant]]s open at about six or even earlier (restaurants in the Western District open at about 4:00{{spaces}}a.m.). The working class of Hong Kong usually have breakfast in these Cantonese restaurants in the early morning. They enjoy 一盅兩件 (Lit. ''[[One bowl with two pieces]]'', meaning a cup of tea with two [[Dim sum]]s) and they read [[newspaper]]s in the morning before they go to work. Many elderly people bring their caged birds to restaurants and chat with others. They can spend a whole morning doing this.

== Hong Kong style tea – Milk Tea ==
The unique taste of [[Hong Kong milk tea]] is a blend of strong Ceylon black tea with other teas mixed with milk.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hong Kong Tea Culture |url=http://www.blackteaworld.com/hong-kong-tea-culture.html |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=blackteaworld.com}}</ref> The addition of milk to tea was introduced during the British colonial period<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hong Kong-style Milk Tea Making Technique - Home |url=https://www.icho.hk/en/web/icho/representative_list_milk_tea.html |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=www.icho.hk}}</ref>

== Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware ==
The [[Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware]] is a branch [[museum]] of [[Hong Kong Museum of Art]], located [[Central and Western district|centrally]] in [[Hong Kong Park]]. It is a place for collecting, studying and displaying tea ware and holding regular presentation or demonstration lectures to promote Chinese tea drinking culture. Many famous [[Yixing]] [[teapot]]s are exhibited in the museum.

==See also==
*[[Taiwanese tea culture]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.hongkongteacompany.com/ Hong Kong Tea Company]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20030802070918/http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/Museum/Arts/english/tea/intro/eintro.html Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050817010314/http://www.globalgourmet.com/destinations/hongkong/hktea.html Hong Kong: Tea and Tea Houses]

{{Teas}}

[[Category:Chinese tea culture]]
[[Category:Culture of Hong Kong]]