When someone offers tea or pours tea for you, join the second and third fingers of the right hand together, bend them slightly and lightly knock the table twice in thanks. This etiquette, unique to the art of tea, has several stories associated with its origin. A popular version says that once Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty visited Jiangnan disguised as a servant. When he entered a roadside teahouse, the owner, handed him the
teapot to serve tea to the eunuch disguised as his master. Unable to betray his emperor, the nervous eunuch joined the second and third fingers of his right hand, bent them slightly and lightly knocked the table twice, as a sign of kneeling down to show respect. This particular etiquette slowly spread among the people Today, irrespective of age or station in life, lightly knocking the table twice in thanks is a custom. Bending the fingers is not essential; simply knocking the table lightly is enough to convey friendliness and respect.
No comments:
Post a Comment