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品茶是一种心态。文人墨客，清茶一杯，谈风论雅；芸芸众生，一茗在手，照样海阔天空。平易近人，宁静淡泊，雅俗共赏，这就是茶之性，茶之品。品茶之人也就累积了这种平和的心态。既然“醉翁之意不在酒”，品茶之意也可以不在茶：远离都市的喧嚣，品一壶清茶让自己心境平和，静心思考或与知己谈天说地，即使不懂茶的人，也可以从中得到别样的收获，喝茶的真谛或许就在其中。
品茶是一种雅致。捧茶入定，茶香袅袅，齿颊留香，或朋友小聚，或生意往来，其悠悠茶韵，于会心处，不着一言。音乐是增添这种情趣不可缺少的背景，清新悠远的音符，将茶中无法言喻的深味细腻抒发表现出来，让茶味愈深愈远，更幽更香。茶要沸水以后才有浓香，人生也要历经磨炼后才能坦然。
品茶是一种境界。“铁观音”醇和回酣，提神解倦；“龙井”形美色绿，香郁味甘；“茉莉花”香气清醇，耐泡味浓；“桂圆八宝茶”寓意甜甜蜜蜜，团团圆圆；“碧螺春”纤细微弯，宛如少女的形美，不禁让你回想到青葱岁月中懵懂的那份感情，仍让人回味无穷。“毛峰”给人挺拔、冷峻之感，白毫显露、熠熠生辉仿佛英雄豪杰一般，生就为扫平世间不平事，做出一番轰轰烈烈的事业来，哪怕失败也让人敬畏。
品茶是一种舒缓。品水饮茶讲究品味与情调，讲究水质的清纯甘冽、茶具的洁净雅致、环境的清静幽雅。茶乃契合自然之物，采天地之灵气，长期饮茶则可使人轻身换骨，去除污浊之气。修炼在于修心，修心的关键在于
“达静”，而饮茶则能导致“人静”。饮茶时的悠闲宁静与饮酒时的酣畅豪迈是截然不同的，茶桌上多了些沉稳、少了些轻薄，多了些思考、少了些轻言，多了些契合，少了些附和。
品茶是一种生活方式。喜欢品茶往往都是那些有些生活阅历的人。浮云人生，苦中有甜，淡中有浓，浓中有淡，个中滋味只有细细品味才能悟出章法、才会从容不迫、才可泰然处之。茶是对春天记忆的收藏，在任何一季里饮茶，都可以感受到春日那慵懒的阳光。如果你不喜喝茶，闲来不妨到茶馆点上一杯冰茶小憩，品品馆内馆外的景致；如果你素喜喝茶，更不妨抽空到茶馆来尝尝这里的好茶；如果你早已老于此道，就要约上三两好友，择馆而去、择茶而品，且慢慢品、且慢慢聊。
约会地点： 露台茶馆，故宫东门外，北京市东城区东华门大街69号 问路、定位： 电话 6525 9595 恭候时间： 早10:00 到 晚1:00
Besides all the places of interest, the teahouse, Beijing's ancient residential courtyards and the "Hutong" (small traditional residential alleys solely in Beijing) scattered in the city are most worthwhile things to visit, if you wish to know the real local lives and social customs here in Beijing, China. The Beijing Terrace Tea House located in Beijing's typical traditional courtyard and Hutong area, just outside the east gate of the Forbidden City (The Palace Museum) and adjacent to Wang Fu Jing Shopping Street, north east of the Tian An Men Square, provides a resting and refreshing place for travelers coming afar to experience local Chinese lives and traditions back in a alley. Not large in size but neat both in configuration and interior decoration, the tea house serve a large variety of teas from green tea to black tea, along with local delicacies and deserts. One may come in the early morning or in the afternoon and order a pot of tea served in the traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony style ("Cha Dao"), chat and enjoy the unique Chinese music at the same time, until it closes late at night. Refills are always free of charge as long as the cup is left open.
媒体报道与顾客评价 Comments from media and our customers: It was so special and cool to see the Great Wall and Forbidden City, but my favorite memory from China has to do with Kelvin and Salina (their western names) that we met at the Terrace Tea House. ...
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备好的茗茶 Teas served:
* Each portion is normally enough for making 4 pots X 8 refills. * Free refills.
Other services from the Terrace Tea House:
Map and Address in Chinese: (to show taxi driver)
Address: No. 69, Donghuamen Dajie St. Dongcheng District, Beijing, China (outside the east gate of the Forbidden City, between the east gate of the Forbidden City (The Palace Museum) and Wangfujing Shopping Street, north east of the Tian'anmen Square. ) From the Forbidden City to our tea house: From the north gate of the Forbidden City, you may turn right and walk down south through the courtyard and hutong area to the next corner outside the east gate of the forbidden city, or you may turn left just from the south gate of the Forbidden City and walk towards east along the road between the circle wall of the Forbidden City and a river to the east gate and go a bit east to the intersection. From Wangfujing Shopping Street to our tea house: Going west from the intersection in front of the Sun Dong An Plaza through the evening food market to next intersection and walking west a bit further, you will not miss out tea house on the north side of the street called Donghuamen Street. From else place of the city: You may print the map above and show it to the taxi driver, or you may simply tell him to drive you to "Donghuamen Dajie (St.)" and you look for No. 69. Get off from the subway stop named east Tian'anmen stop, walking up north from the intersection nearby through the typical Beijing Hutong and courtyard area, then turn right in the next intersection, you will find our tea house of No. 69 on the north side of the road called "Donghuamen Dajie (St.)".
Telephone: 0086-10-6525 9595 Contact Kelvin Wang: terraceteahouse@yahoo.com.cn or call +0086 13911221584
Medical Effects and Benefits of Tea
Drinking Tea in China The practice of tea drinking can be dated back to as early as the period of Three Kingdoms (220-265 A.D). Though the teahouse appeared later in the history, the particular norms and customs accumulated and took shape over long periods of time. People pay special attention to the teapots, tea leaves and water. Chinese believe that exquisite utensils should comply with delicate food. The same goes with teapots. The famous "zi sha hu" is made of a special pottery clay, purplish black in color and antique in design. Carved on it are some inscriptions, paintings and poems. The specialty is that it can preserve tea leaves in their original flavor and color. It is said the longer the pot is used, the more scent it gives out. The carefully selected tea leaves and water are also indispensable. The tea leaves, picked before the solar term of Rain Water, are preferred, and then processed by hand. River water is never used, but water from springs or melted snow. When it snows in the winter, people in teahouses would shovel clean snow into huge water vats and store it for daily use. Drinking tea from this snow water can free people from heat rashes. No wonder the great poet Bai Juyi of the Tang Dynasty became a frequent visitor to teahouses when he was the regional chief in Hangzhou. And so many people form the habit of drinking tea day by day. It will certainly add a distinctive flavor to the scented tea, if you are seated in the traditional teahouse in such a picturesque place.
Yixing Purple Clay Teapot Yixing, near Shanghai, has for centuries been known as "The Pottery Capital Of China." The world's first teapots were created here during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644 AD.) And to this day, the distinctive earthenware teapots are considered the best vessel for brewing tea, by tea aficionados. It is said that the flavor of the tea is enhanced when brewed in an Yixing teapot. Most Chinese people might regard the teapot produced in Yixing as the best. It is said that if you have used a Yixing teapot for decades, you can brew tasty tea by simply pouring boiling water into it. This is because the special porous clay called "zisha" (purple clay) from which they are made can absorb the flavor of tea, and become more and more seasoned after years of use. So, people are often recommended to prepare just one kind of tea with a pot, in case that the mixture of different teas will affect the flavor. Yixing teapots are not glazed after firing. As a result, the teapot is slightly porous. This allows some of the tea to permeate the clay. With continued use, a patina is built up on the inside, seasoning the pot. Also, the oils from the tea bring out a deeper luster to the teapot's colors. It is not uncommon for a well used and cared for Yixing teapot to increase in value with age. Legend has it that if an Yixing teapot has been used for a long time, one no longer needs to put any tea leaves in the pot to brew a cup. This porous nature gives another outstanding attribute to Yixing teapot: the ability to retain heat. With this advantage, a master of tea ceremony can fully bring out the special flavors of certain types of tea. The small size ensures that the tea leaves will not steep too long, and that each cup will be fresh and hot. Most of the designs incorporate a filter so that the leaves do not pour out with the tea. If the lid is well matched to the opening, when the steam whole on the lid is blocked with a finger, the flow of tea will stop.
Each
teapot is a handmade work of art and it may take years for
potters to develop their skills. Therefore, the same design
can be found in several quality levels. For some
designs, molds are used for parts of the teapot. This
is true especially of mass produced teapots. Higher
quality teapots are shaped completely by hand and often,
artists develop their own styles and favorite designs.
Notice the "chop marks" on the bottom of the pot,
under the lid and maybe even at the base of the handle. This
is the insignia of the person who skillfully hand crafted
each pot.
The most traditional color is the zisha or "purple clay," actually a reddish brown. There are also several other naturally occurring colors including red, dark brown, yellow, blue, green, and a rare white. Research has shown that the local sedimentary clay used to make authentic Yixing ware is lead free. This may not be the case for replicas made elsewhere. There are also many other features to its credit. Free of any toxic element that is often found in other clay wares, it also has a solid texture, an appropriate absorption rate, as well as a low thermal conductivity. With designs taken from nature, geometric shapes or artistic whimsy, these small teapots made the voyage to Europe with the first tea shipments in the early 17th century. They served as the models for the early Dutch, German and English teapots. In addition to the traditional styles, new, modern designs are constantly being created. Some more elaborate designs can take months to complete. Though each is a collector's item, Yixing teapots are made to be used. Some historians regard that the history of Yixing teapot can be even dated back to the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279). While it was gradually growing popular among Chinese, many aristocrats and scholars began to collect those beautifully made. From then on, potters have added much more artistic creations into the daily article, and meanwhile, established the tradition of hand making. Most of the teapots are very small, just serving one person, for potters believe that anyone can find one pot that suits him well.
Green tea Green tea is made from the sweetest, newest buds and leaf tips emerging from the top of the plant. The best varieties are harvested in the fleeting warmth of spring. Unlike black, wulong and puer teas, green tea is not oxidized but instead is hand-fired in pans to completely halt this process while preserving the fresh, open meadow aroma and flavor within the dried leaf. The hands of genuine experts pick and process these teas using traditional techniques. Green teas are made from typically smaller leaves. Undergoing a minimum of processing, they are also referred to as non-oxidized teas. The leaves are first spread out on cool cement floors or rattan racks and allowed to wilt for a few hours. The leaves are then heated to remove much of their moisture and to stop the oxidation process. After another chance to rest for a while, the leaves are finally dried until only 3% moisture remains. Green teas have long been enjoyed for their health-giving qualities as well as their unique and often subtle flavor. Interestingly, the aroma and taste can be quite different from one another. The color of the liquor can range from a bright jade green to a pale yellow and is best when drunk without any additions. Typical green teas are: Imperial Huang Shan Mao Feng, Meng Ding Shi Hua Stone Flower, Meng Ding Cui Zhu Green Bamboo, Meng Ding Gan Lu Sweet Dew, Zhejiang Long Jing Dragon Well, Imperial Tai Ping Hou Kui, Taishan Fo Mei Buddha's Eyebrow, etc.
White Tea White teas are produced with minimal processing. The leaves are often only allowed to wilt and be air dried before packaging. In some varieties the leaves are steamed, sealing in the numerous health benefiting elements. When brewed correctly, white tea releases the lowest amount of caffeine of traditional teas. This type of tea often only consists of unopened leaf buds and it is thought that it takes its name from the minute white down that cover the famous Silver Needle buds. White teas yield a very special flavor and texture and brew into a very light yellow to light amber liquor. The aroma is also very light, reminiscent of an early Spring breeze. These rare and high quality teas are available in limited quantities. Typical white teas are: Jasmine Pearls, Bai Mu Dan, Yin Zhu Silver Dragon Pearls and Classical Silver Needle.
Yellow Tea One of the rarest types of teas, Yellow teas are produced from carefully picked buds and leaves that are minimally processed. The leaves are stacked into piles where the internal heat generated from their decomposition, slowly stops the oxidation process. Virtually self-processed, the leaves also skip the pan-firing step. Yellow teas have more caffeine than green teas and yield light colored infusions and delicate taste and aromas. Typical yellow tea is Meng Ding Huang Ya.
Black Tea Taking up to ten separate steps to process, these fully oxidized leaves are also referred to as red tea in China for the dark reddish color of their brew. The leaves start out whole but may broken or torn during processing. Black teas have a robust flavor yet often a mild aroma. Small, Spring leaves are usually the most prized but different picking seasons can effect the tastes which can range from slightly fruity to rich and malty, even pungently smoky. Black teas are sometimes taken with milk, sugar, lemon or other additives. Bring fresh water to a full boil when making these teas.
Oolong Tea Referred to as half, or more correctly, semi-oxidized, Oolong tea is made by combining elements of green and black tea processes. After wilting, the usually larger, older leaves are carefully rolled around on rattan trays in order to "bruise" their outer edge. The black outer and green inner parts of the leaf give this tea its characteristic qualities. The liquor can range from a golden yellow to the more typical light brown. Oolongs are prized for their complex aromas and taste. Greener oolongs offer more floral attributes and darker oolongs often reveal slight fruity characteristics. Some high grade Oolong leaves can even be brewed up to 10 times. It is said that the true tea connoisseur will eventually find oolongs to be their favorite.
Puer (Pu-erh) Cake Teas The name puer (puerh) comes from the trading village in the heart of the area in Yunnan where this tea is produced. There are two general types of puer, cooked and raw. The raw or shen (green) puer is made from mao cha and steamed and pressed into cakes. It is the shen puer that demonstrates the miracle of puer. It slowly changes over time through a natural fermentation process. Black (cooked) puer teas are elemental and mysterious dark, fermented teas which are robust, earthy, rich and grounding. Puer cakes and puer in general are said to have three reasons for their acquisition. The first of course is the enjoyment of the tea, second the health benefits, third, and for some the most important, the investment potential. Now the popularity of puer has spread out from Hong Kong and Guangzhou, to Taiwan, Beijing, and Shanghai within China, and the popularity of puer has started to spread to the US and Europe.
It is common practice to blend two or more black teas from different regions, even different countries, with one another to ensure consistent quality or create unique flavors. Other, non-tea, ingredients such as fruits, flowers, spices, and herbs are also mixed with a base of black tea. The result is a full bodied beverage and an almost limitless variety of unique flavors. THE TEA HOUSE can even prepare your own personal special blend. Misty Cloud Jasmine Scented Green Tea, Mo Li Xiu Qiu Red Jasmine Balls, Jasmine Pearls.
Herbals & Fruits Teas Technically speaking, herbals contain no actual tea and so the term infusion or tisane would be more correct. For thousands of years people have consumed herbs for their healing or health maintenance properties. Today, flowers, fruits, leaves, bark, roots, seeds and even nuts are also combined to create wonderful and exotic tasting drinks. Most herbals have little or no caffeine. Some may have an acquired taste while others are easily enjoyed. Like herbals, these fruit blends contain no actual tea. The fragrance and taste of these colorful infusions are sweet and inviting. Pieces of fruit combine to make nectars so delicious you will meet every sip with anticipation. Use boiling water and steep a little longer to bring out the best flavor. These blends are another caffeine free alternative and also make great iced teas.
Medical Effects and Benefits of Tea World-wide, Tea is consumed more than any other liquid except water. People of all ages have historically enjoyed the infusion from the Camellia Sinensis tree as a beverage as well as for its medicinal properties. Research has shown that tea does indeed have many health affecting qualities; and numerous publications extolling the benefits of tea have contributed to the tremendous growth in its consumption. Well known as a source for various nutrients and antioxidants, tea has gained even more popularity in modern times with claims of it's usefulness in fighting heart disease, cancer, obesity, tooth decay, nausea, and all manner of digestive disorders, stimulating the circulation of blood and maintaining the balance of incretion. Green Tea and its health benefits have been enjoyed by Asians for many centuries. From early times, green tea has been highly valued for its medicinal uses. Studies into the effects of green tea have progressed far in recent years, and scientific research is now confirming 4,000 years of folklore and medical practice in Asia, that green tea is a key element in achieving and maintaining good health. What Asians have know for centuries about drinking green tea can now benefit the entire world. The health benefits of green tea are varied and wide-ranging. Because its chemical makeup gives positive affects to so many different bodily systems, it makes sense to use green tea to achieve those health benefits: antioxidant, cancer prevention, cholesterol reduction, blood pressure reduction, antibacterial and antiviral activity, reduction of blood sugar,. Green tea, with its all-important chemical compounds, has also shown many other benefits and potential uses.
Brewing of Tea There are no hard and fast rules for brewing tea because there are so many taste preferences and drinking habits. Also, each tea has its own characteristics. The bottom line is, make it the way you like it. In general, however, if you keep in mind the following suggestions, you’ll be making tea like a master in no time. 1. Use the same amount of leaf. About 1 level teaspoon for small grades (you may want to get a caddy spoon) for an 8 oz. cup. 2. Use the appropriate water temperature for the tea you are using. For Dark Oolongs, Blacks, Compressed, Flavored Blacks, and Tisanes use fresh cold water brought to a rolling boil. For Greens, Whites, Yellows, Green Oolongs and Flavored Greens bring the kettle to about 185° F. If you're sharp, you can hear the water get quiet before it boils. More delicate teas will perform their best with slightly cooler water. 3. Steep for the appropriate brew time for the tea you are using. Remember, some teas can be brewed several times and brew time changes for each brewing. For the first brew: 2-3 min. for Greens, Whites, Yellows and Compressed; 30-90 sec. for good Oolongs though some like 3-5 minutes; 3-4 min. for Blacks and Flavors; 5-8 min. for Tisanes. 4. Remove the leaves from the tea liquor when finished brewing. For stronger tea use more leaf. 5. For iced tea, use double the amount of leaf but use the same brew time. Pouring it warm over ice dilutes it perfectly.
Beijing's Hutongs Hutongs (Lanes) are a reputedly culturally-significant aspect of Beijing which are rapidly disappearing to make space for highways, apartment houses and modern buildings. At one time Beijing was primarily a huge maze of these short, narrow alleyways that surrounded quadrangle family residences (where parents lived on one end, male children on the side and female children behind the back side of the courtyard). The hutong today is fading into the shade for both tourists and inhabitants. One kind of hutongs, usually referred to as the regular hutong, was near the palace to the east and west and arranged in orderly fashion along the streets. Most of the residents of these hutongs were imperial kinsmen and aristocrats. Another kind, the simple and crude hutong, was mostly located far to the north and south of the palace. The residents were merchants and other ordinary people. People name each hutong by various means. Some got their names from places such as Inner Xizhimen Hutong; some from plants such as Liushu (Willow) Hutong; some from directions such as Xi (West) hongmen Hutong; some from Beijing idioms such as Yizi (Beijing local people call soap as yizi) Hutong; some from good words such as Xiqing (Happy) Hutong; some from markets for business such as Yangshi (Sheep Market) Hutong; some from temples such as Guanyinsi (Kwan-yin Temple) Hutong, and some are even from the names of common people such as Mengduan Hutong. Beijing's hutongs, lanes or alleys formed by lines of Siheyuan (a compound with houses around a courtyard) where old Beijing residents live, witness the vicissitude of the city. A courtyard is like a square. Rooms are built along the four sides of the square. Usually, there are several rooms arranged on each of the four sides respectively. They are the north rooms, east and west wing-rooms and south rooms. The older family members live in the north rooms; the young live in the wing-rooms, and a south room is constructed as a living room or study. Usually, one courtyard is only for one family to live in. A family may include 2 or 3 generations. However, for the lower income people, several families live together in one courtyard.
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