Tea Culture

Whether it is served Chinese, English or Hong Kong style, a hot cup of tea is an important complement to many Hong Kong dishes.

Chinese tea-drinking has a long history. Tea-drinkers express gratitude to those who refill their cups by tapping the table with three fingers of the same hand. The history of this gesture can be traced back to a Qing Dynasty emperor who used to travel incognito. Once, when he visited South China, he patronised a teahouse with his companions.

To ensure that his identity was not discovered, the emperor took his turn pouring tea for his companions. They were so shocked and awed by the honour that they wanted to bow down to him for the great honour. However, in order not to create a commotion, he allowed them to tap their three middle fingers on the table; this represented bowing down.

Since then, it has become a culture among tea drinkers.