CHINESE TEA TRADITIONS

It was esteemed a wretched niggardliness to give only good words to those that come to their house, although they be strangers: At least they must have ch’a: (tea) and if the visit be anything long, here must be added some fruit or sweetmeats.
—Father Semed, The History Of The Great And Renowned Monarchy Of China” 1655

Chinese immigrants founded New York’s Chinatown, the largest in the United States, in the late 1870s. Today, sights and sounds on these bustling streets make it easy to imagine that you’re in the land where tea was born nearly 5,000 years ago.

This tour begins with an authentic Dim Sum breakfast served, Hong-Kong style, by waitresses pushing heated metal carts. Don’t worry if you can’t speak Cantonese, Elizabeth will show you how to order tea using sign language while entertaining you with Chinese tea tales and traditions. Walk off your meal with a visit to a Buddhist temple, where you can have your fortune told and other historic sites including Chinatown’s oldest tea parlor. An expert will present a Gong Fu tea-brewing demonstration, the traditional way of “tasting tea” in the Fujian and Guangdong provinces of southeastern China, while you’re comfortably seated. You’ll also have an opportunity to shop for tea wares, sample Taiwanese bubble tea and green-tea ice cream.

MEET:
The tour begins at 10:00 A.M. and meets inside the Mandarin Court restaurant located at 61 Mott St., btwn. Bayard and Canal Sts. Subway: J/N/R/Q/W/Z/6 trains to Canal St., Chinatown. Tel. 212-608-3838

COST:
The cost per person, minimum 6 people, maximum 11 people, is $85. The fee includes a dim sum meal, tastings, Gong-Fu demonstration.

What if I don’t have a group of 6?
Fee minimums apply for smaller groups or private tours. We often combine several smaller groups. Please contact us to discuss dates and availability.

This tour lasts approx. 3 1/2- 4 hours depending up the size of the group and its interests, and covers approx. 1-2 miles. We will be walking at a moderate pace, on busy, sometimes crowded streets, with stops at various locations along the way.