Old Beijing's tea

The development of tea industry in China in the Qing Dynasty heyday. During this period a notable feature is the tea of various opera performances in the teahouses where they found the vast, have great vitality for development. Edge of this said, "Opera is the tea poured out of an art" has been good. Based on this historical and cultural background of the late Qing Dynasty to early Republican era, the rage in Beijing, tea, tea culture in Beijing is that time a true portrayal.

The so-called "tea", according to package chen "conferred on all theater," reads: Jiaqing Beijing's Opera House as an "open seat sale of its drama by name 'tea' to say," the "degree of the station owes it to (the stage ), three sides are Central to building (restaurant) ", tea, play Park 2 Park one, old friends when Beijing Opera House, also known as tea. Future generations, "Opera House", "theater" in the name of that comes from "tea", "Teahouse." In view of this, the old Beijing's tea is the tea house, theater integration of body, fancier in tea houses, drink tea while listening to play it, can be said to be achieved through the pleasures of life.

The rise of Beijing tea, and then social background. Qing Eight Banners children who are motivated by riding off on horseback entered the capital, after several generations of kings of governance, property has emerged in the world Qing Fu Freeman's flourishing scene, they retired and sit on the elite officials, we think another way of entertainment, tea restaurant has become an excellent place for them.

To meet the spiritual needs of their patrons to observe, when the book of old Beijing teahouse (ie performance-based folk art tea) unprecedented popularity. According to records: It was Beijing's "East Yuet," "the same, and Tower," 2 is the storytelling stage star meets West, tea drinkers have the same time in the tea, but also to enjoy listening to storytelling, lyrics to dagu happy, indeed very big rich patrons to observe all walks of life in Beijing's spiritual and cultural life.

As for the opera (sung or factors generally small excerpts) into the teahouse, the functional capacity to make tea to the tea to enhance the content, there is still a lucky hit with the rumors. Rumor has three years of the late Qing dynasty (1821) Emperor Jiabeng, did the Court according to the provisions of the world to prohibit all recreational activities within three years, this provides a living for the actors to perform for the event, but a terrible, If required for holding on that disastrous consequences, but ah! Thus, the cast of a theatrical community planning, the performances in the theater moved to tea to go, not on the winding paths of it? Because the actor singing in the teahouses to tea, tea is one of open seven things, tea is a necessity of life, not much of entertainment, also is not incompatible with the provisions of the Qing court. Thus, from the Opera House, into one of the largest tea plantation tea plantation is adopted.

Beijing tea production, whether the story about the legend, not yet known. But the drama into the garden to make tea the Literary rapidly. Opera with tea as the general public willing to accept this platform, the development of its own, with social, this is an indisputable fact. It contains the Qing and the Republic of China, the number of famed opera performed in tea houses moonlighting. Beijing some famous tea, such as "broad and tea," "East along and tea", "Bellevue tea," and so on, are invited to Peking Opera masters such as Cheng Yanqiu, Shi-Jin, Ma Lailiang, Mei Lanfang debut until the garden, had shocked the Capital ruling and opposition parties.

Scenarios for the account of old Beijing Tea Garden, Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang, then the most authoritative. In his "four years of life stage," a book, said: "(Beijing) referred to the first theater, tea is the tea party talk to my friends place, but with the nature of the theater." "Then do not sell theater Tickets, only charge tea money, listening to opera first entered the garden, 'Block view' over the busy greeted. the first child for him to find a good seat, and then easily give him a blue cloth covered with cushions, quickly to a steep Jasmine tea pot (tea) tea, and finally handed him a matchbox, but two thin yellow paper so much, this is one game that period. "

Nowadays, different characteristics of the tea houses, tea center, opera cafe, tea room and so on, noble elegant, dazzling, more functional and comprehensive fashion, interior is more classic luxury. But the old Beijing's tea, is undoubtedly the original platform for their development, is the glorious history of the modern tea culture page.