Traits of the Tea

I have a roommate who is a missionary kid from Vietnam. So, tonight she pulled out her authentic Vietnamese tea sets and Ar-Ti-So (artichoke) tea and served as our hostess.We sat in a circle with our little tea cups in front of us. They didn't have handles and they were a beautiful pattern of brown/mint green. As she poured the tea, my roommate shared with us the proper etiquette for tea in Vietnam. 

1. The hostess pours the tea of the oldest person/honored guest first.

2. After pouring everyone's tea, the hostess will pour her own and then drink first. 

3. As a younger member of the group, I wait until everyone older than me has taken a drink of tea before I drink. 

4. If I want more tea, I simply finish all the tea in my cup, which signifies to the hostess that I want more tea.

5. When I am finished, I either stand up or leave some tea in my cup, which lets my hostess know that I am finished. If the older members of the group had finished before me, I would have no choice but to be done as soon as they stood. 

It case you didn't catch it, the Vietnamese greatly respect age and experience. They also place emphasis on the serving, as the hostess works hard to ensure she is always serving others before thinking of herself. 

It was nothing like the tea parties of my elementary days, full of cookies and goofy British accents, and having to put enormous amounts of sugar into tea. Instead, our tea was naturally sweet and embodied the desirable qualities displayed through the practice of drinking tea. Respect and humility, when steeped into our lives, release a rich, wonderful flavor that edifies and strengthens all those who come in contact with it. 

I think I'd like to be more like Vietnamese tea. Wouldn't you?

m®