Thursday, May 26, 2005

Tea anyone?

Show your respect by serving tea to your future in-laws. That ladies and gentleman is the well-known “The Chinese Tea Ceremony”. In what often turns out to be an elaborate ceremony especially in traditional Chinese families, lavish gifts such as money and jewelry are bestowed to the bride and groom.

To some, it is a truly important tradition, but to others the act of serving tea in this type of arrangement just seems plain ridiculous. Perhaps it is the process of pouring tea into a cup and presenting it in a subservient manner that leads less conservative couples to forgo the event altogether. Or, is it the superficial element that serving tea is supposed to signify respect? To agree with the latter may seem rude, but do you really have to exercise respect in such a fashion?

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