Exploring Tea Drinking Customs Worldwide: TCM's Role in Health and Wellness
Published 2026-06-04 · 585 words · Lifestyle
Tea, originating in China, has spread across the globe, influencing countless cultures and health practices. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), tea is not merely a beverage but a potent herbal remedy that balances Qi, clears heat, and supports overall well-being. This article explores diverse tea drinking customs from China and abroad, highlighting their connections to TCM principles.
The Han Chinese, who have a long history of tea drinking, prefer clear brews of green, jasmine, black, or oolong tea. They believe that pure tea allows one to fully appreciate its subtle elegance and therapeutic effects. Medicinal teas, on the other hand, are consumed not for pleasure but for health benefits, often targeting specific ailments. Tea is also a symbol of marital harmony, used in wedding ceremonies to represent unity and happiness.
Uyghur people in Xinjiang regard tea as essential as rice, often saying, 'Better to go a day without rice than a day without tea.' They enjoy milk tea and fragrant tea. Mongolians prepare salty milk tea by boiling tea with milk and salt, a skill passed down through generations. Young women often demonstrate their tea-making prowess at weddings, serving guests to showcase their upbringing.
China's diverse ethnic groups have developed distinctive teas: the Dai people's bamboo tube tea, the Naxi's salt tea and 'Dragon Tiger Fight,' the Lisu's thunder tea, the Bulang's sour tea, the Bai's three-course tea, the Tujia's ground tea, the Miao's oil tea, and the Hui's pot tea. Each reflects local geography and TCM principles, such as warming the stomach or dispelling cold.
Americans, known for innovation, introduced iced tea by adding lemon, milk, or sugar to brewed tea and chilling it. Iced tea is refreshing and hydrating, aligning with TCM's emphasis on promoting fluid production and clearing summer heat.
The British are avid tea drinkers, preferring black tea with milk. They enjoy a morning cup and the classic afternoon tea around 4 p.m. This daily ritual supports digestion and relaxation, echoing TCM's concept of harmonizing the body with the daily clock.
Japanese tea ceremony (Chanoyu) follows strict rules: the 'four principles' of harmony (wa), respect (kei), purity (sei), and tranquility (jaku), and the 'seven rules' covering tea strength, water quality, temperature, fire, charcoal, and flower arrangement. This meditative practice cultivates inner peace and aligns with TCM's goal of calming the mind and balancing Qi.
In Morocco, where alcohol is forbidden, tea is a daily necessity. They brew green tea with fresh mint and sugar, creating a refreshing drink that combats the dry, hot climate. Mint tea cools the body and aids digestion, consistent with TCM's use of mint to clear heat and soothe the stomach.
Li Shizhen. Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica). 1578. [Discusses tea's medicinal properties: clearing heat, detoxifying, and promoting diuresis.]
Shennong. Shennong Bencao Jing (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica). ~200 CE. [Classic text describing tea as a remedy for various ailments.]
Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon). ~300 BCE. [Provides foundational TCM theories on Qi, balance, and seasonal living relevant to tea consumption.]
References
Li Shizhen. Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica). 1578. [Discusses tea's medicinal properties: clearing heat, detoxifying, and promoting diuresis.]
Shennong. Shennong Bencao Jing (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica). ~200 CE. [Classic text describing tea as a remedy for various ailments.]
Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon). ~300 BCE. [Provides foundational TCM theories on Qi, balance, and seasonal living relevant to tea consumption.]