“抽啦叭烟，听南音乐，泡功夫茶，其乐无穷。”每逢家里来了客人，热情好客的闽南人便端出茶具，别的不说，先来一段功夫茶。

    It is a well-known Chinese custom to treat guests with tea. However, people in southern Fujian and eastern Guangdong have a special way of tea preparation -- kung fu tea. 

    The tea sets for making kung fu tea are quite small. To begin the process, the teapot is cleaned with boiled water to eliminate any remaining tea flavor in the pot. It is also believed that a warm teapot makes better tea. A big handful of tealeaves is then put into the teapot until they almost reach the rim.

    After the water is boiled, the kettle is lifted high hot water is poured into the teapot. The water is poured until it overflows to rinse away any impure materials and to make a more mellow tea. A few minutes later, the tea can be poured into cups that are arranged in a circle. To avoid creating foam and scattering the tea’s fragrance, the teapot should be held close to the teacups. 

    When the tea is ready, the teacups are presented with both hands. The first sip can seem slightly bitter but a short while later the sweetness of the tea can be savored.

    Compiled by Miyi Zhu