Tucked behind a nondescript storefront a few blocks from the Shanghai Bund, Nan Yuan (“South Garden”) is typical of the many neighborhood tea shops dotting the city. Owner Zhou Jinyi has been in the business for years and knows his market well. Although customers often turn to tea for relaxation and comfort, a day at Nan Yuan is anything but.
“The days of luxury consumption are over,” said Zhou, “and each sale is a tough slog.” As I sat with Zhou one day, he would abruptly pause o
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I so enjoyed this article, especially the descriptions that the Chinese have for the teas. Such a way with expressions that I admire.
Thank you, Paula! My experience in China has been that there is often great precision with the volume of water, amount of tea, and brewing times. The descriptions of the infusions tend to be more literary and abstract, or sometimes not used at all–letting the tea speak for itself!