Culture and Refreshment at Lao She Tea House

Tea is almost synonymous with China, and where else to drink the world’s best tea, but the source of the wonderful drink itself. Tea houses scatter the length and breadth of Beijing, with the larger, kitschier ones catering to tourists and foreigners, and smaller, more intimate ones for the locals. The quality of tea ranges from the very fine to the merely average, and there are ceremonies to match. Many tea houses feature an array of entertainment, specifically to do with the art of serving and drinking tea. While most of these are tourist traps, one would not go wrong with a visit to the famous Lao She Tea House (Lao She Chaguan in Mandarin) in the Qianmen area of Tiananmen Square.

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Named after the celebrated Chinese poet Lao She, this tea house has been a mainstay among Beijingers and tourists alike since its opening in 1988. The place itself is named after one of Lao She’s dramas, entitled “Tea House.” The tea house doubles as an entertainment venue, with nightly performances as diverse as comedians, acrobats and opera singers.

Lao She’s play, written in 1957, epitomized the new Socialist character of China. It gained critical acclaim despite a perhaps confusing narrative style and lack of a central character. Instead of a specific character, the play is based around a setting – the tea house. Thus, the presence within the setting tells the story, not the story of individual characters. The temporality of the play has also been criticized as it does not take place at a single moment, but spans China’s modern history. Thus the three acts take place in pivotal moments of China’s history: the first act is in 1898 during the collapse of the Qing dynasty; the second in 1917 with the failure of the Republic revolution; and the final act in 1945 during the fall of the Nationalist government.

Image: Storyvillegirl

The actual tea house doesn’t always show performances of the play, as patrons usually prefer more light-hearted entertainment. From Monday to Fridays, there are folk music performances during the afternoon and early evening, which are followed by tea ceremonies in the house’s large hall. Catch nightly theatrical and opera performances on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays (it would help to call beforehand and inquire about performances; the staff speak in English which is an added bonus). The main performance area is quite intimate and seats up to 100 people. There are light snacks and of course tea served during the evening performances.