Cultural quintessence of Thăng Long–HN tea drinking

Tea is the main beverage of Vietnamese people – Illustration photo

Ancient Thăng Long-Hà Nội people used to drink fresh tea (green tea). They washed the tea leaves, put them in a pot, and then poured the boiling water over them. In ancient Thăng Long, there was a hamlet called “Hàng Chè” (at the end of Cầu Gỗ Street, Hoàn Kiếm District) which specialized in selling green tea. Later, people changed to using dried tea because of its convenience. Yellow tea leaves were used to make brown tea. Buds and young tender leaves, after being withered, dehydrated, rubbed, and dried, became “bud tea.”

One of the most beloved tea in Hà Nội is Thái Nguyên tea (which is made in Tân Cương, Thái Nguyên Province, in the north of Việt Nam) or snow tea. The buds of this kind of tea are as curly as hooks with white mould. The tea has a yellow-green color with slightly bitter and sweetish tastes and a fragrant smell. Tea is often scented with flowers such as aglaia, daisy, jasmine, or lotus to give it a beautiful smell. Tea connoisseurs, however, only like plain tea.

According to Phạm Đình Hổ in the book Vũ trung tùy bút (Notes Taken on Rainy Days) written in the early 19th century, the tea drinking manner of Thăng Long people was heightened to become an art from the Lê Dynasty (1426-1527): “The pot and cups used for drinking tea must be small and thin so that the prepared tea can become fragrant. The pot’s spout must be straight so that tea leaves do not get inside to block the liquid when it is poured. The plate’s surface must be flat so that the cups are not leaning.”

In order not to spoil the tea’s fragrance, water used to make tea must meet four standards: clean, colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Tea connoisseurs often choose rainwater or clear well water. More sophisticatedly, tea connoisseurs in ancient Hà Nội would use the water collected from dew on lotus leaves in West Lake in the early morning.

Drinking tools include a teapot, a big cup and some small cups. All are put on small plates painted with dragon and phoenix shapes and then on a carved wood or nacre tray. There are different drinking tea sets: “độc ẩm” (drinking alone), “song ẩm” (for 2 people) or “đa ẩm” (for many people). In families in ancient Hà Nội, beautiful drinking tea sets were passed from generation to generation.

When making tea, Hanoians put dried tea in the pot, pour boiling water in and wait for a while for the tea to soak. They then pour the first extract out in the big cup and continue pouring water in the pot for the second extract. The first extract in the big cup is poured into small cups so that they contain half of the first extract and half of the second extract. When serving guests, the host never uses the third extract. Tea should be drunk when it is hot and in small gulps to enjoy the taste. 

Tea connoisseurs in Thăng Long-Hà Nội usually have a lot of friends who have the same hobby of enjoying tea. They are called “tea friends” and their friendships last a long time. More than just sharing the same hobby of drinking tea, tea friends share all the happiness and sorrow of life.

Nowadays in Hà Nội, the traditional manner of drinking tea only occurs on yearly eating and drinking festivals or in traditional eating and drinking clubs or in “tea ceremony” houses. Although not taken in the traditional fashion, tea is still a popular drink in Hanoi and an important part of the etiquette of welcoming guests.