1. Tea-Drinking Customs in ChinaChina is the home of tea, and drinking tea is a national obsession. The Chinese are the most likely to delight in drinking tea as well as being the most discriminating in the way tea is made and served. It is not simply a type of drink, but a transmitter of culture, representing the philosophy, aesthetic views and way of life of Chinese people, from which the spiritual world of the Chinese can be discerned.(importance)The tea-drinking tradition from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which features infused tea, has been inherited in most of China. But people from different areas favor different teas. Distinct customs in different areas and minorities compose the variety of China's tea-drinking tradition.(brief history)The Categories of TeaChinese tea may be classified into five categories according to the different methods by which it is processed.1) Green tea: Green tea is the variety which keeps the original colour of the tea leaves without fermentation during processing. This category consists mainly of Longjing tea of Zhejiang Province, Maofeng of Huangshan Mountain in Anhui Province and Biluochun produced in Jiangsu.2) Black tea: Black tea, known as "red tea" (hong cha) in China, is the category which is fermented before baking; it is a later variety developed on the basis of the green tea. The best brands of black tea are Qihong of Anhui, Dianhong of Y unnan, Suhong of Jiangsu, Chuanhong of Sichuan and Huhong of Hunan.3) Wulong(Oolong) tea: This represents a variety half way between the green and the black teas, being made after partial fermentation. It is a specialty from the provinces on China's southeast coast: Fujian, Guangdong and Taiwan.4) Compressed tea: This is the kind of tea which is compressed and hardened into a certain shape. It is good for transport and storage and is mainly supplied to the ethnic minorities living in the border areas of the country. As compressed tea is black in colour in its commercial form, so it is also known in China as "black tea". Most of the compressed tea is in the form of bricks; it is, therefore, generally called "brick tea", though it is sometimes also in the form of cakes and bowls. It is mainly produced in Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan and Y unnan provinces.5) Scented tea: This kind of tea is made by mixing fragrant flowers in the tea leaves in the course of processing. The flowers commonly used for this purpose are jasmine and magnolia among others. Jasmine tea is a well-known favourite with the northerners of China and with a growing number of foreigners.Tea tasting has cultural meaning. Tea and tea wares should match surrounding elements such as breeze, bright moon, pines, bamboo, plums and snow. All these show the ultimate goal of Chinese culture: the harmonious unity of human beings with nature.Tea is compared to personal character. The fragrance of tea is not aggressive; it is pleasant, low-keyed and lasting. A friendship between gentlemen is also like a cup of tea. With a cup of tea in hand, enjoying the green leaves in a white porcelain cup, you will feel peace. Fame, wealth and other earthly concerns are far away. Tea is the symbol of elegance.Similarly, tea-drinking habits vary in different parts of China. Roughly, scented tea is popular in northern China; green tea is preferred in eastern China, and black tea is optimum for people in Fujian and Guangdong.2.One of the traditional handicrafts----paper cuttingPaper cutting can be seen in many parts of China during the Spring Festival. People paste patterns on the window, door lintel or desks for the festival atmosphere.It's difficult to tell when it originated. One saying is that it originated from the religious ceremony or offering sacrifices. The ancient people cut papers into animals or people. They either buried them with the dead or burned them on the funerals, wishing that things that paper stand for could be with the dead. A thousand years ago, paper cut was used for decoration. According to historic books, women in the Tang Dynasty used paper cut as headdress. In the Song Dynasty, it was the decoration of the gifts. People pasted on windows or doors or used it as decorations on walls, mirrors or lanterns. Some people made a living by it.Paper cutting is all made by hand. It is easy to learn the rudiments. Non-craftsmen need only a knife and paper. For craftsman, they need knives and gravers of various types to make complicated patterns. It can be one piece of paper or many pieces. Simple patterns can be cut with a knife. For complicated patterns, people first pasted the pattern on the paper and then used various kinds of knives to make it. No mistake can be made during the process otherwise the work would fail.Paper cutting covers nearly all topics, from flowers, birds, animals, legendary people, figures in classic novels, to types of facial make-up in Peking opera. Paper cutting has various styles in different parts of China.3. A brief introduction of suzhouAs an old saying goes: "Paradise in Heaven, Suzhon and Hangzhou on earth". Suzhou is a major tourist city of wide reputation with its beautiful gardens as well as an open city with developed economy and frequent exchanges with the outside world. Praised as the 'Oriental V enice', Suzhou features a scenic water town with numerous ponds and streams. Our exquisite tour package to Suzhou will enthrall you with the unique and lingering charm of its city landscape, especially the many fantastic gardens, which have high reputation for their tranquil beauty, featured landscapes and architectural splendors. As well as these features, Suzhou is famous for its local products which include embroidery, decorated fans and fine brocades; you are sure to find a souvenir of your visit here.A city of historical cultural and tourist renown, Suzhou is located in the southeast part of Jiangsu Province, right in the middle of the Changjiang River Delta, in a coastland economically developed region. Suzhou borders Shanghai in the east, Zhejiang Province in the south, Wuxi in the west, with the Changjiang River at its northern fringe.The municipal government of Suzhou now exercises administration over 5 county-level cities (Changshu, Zhangjiagang, Taicang, Kunshan, Wujiang, ), 8 urban and suburban Districts (Canglang, Pingjiang, Jinchang, Huqiu, Huzhong, Xiangcheng District, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou New District), and 150 towns and townships.The total area under the Jurisdiction of Suzhou municipality occupies 8,488square kilometre, of which 54.8% covers with plain, 42.5% with water, 2.7% with hills. The municipality has a total population of 5.782 million, a total urban-area of 1730 square kilometre of which built-up urban area accounts for 79 square kilometre, and a total urban-population of 2.059 million.The city of Suzhou which has a history of 2,500 years of was first planned in 514 BC. Today the city proper of Suzhou, which was laid out in "double-chessboard" form, still maintains its ancient features. Canals seen in the city serve as navigable waterways along with landtransportation. Civilian houses built on streets have their backsides facing man-made waterways. Visitors to Suzhou are greatly impressed by the bridges, waters, the white-painted walls and the dark-grey roof tiles of the traditional-style houses, and by the elegance of the classical gardens found in the city.Situated in a Temperate Zone Suzhou municipality enjoys a favorable geographical and ecological environment. The climate in the area is generally mild and warm, marked with distinct changes of the four seasons. The average temperature of the year is 16°C and annual precipitation over 1100 millimeters.4.local cuisineShandong CuisineConsisting of Jinan cuisine and Jiaodong cuisine, Shandong cuisine, clean, pure and not greasy, is characterized by its emphasis on aroma, freshness, crispness and tenderness. Shallots and garlic are frequently used as seasonings so Shandong dishes taste pungent. Soups are given much emphasis in Shandong cuisine. Thin soups are clear and fresh while creamy soups are thick and taste strong. Jinan chefs are adept at deep-frying, grilling, pan-frying and stir-frying while Jiaodong chefs are famous for cooking seafood with a fresh and light taste.Sichuan CuisineSichuan Cuisine, known more commonly in the West as Szechuan Cuisine, is one of the most famous Chinese cuisines in the world. Characterized by its spicy and pungent flavors, Sichuan cuisine, with a myriad of tastes, emphasizes the use of chili. Pepper and prickly ash are always in accompaniment, producing the typical exciting tastes. Garlic, ginger and fermented soybean are also used in the cooking process. Wild vegetables and meats such as are often chosen as ingredients, while frying, frying without oil, pickling and braising are used as basic cooking techniques.Guangdong Cuisine (Cantonese Cuisine)Tasting clean, light, crisp and fresh, Guangdong cuisine, familiar to Westerners, usually has fowl and other meats that produce its unique dishes. The basic cooking techniques include roasting, stir-frying, sauteing, deep-frying, braising, stewing and steaming. Steaming and stir-frying are most frequently used to preserve the ingredients' natural flavors. Guangdong chefs also pay much attention to the artistic presentation of their dishes.Jiangsu CuisineJiangsu Cuisine, also called Huaiyang Cuisine, is popular in the lower reaches of the Y angtze River. Using fish and crustaceans as the main ingredients, it stresses their freshness. Its carving techniques are delicate, of which the melon carving technique is especially well known. Cooking techniques consist of stewing, braising, roasting, and simmering. The flavor of Huaiyang Cuisine is light, fresh and sweet and its presentation is delicately elegant.Hunan CuisineHunan cuisine consists of local cuisines of Xiangjiang Region, Dongting Lake and Xiangxi coteau areas. It is characterized by thick and pungent flavors. Chili, pepper and shallot are usually necessities in this variation.。
