Drinking Tea: A Unique Culture Of Vietnamese People

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Drinking tea is a daily habit of old people in Vietnam. Photo iPub

Tea for Vietnamese people is a free-flowing and refreshing necessity. It is a way of life, not just energy to get you through the day.

Origin of Vietnamese Tea

Photo Viet Co Tra

According to historical records, tea, associated with Buddhism, was and originated in pagodas and temples. It was called “Tea Meditation”. This form of tea then quickly became popular in Vietnamese royal court. In the past, that sophisticated tea was enjoyed by the king, mandarin, aristocracy, and noble lineage. Differently, people at normal class simply picked green leaves from tea trees, washed them, softly rumpled, boiled and enjoyed it. In the course of contacts with the Chinese and European industrial approach for many years, Vietnamese people also learned, practiced and created prerequisites for the development of Vietnam’s own tea industry.

Photo Bao Quoc Te

Tradition is out and modern is in, however, generation after generation, tea is not only part of Vietnamese everyday life, but also an essential part of the nation’s history and economy. No tea culture can be only expensive and rare. The basis of tea culture is its mass character, accessibility and integration into the daily and festive life of people.

When Do Vietnamese People Drink Tea?

Photo Che Sach

Tea is often served at the start of business meetings, during weddings, after meals or as part of a gossip between friends. Of course, people drink tea at home, any time of the day and for no specific reason. Drinking tea is a beautiful custom in Vietnamese culture.

A bride and a groom invite guests to drink tea at their wedding ceremony. Photo Tra Thai Nguyen

In cities, people usually drink tea commonly in “quan coc” – a typical of small street vendor – which can easily be seen everywhere, especially in front the gate of bus terminals, train stations, schools, office buildings, sidewalks or even in quiet alleys. There, people can spend a few hours to enjoy hot or iced tea and talk about the most updated news of the world! “Tra chanh” (tea served with ice, lemon and sugar) become an interesting modern trend of Vietnamese street culture for youngsters.

A street-side iced lemon tea stall in Hanoi. Photo afamily

What Are Interesting Features of Vietnamese Tea?

1. Vietnamese people often put all tea cups together and pour tea in a circle so that tea can be delivered equally into all the cups. A standard Vietnam tea set includes a teapot, 4 or 6 small cups and saucers, a large cup or pot for straining or pouring. The best tea sets are from Bat Trang Pottery Village in the outskirts of Hanoi.

Photo Tra Bup Vang

2. Shan Snow Tea (Che Shan Tuyet), also called wild tea, grown in mountainous provinces of Northern Vietnam at 800 – 2,000m, can be re-steeped for over 10 times. It is also one of Vietnam’s signature organic green teas. Tea trees are mostly over 300 years old.

Harvesting Shan Tuyet Tea in Na Hang, Tuyen Quang. Photo Bao Tuyen Quang

3. A good type of Vietnamese tea can make 3-4 servings by pouring hot water into it again. A shallow saucer should be placed under the teapot when serving tea to catch the overflow and keep warming the bottom of the teapot. With a cup of hot tea, you can sip it slowly to enjoy the flavor, and breathe in to enjoy the good smell. This is the way of drinking tea of Vietnamese people.

4. People living in Vietnam countryside still grow their very own tea trees in gardens. This fresh green leaves are processed differently with loose-leaf green tea mentioned above. People simply boil water and put fresh green tea leaves in. However, people should softly crumple leaves before boiling.

How Many Common Types of Vietnamese Tea Are There?

The Vietnam Record Organization published the list of 50 gift specialties nominated by localities, tourism agencies, domestic and international tourists. The main ingredients include dried tea leaves and water. Other parts depend on the type of tea, which would be different flowers (lotus, jasmine), fruits, or herbs. The countless methods in which to prepare and enjoy them are very interesting to discover.

1. Green tea (Tra Xanh)

Green tea is the most popular tea type in Vietnam.

The most famous green tea is from Tan Cuong District (Thai Nguyen Province). Green tea is made of 4 steps: picking buds, wilting, cracking and drying. To prevent oxidation, when the tea buds are picked down, the process of wilting is carried out promptly, and the oxidation is immediately prevented by stir-frying or steaming. High temperatures will cause enzymes in tea leaves to stop working.

It therefore contains the most antioxidants and beneficial polyphenols. Green tea fibers are shaped by rubbing on hands, pressing on a pan, rubbing or rolling, creating many different shapes. Green tea may help prevent a range of ailments including cancer and lower cholesterol.

Vietnamese green tea can be served in many styles, including boiled fresh leaves (the simplest way), loose leaf green tea brewed in hot water and added ice, sugar or lemon. Tea water is usually green or yellow.

2. Oolong tea (Tra O Long)

Photo Tra O Long

Vietnamese Oolong tea has a different taste from same kind of Chinese.

Despite the origins from China, Vietnamese Oolong tea has a different taste from same kind of Chinese.

Cao Son Oolong is the only popular Oolong tea in Vietnam so people often misunderstand that Oolong is a kind of tea. In fact, it is a group of teas (besides green tea, black tea) including any teas that is partially oxidized from 8% to 80%. Oxidation is reflected in the color of the tea from amber to sepia. It takes so long time to produce Oolong tea. The process includes all 5 basic steps mentioned below, in which the step and oxidation are repeated many times. After each process, people keep the tea leaves rested to oxidize, then do it again many times in a few days.

3. Scented tea (Tra uop huong)

Lotus-scented tea. Photo Gom Su Bat Trang

Vietnamese lotus tea always brings a pleasant and mild taste among other common scented teas.

Beside green one, teas with the scent of flowers such as lotus, jasmine and grapefruit are unique examples of Vietnamese tea culture. The whole process is made by hand, in a very careful manner to transmit the natural scent (aroma and taste) into the tea. Scented tea allows the creation of a variety of blends, flavors and quality.

Among the common scented teas, lotus tea is represented as the national soul of Vietnamese tea culture. To produce the finest lotus tea, flowers of lotus must be picked when they have just bloomed and kept fresh. Lotus flower buds are very carefully peeled back, the petals preserved without a single rip or tear until the fresh green tea is put into. Once lotus buds are full of tea and rewoven, people keep them overnight and then, the process is reversed.

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