Chengdu Tea Houses

The city of Chengdu is one of the few remaining cities which have a really authentic tea house or Chadian culture. You will come cross thousands of teahouses which can be spotted all over Chengdu. These tea houses are largely popular among locals, especially the elderly people who love to spend hours sitting and relaxing with their tea and also playing games or cards.

Tea houses are extremely popular throughout China, but the ones in Chengdu are especially very well known for its distinct and unique atmosphere it offers. The teahouses were traditional working clubs for me where local men used to meet to conduct business transactions and deals. They would also gather at these teahouses to listen to storyteller or the singers.

The tea houses in Chengdu attract huge crows today which gather to enjoy card games. The noise can sometimes be really overpowering. People who do not go to these tea houses to enjoy card games simply lounge around in the Sichuan bamboo chairs chewing seeds or nuts. These teahouses in Chengdu still remain important locations for social gatherings.

The tea houses were originally confined to the men and this atmosphere about the traditional tea house has disappeared for a long time now. Local opera lovers and performers gather in many of the cafes today. Some of the popular tea houses include the Yuelai Tea House, located on Huaxingzheng Street and provides free Sichuan opera performances from 14:00 to 16:00 every Tuesday and Saturday. The Heming Tea House located inside the Renmin Park is an outdoor teahouse and is quiet and picturesque. The teahouse is open from 6AM to 7PM.

Dabei Temple Tea House enjoys a good reputation for its history and surrounding ancient architecture. The tea house is known for antique and Chinese calligraphy and painting exchanges which take place regularly. Wenshu Monastery Tea House located inside the Wenshu Monastery attracts locals and visitors with its traditional tea services and inexpensive prices.