"The teahouse recreates the charm of old Beijing, which makes it a must for foreigners, who, from around the world, may come to appreciate Beijing Opera, drama, acrobatics and other Beijing folk arts, as well as sip tea," he said.
In general, it costs around 100 yuan (US$12) to drink tea and watch a performance in the Laoshe Teahouse, which is in Qianmen, the most prosperous commercial area of old Beijing, neighboring Tian'anmen Square, the world's largest square.
Jasmine tea is the favorite of many old Beijingers, with its pure, clear taste and strong aroma. It's definitely on the menu at the Lao She Teahouse.
But the teahouse boasts an exclusive "art" tea as well as traditional jasmine tea. It's quite an incredible sight. When boiling water is poured in the glass, the seemingly ordinary tea ball blossoms into an ethereal flower.
Also, it would be a pity to miss the performance of the Xiao'ers (waiters) while you're watching the shows. Every Xiao'er at the Lao She Teahouse carries a special copper pot with a meter-long spout. And they handle the scalding pot without spilling a single drop of water.
Why is the spout a meter long? Xiao'er Xu Dawei says that's the only way to make sure the water is poured at the proper temperature. "The long-spouted pot is a special heirloom in an old Beijing teahouse, particularly designed for brewing green tea. Water in the pot is about 90 degrees Celsius, but green tea tastes best at 80 degrees. Through this long spout, the temperature of the water decreases to the correct 80 degrees, so customers can enjoy the best fragrance."
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