Chinese people have seven necessities in their daily life: firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea. Of them, tea is the only drink. Tea has fully merged into Chinese people's daily life and became as important as food. For the Chinese, although tea does not fill their stomach like rice, they just cannot do without it. In fact, tea can not only quench thirst, but also represents a life style. People's love of tea is more a spiritual demand than a physical one. Lin Yutang, a famous Chinese linguist, once said that Chinese people love tea the most; they drink tea at home, during a meeting, when reasoning to solve a conflict, during breakfast, and after lunch. They seem to be able to drink tea anywhere and anytime. Drinking tea is a life culture upheld by Chinese people. When guests come, the host will always make a cup of tea to treat them. This custom has been passed down to this day. When entertaining guests with a banquet, the host will sometimes propose a toast to the guests to show his respect. Tea is the only qualified substitute for the wine on this occasion. It meets the protocol and keeps everybody happy. Tea is an indispensable drink for Chinese people in their daily life and during formal gatherings such as wedding, birthday party, or funeral.
