| There is another yum tea ritual that has an historic
origin. When you see tea-drinkers tapping the table with
three fingers of a hand, do not think it is a superstitious
gesture. It is a silent expression of gratitude to the
member of the party who has refilled their cup. The gesture
recreates a tale of Imperial obeisance.
The story tells of a Qing Dynasty emperor who used
to go out and about on his lands on incognito inspection
visits. While visiting South China, he once went into
a teahouse with his companions. In order to preserve
his anonymity, he took a turn at pouring tea as not
to have done so would have revealed his special status.
His shocked companions wanted to kowtow to him for the
great honor he was doing them. Instead of letting them
reveal his identity, the emperor told them to tap three
fingers on the table. One finger represented their bowed
head and the other two represented their prostrate arms.
Apocryphal or not, the relatively modern tale is the
basis for the charming custom of discreetly tapping
your acknowledgment of a tea-drinking companions consideration.
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