An old Chinese saying goes that, "a day begins with seven necessities, the firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar and tea".

Although people today enjoy a variety of teas and other drinks, tea remains a necessary brew in daily life. Preparing quality tea, brewing and drinking it in fine ceramics, with delicious traditional pastries are a must for many, and it would be much better if they could enjoy the process in a room enriched by arts and culture.

Artists from Zhejiang province, which has produced fine tea and ceramics since ancient times, have recently created such a space for visitors at the Chinese Traditional Culture Museum in Beijing.

Bamboo baskets, stacks and other tools that assist Zhejiang tea makers refine the products have been brought to the museum to demonstrate the process that has been continuing throughout centuries.

Also on show are different kinds of the qingci celadon ware, a time-honored porcelain from Zhejiang renowned for its opaque and smooth texture. They are not only used for enjoying the tea, but also for cultural activities, such as vases to arrange flowers and vessels to burn incenses.

Editor: Cheng Dengyu