At a Friday afternoon crosstalk show, the auditorium was almost full with more than 200 people from different age groups.

Teahouses can be traced back hundreds of years to the Tang Dynasty (618-907), when they first appeared and became popular, sweeping from south to north.

In the famed painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival, painter Zhang Zeduan vividly portrayed the scene in busy teahouses, showing their popularity in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), teahouse business reached its peak, combining the features of both restaurants and social platforms.

Now, teahouses are once again cultural venues while also shouldering the responsibility to preserve and promote traditional Chinese culture.

The return of teahouse popularity and traditional culture has attracted foreigners.