![]() “Pixius are known for eating gold, and they have no butthole,” he adds, flipping Maurice around so I can inspect him. He flashes his own tea pet to me through our video chat, a pixiu-a mythical Chinese creature that vaguely resembles a winged lion-that he has lovingly named Maurice. “The general idea, in Chinese philosophy and superstition, whatever kind of attribute the tea pet has, by pouring tea on it you bring some good karma,” Appell says. Truong offers many dogs at Paru, which carry luck (but also, she adds, she thinks they’re adorable). A frog carrying a coin in its mouth may encourage wealth and prosperity, whereas a tiger or dragon may lend strength and bravery. ![]() Tea pets come in a variety of designs, but the most traditional forms carry symbolism from Chinese culture and the zodiac signs. Ghibli-inspired tea pets live on the tasting table at Tea and Whisk. Perhaps it's the warmth emanating from the steaming tea, or the charming faces of dogs, smiling pigs, and rabbits. There is something soothing about watching shaped pieces of clay get baths. “Any time we post anything tea pet-related on our channel or reels, it definitely has higher views,” she laughs. “When I started the channel, I thought people might think the tea pets were cute, and they might drink the tea, but I didn't think I could get that whole essence of it together to people,” Appell says. On TikTok, videos of Appell rinsing his tea pets and discussing Gongfu tea traditions went viral almost immediately. Without an audience to perform for, Appell drank a lot of tea, wrote new jokes, and decided to combine his two interests into Jesse’s Teahouse. In January 2020, Appell traveled stateside for a brief vacation, but was unable to return to China due to the coronavirus pandemic. ![]() “It was almost by accident that I got into tea pets,” Appell says. After shared laughter, his tea friends would then teach the tradition of Gongfu tea and introduce him to his first tea pets. “It worked out well because I would basically practice material at the tea market, and after hang out with my tea friends,” Appell says. Chinese stand-up, it just so happens, typically takes place in tea houses. He then later returned in 2012 for a Fulbright Scholarship to research Chinese comedy. He studied abroad in China and would venture to tea markets to practice his Mandarin. Jesse Appell never expected to have a large family of tea pets, both in China and stateside, or even a thriving tea business called Jesse’s Teahouse. It could also be considered an heirloom that you can pass down through generations, which I find really powerful.” “It’s kind of fun to think that the tea pet has drank the same amount of tea you’ve been drinking years ago. It’s the reason why she, too, decided to carry tea pets in her shop: to spread a little joy and also add routine to the tea ceremony and a method of measuring how much tea one consumes in a lifetime. “Every time you pour hot tea over it, that’s when it comes alive the most, which is delightful,” Amy Truong, co-owner of San Diego–based Paru Tea, says. Tea pets may change color over time or absorb the scent of teas as they continue to be fed. There, they can feed the pets that call the tea shop home and adopt their own. At Lukidi’s shop in Vegas, tea pets adorn the shelves and live scattered atop a tea table in the center in the showroom, where guests who visit for tastings sit. “The idea is that once you rinse the tea, instead of just dumping it into a bowl, you feed it to your tea pet.” The first rinse of tea is not only for washing the tea and cleaning it, but it also allows the tea leaves to bloom and deliver a stronger flavor. “In Gongfu tea ceremonies, you have to first rinse the tea to get rid of impurities and dust,” Leo Lukidi, owner of Las Vegas tea shop, Tea and Whisk, explains. ![]() They were crafted from the excess of clay used to make teaware and became wonderful, albeit silent, companions to drink tea with.Īlthough, yes, they’re very cute, tea pets do much more than sit pretty. For the uninitiated, tea pets are typically clay figurines that live on tea trays and date back thousands of years to ancient China. It is the antithesis of drinking two shots of espresso and rushing somewhere.Īdding a tea pet to this routine is a fun and easy way to extend the ritual of tea-making. Patience is required while the water boils and as the tea steeps, unfurling and releasing its aroma. The act of drinking tea is a lesson in mindfulness. ![]()
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