Kung Fu Tea

Setting for learning kung fu tea, a gorgeous teahouse.

Instead of having class today, groups split off to learn various traditional Chinese talents which we will all perform this Saturday.  My group is learning a routine of kung fu tea, an extraordinarily physical manner of pouring tea using a teapot with an extremely long and thin spout.  Below are clips of the teacher presenting her art.

An elaborate tea ritual for our behalf.

¥3,300 tea (the most expensive offered was ¥350,000 per half kilo)
$516 US Dollars (the most expensive offered was $54,807 per  17.6 ounces)

I wanted to get my ears cleaned for only 3 yuan each, but my host mother decided it was too perilous for my ear drums.

An inflated rat made of sugar bought for me by my host family.

Weirdest thing I ate today: fish eyeballs.  While crunching on my mid-morning snack of chicken fingers (complete with knuckles and nails), I thought it had claimed the daily prize, but then I found a little present of fresh fish eyeballs in my soup at dinner.

Spicy pickled chicken feet