The Intercultural Peculiarities of Tea-Drining Culture in the Czech Republic

Abstract

Tea-drinking culture in the Czech Republic is unique in the European context and brings many questions why it is radically different (or non-existent) in other European countries. The authors focused on the research questions (a) what are the reasons for the specific tea-drinking culture in the Czech Republic and (b) what are the reasons for these peculiarities. The tea-drinking culture in the Czech Republic is very unique and there is no research into the roots of these specific phenomena. It is very important to understand them from the sociological and historical point of view since they can explain the reasons and also the consequences. Both qualitative and quantitative research was conducted in the form of questionnaires and interviews with observations, respectively, in the Czech Republic and several other European countries. Drinking tea in the tearooms in the Czech Republic is very specific and it is almost impossible to find a similar phenomenon in other European countries. Strange enough, it mixes the influences from, naturally, China and Japan, classic countries with a long tea culture, with Arabic countries where water pipes are popular, alongside with Indian style of decorations, and sometimes vegan food from India. This intercultural cluster is absolutely unique and the authors claim that not only in the European context but also globally.

Keywords: Travelling, tea-drinking, tourism, tea, Asian culture in Europe, interculturalism

Introduction

The paper focuses on the rich and relatively long-lasting tradition of tea-drinking culture in the Czech Republic in the context of the mass culture or McDonaldization of the modern Western world. The culture of drinking tea can be described as extremely high and is almost always connected with alternative cultural traits.

Problem Statement

McDonaldization is a process which does not concern only catering services but basically influences all aspects of our everyday life. McDonaldization is closely connected with rationalization of management, standardization of services and production. In tourism this approach is reflected by standardization of hotel chains and mass tourism. Moreover, one of the representations of McDonaldization is also exploitation of environment and marketing manipulation of customers with the aim of high profitability. This very rational behaviour which is totally efficient, however, leads to depersonalization and can also have severe consequences on the local culture and environment.

Despite the fact that these new ways of managing people, companies and societies can bring significant economic benefits, it goes without saying that it also creates many consequences for the customer, society and the environment - the system itself can start to manage people.

After studying basic literature and conducting pre-research, the authors decided to conduct both qualitative and quantitative research in the Czech Republic into the phenomenon of tearooms in the region. Tea drinking culture in the Czech Republic is unique in the European context and brings many questions why it is radically different (or non-existent) in other European countries.

Research Questions

The authors of the research stated two questions regarding tea-drinking in the Czech Republic as follows:

• What are the characteristics of the specific tea-drinking culture in the Czech Republic?
• What are the reasons for these peculiarities?

When observing tea-drinking culture in the countries with a long tradition, it is clear that this culture is not only connected to catering or drinking but it is always connected with some form of spirituality and this is inevitably in the context of a ritual in a certain usually sacred environment. All the preparation of the tea and its consumption is in a direct opposition with the McDonald´s style of production, preparation and consumption of food and drinks.

Purpose of the Study

The tea drinking culture in the Czech Republic is very unique and there is no research regarding the roots of these specific phenomena. It is very important to understand them from the sociological and historical point of view since they can explain the reasons and also the consequences. The tea rooms create specific lifestyle, ethnic culture and these places are so specific that they deserve our undivided attention not only from a sociological and psychological point of view but also from the viewpoint of leisure studies and tourism.

Research Methods

Both qualitative and quantitative research was conducted in the form of questionnaires and interviews with observations, respectively, in the Czech Republic and several other European countries. The research was conducted in the capital city, Prague, and several regional cities and towns (Pardubice, Hradec Kralove, Kolin, Podebrady, Kutna Hora, Benesov, Sedlcany, Vlasim, Ceske Budejovice).

Seventeen interviews were conducted with the owners of these tearooms, two managers of the tearooms, two owners of the wholesale companies with tea and one employee of the wholesale tea company. The respondents had had some experience in the business, minimum five months, maximum 25 years, so the respondents proved to be well established in the tea business. The authors also use the techniques of direct observations and personal reflections of our experience with tea not only from Europe but also Asian countries where the tea culture has been existent for centuries.

The respondents were not directly asked about the connection of the tea-rooms with alternative culture, and all the interred conclusions are based on the experience of the authors of the paper.

Findings

Drinking tea in the tearooms in the Czech Republic is very specific and it is almost impossible to find a similar phenomenon in other European countries. It mixes the influences from, naturally, China and Japan, but also Arabic countries with Indian style of decorations. In the orthodox tea rooms there is no space for alcohol drinking and neither smoking of tobacco. However, the specific role has smoking of water pipes and marihuana. For many of the tea rooms water pipes are an important source of income mostly during summer months when the people would prefer other soft drinks. Some of the respondents who run tea rooms answered that water pipes are not acceptable for them in the context of Chinese and Japanese culture of drinking tea, but this orthodox approach will then mean a lower number of clients visiting the tearooms. Still, the biggest number of visitors to these tea rooms are young people who want to smoke a water pipe and possibly drink tea, which may even become an unwanted must (when smoking a water pipe, it is obligatory to buy some tea, however, when drinking tea, it is not obligatory to smoke a water pipe).

One of the biggest problems is the increase in the number of tea rooms and tea shops in the country, which leads to the drop in the number of clients and turnover. The respondents view this as a challenge to increase the number of items and services they provide, such as vegetarian and vegan food, books etc. A paradox thing is that despite the fact that these tea rooms are against standardization which is well-known from McDonaldization, the franchise of the Good Tearoom is in a way also standardized and tries to provide uniform service and products. One of the biggest threats can be seen as the future development of these tea rooms into so called shisha bars, popular in the UK not only in immigrants from the Near East and North Africa.

Conclusion

The culture of tea drinking entered the country in a large scale just after 1989 and was closely connected with the alternative culture against the standardised pop culture. The tea rooms became the centres of cultural diversity and were spreading the ideas of the New Age (and ideas of the cultural revolution of the 1960s). The philosophy of tea drinking is in contrast to McDonaldization of the modern society, unification of products, services and general standardization. On the contrary, speed and standardizations is not desired here, quality and the experience is valued more than pure consumption. Tea rooms are considered to be ideal places for people who are looking for peaceful and quiet atmosphere.

Tea-drinking culture in the Czech Republic is on a very high level. It reaches almost the same quality levels as in the cradle of tea, i.e. Asia, however, curiously combines other cultural influences and thus makes it a very unique phenomenon not only in the Central Europe, but globally. The syncretism is the most typical characteristics of it, combining almost incompatible items. The practical consequences are very important as it may be very interesting for Asian tourists visiting the Czech Republic and can function as an incentive for them to visit the country. We can see there is a huge potential in travel and tourism industry. This Czech peculiarity can in a way attract many tourists from Asian countries where the tea drinking culture has a strong and long tradition. Moreover, the authors have experienced that in some of these countries with a long tradition the tea drinking culture has ceased (Taiwan, Japan) mostly in younger population, as it is not very trendy and modern, the older generation in these countries still considers tea drinking as the part of their culture and could potentially attract their attention to the Czech Republic.

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