Tea drinkers pursue “leisure” when appreciating tea. The bustling world, full of confusion and argument, weariness and exhaustion, damages the mind and body of human beings. A cup of refreshing tea can parry the sound and fury of the secular world at arm's length. In the process of sipping tea, the mind may become as calm as a lake on a windless deep night when the moon shines brightly illuminating the world. A cup of tea may open up a new, boundless world.

Tea drinkers also pursue “paying respect”. The Chinese people have long fostered the custom of expressing respect by presenting a cup of tea. They treat guests with tea as a sign of respect, regardless of whether they are thirsty or not, and guests drinking the tea refreshed and energized. Educated people treat their guests arriving at night with tea instead of wine, a practice highly appreciated by the literati. In some places in China, there is the custom of presenting tea three times to the guests, as a sign of welcome, then of hospitality, and finally for good wishes. Presenting tea to guests demonstrates not only hospitality but also one's respect for the guests.