This is a hand drawing illustration demonstrating a woman preparing tea, from a series of costume drawings of China in 18th century.
Tea is always presented to a visitor in China, at whatever time of day he may arrive. It is served in porcelain cups with covers, and possesses, in its native clime, a peculiarly fine flavour and scent. It is never drunk hot, neither does a Chinese ever mix it with cream or sugar.
There is a sort of tea named Pou-Yul-Tchâ, from its being cultivated near the village of Pou-Yúl, in the province of Yun-Nan. The leaves of this are longer and thicker than of the other sorts, and are rolled up with a viscous liquid into a kind of ball, and dried in the sun. This sort bears a good price amongst the natives; they cut the balls into pieces, and pour the boiling water upon them. This tea is not of a very pleasant taste, but is esteemed very wholesome. Two of its attributed virtues are the Curing of the colic, and the creating of an appetite; but perhaps the essential virtues of Tea consist in its being an innocent, refreshing beverage, which quenches thirst; and that, supplying the place of inflammatory liquors, the laborious Chinese porter relishes it equally with the most delicate European lady.
All the characters are in the city of Canton, which is now known as Guangzhou in southern China.
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