Eat a Bowl of Tea

The act of sharing tea appears across the novel as a symbol of the value of maintaining Chinese traditions in the US. Tea is most closely associated with the tradition of hospitality. Mei Oi and Ben Loy’s first supervised meeting occurs when their families go out for “a drink of tea” (49) in the bride’s village. The tea ceremony allows the future couple to get to know each other in a formal, supervised setting hosted by the groom’s family. Tea also plays an important role in the Chinatown celebration, as Mei Oi and her new family “carried ten cups filled with tea” (77) around the room, and “little red envelopes began dropping onto the tray beside the cups” (77) as the guests offer gifts. The tea ceremony in Chinatown reinforces Wah Gay’s reputation as a hospitable member of the community.

Tea is also associated with traditional Chinese medicinal practices. Ben Loy initially resists these traditions, visiting a Western doctor for help treating his impotence. When that medicine doesn’t work, he visits a traditional Chinese herbalist in New York and is prescribed an “invigorating tea” (95). The tea does not immediately resolve his issue, so he abandons it.