Quote:
Originally posted by TheyCallMeBruce+Aug 24 2005, 08:15 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (TheyCallMeBruce @ Aug 24 2005, 08:15 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-HelloHockeyFans@Aug 24 2005, 08:10 PM
Here's a question I know the answer to, but I'll ask Bruce anyways.
Why do we tap the table with our index and middle fingers when some one pours tea for us?
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This is a sign of appreciation for someone pouring you the tea. My white friends were kinda confused at first and thought it was kinda rude to tap the table like that, but I had to explain to them this is the way things are done. You're basically saying "thank you." [/b][/quote]
Right, you are Bruce!
But to expand, the custom began in ancient China during the Qing Dynasty. Legend has it that one of the Emperors during this era loved to travel, but had to do so in disguise in fear of being assasinated if his true identity was ever discovered. The Emperor had a strange fascination with pouring tea after he observed people pour tea without spilling a single drop on the table, and he wanted to try. However, being an Emperor, he had never poured tea for himself before. Also, during the days of the Emperors in China, whenever the Emperor would enter a room, everyone was required to bow in his presence, on their knees with their head down. But since the Emperor's identity would be revealed, this was not possible while he travelled. Instead, the two fingers bent in the proper manner resembled a person on their knees, and his guards would do this each time the Emperor poured them tea to show their respect to the Emperor, essentially bowing to him.