Cafes and Bars in China: Examining the Spatial Routine of Drinking

Both tea and alcohol in traditional China were similarly aestheticized, and both influenced the language of literature and art. People used to exchange alcohol as a gift in a way that they later would with tea. Today, more and more cities in China have embraced this drinking culture that passed down from generation to generation, and reinterpreted with a new contemporary fashion, which is constantly evolving in the urban cafes and bars.

Cafes and Bars in China: Examining the Spatial Routine of Drinking
The Cave Bar / Qing Studio. Image © Yilong Zhao The Cave Bar / Qing Studio. Image © Yilong Zhao

Both tea and alcohol in traditional China were similarly aestheticized, and both influenced the language of literature and art. People used to exchange alcohol as a gift in a way that they later would with tea. Today, more and more cities in China have embraced this drinking culture that passed down from generation to generation, and reinterpreted with a new contemporary fashion, which is constantly evolving in the urban cafes and bars.

Read more »