We seem to be very familiar with teahouses. The function of a teahouse varies widely (depend) on the culture. In China, a teahouse is a place people gather to enjoy tea, chat and socialize. It (consider) as a symbol of Chinese tea culture.
Chinese teahouses enjoy a long-standing history. They developed from tea stands in the Western Jin Dynasty, (take) shape in the Tang Dynasty, developed (gradual) in the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties and became booming in modern times.
In the Song Dynasty, teahouses existed all over cities and villages, a rate comparable with that of restaurants. The owners preferred to decorate their teahouses with paintings of celebrities(名人)and rare and precious plants (attract) customers. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the number of teahouses went beyond that of restaurants, gaining more (popular) and becoming more famous. Later, the acculturation(文化移入)of Western culture forced traditional Chinese teahouses to take on new look. After reform and opening-up, teahouses flowered in China with the development of the economy and evident improvement of (people) living standards.
