Jingshan Tea Banquet became popular in the middle of Tang Dynasty, saw its heyday in the Northern and Southern Song Dynasty, and declined in Ming and Qing Dynasty. It is a kind of lobby tea party of Jingshan Temple in Yuhang District to receive distinguished guests, a unique solemn traditional tea banquet etiquette of honoring guests with tea, a survival of Chinese ancient tea banquet etiquette, and also an outstanding representative of Chinese tea custom culture. Jingshan Tea Banquet has more than ten ceremonial procedures, including displaying the tea list, hitting the tea drum, inviting guests respectfully into the hall, offering incense to Buddha, boiling water to whisk tea powder (Diancha), making tea latte art, tasting tea, and expressing thanks to the tea banquet and leaving the hall. Using tea to meditate and seek Taoism is the essence of Jingshan Tea Banquet.
The hall to hold the banquet is simple and elegant. The whole procedure is standardized and full of etiquette. The host is respectful, and the guests are dignified. The banquet complies with the timings strictly like obeying the law and is very harmonious and rich in connotations, manifesting the perfect combination of the Zen temple rules and etiquette and tea art. With high character and elegance, it deserves to be called the classic style of China's Zen tea culture. Jingshan Tea Banquet has lasting historical value and rich cultural connotations. Known as the No. 1 taste of Zen tea, it uses tea to debate Taoism, reflects the spiritual character of Chinese Zen tea culture and enriches and enhances the connotation of Chinese tea culture. Therefore, it is of high academic research value. Jingshan Tea Banquet, as the origin of Japanese Tea Ceremony, serves as a bridge to facilitate the cultural exchange between China and Japan. Jingshan Tea Banquet has an important influence on the formation of the modern "tea party" etiquette and the survival of folk tea drinking etiquette and customs in Hangzhou area. It is of outstanding folklore value.
In 2022, as an important part of the traditional Chinese tea-making art and its related customs, Jingshan Tea Banquet was officially inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.