The tea culture museum is decorated in a traditional Chinese style. [Photo/WeChat account: taicangdaily]

There's a saying in China that it's better to go without salt for three days than without tea for one. In ancient and modern times, drinking tea was and is an important part of daily life in China.

A private tea culture museum, consisting of three exhibition areas, recently opened in Taicang.

The Color of Tea-themed exhibition area houses 48 species of tea in different colors from all over the country. Glass plates describing the history and culture of tea are also installed in the room.

More than 500 tea wares are on display in the Ware of Tea-themed exhibition area and glass plates introducing the tea wares are mounted above them. [Photo/WeChat account: taicangdaily]

More than 500 tea wares are on display in the Ware of Tea-themed exhibition area and the Taste of Tea-themed room is where visitors and tea lovers sample the teas.

The owner of the museum is 40-year-old Gu Chaoqun who has studied tea for 20 years. Wearing glasses and dressed in a traditional Chinese garment with a purple clay teapot in his hand, Gu exemplifies tea culture.

Asked how he got the idea of running a tea culture museum, Gu said that he just wanted to popularize the culture among ordinary Chinese people so they could learn more about tea, rather than just enjoy its flavor.

The cup in the hand of the museum's owner, the treasure of the house, was made in the Earlier Song Dynasty (960-1127). [Photo/WeChat account: taicangdaily]