The tea ceremony requires a deal of preparation and skill: the first time you will perform it, you will probably notice how many things must be done and accounted for at the same time. The tea ceremony also requires guests who can appreciate it to some level: for example, they should not do sudden moves like leaving or answering the phone, which would ruin the whole atmosphere! Moreover, the person who prepares the tea must always be aware of the guests. For example, the successive brews of tea should be ready in the same moment the guests have finished drinking the tea they have in their cups: the tea should never become cold, nor the guest should wait long to receive another cup. Chinese emperors would never allow that to happen when their guests came over for tea!