CHINESE TEA

Tea is the national drink in China. In addition to its prominence in Chinese

culture, tea also claims many health benefits, making it a popular drink
worldwide. Chinese tea is a tea which made from large dark-green or
reddish-brown tea leaves.
There are several types of Chinese tea, which may contain in the degree of
fermentation and processing.
The main classes of Chinese tea are green tea, yellow tea, white tea,
oolong tea, black tea, dark tea or fermented tea and Pu'er tea.

History of Chinese Tea:

The history of Chinese tea is a long and gradual story of refinement.

Generations of growers and producers have perfected the Chinese way of
manufacturing tea, and its many unique regional variations.
The original idea is credited to the legendary Emperor Shennong, who is
said to have lived 5000 years ago. His far-sighted edicts required, among
other things, that all drinking water be boiled as a hygienic precaution.
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A story goes that, one summer day, while visiting a distant part of his
realm, he and the court stopped to rest. In accordance with his ruling, the
servants began to boil water for the court to drink. Dried leaves from a
nearby bush fell into the boiling water, and a brown substance was infused
into the water.
As a scientist, the Emperor was interested in the new liquid, drank some,
and found it very refreshing. And so, according to legend, tea was created
in 2737 BC.

Tea is consumed throughout the day, as a substitute for plain water, as a

health tonic or purely for pleasure. Tea is considered one of the “seven
necessities” for daily life, alongside firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce, and
vinegar.

Tea is grown in many provinces across southern China, including Anhui,

Fujian, Guangdong, and Yunnan.
Chinese Tea Types:
Chinese tea is separated into different types according to the processes is
undergoes during picking and production, and the characteristics created
by these processes. The main varieties of Chinese tea are classified
as green tea, black tea, Oolong tea, white tea, yellow tea, and dark tea.

Oolong Green tea Tieguanyin Longjing tea Baihao

Yinzhen

Black Tea White Tea Yellow Tea Fermented Tea

Others Different kind of Teas

Over the centuries, Chinese manufacturers have been able to produce
thousands of varieties of tea from this single plant, each having its own
unique flavor.
This has been achieved by controlling 4 basic elements:
1. Region where the plant is located; soil and altitude are key factors
2. Time of harvesting the leaves - early, middle or late in each season
3. Method of harvesting – picking only buds or buds with leaves
4. Processing – withering, rolling, oxidizing, drying, fermenting and aging
The fifth element that affects the flavor of tea is how it is prepared just
before drinking.
5. Preparation – type and quality of the teapot, temperature and quality
of the water, brewing times.

Popularity of Tea:

Believe it or not, almost all Chinese teas are made from one plant species,
known as Camellia synesis. It is an evergreen shrub that can grow into a
small tree and is native to Southeast China. The plants can live for up to
100 years and the leaves are harvested year-round. (The other plant from
which tea is made is Camellia asemia from India and most tea in the world
comes from these two sub-species of the Camellia plant).
Tea is also one of the most prominent small gifts you see given here in
China, especially as something picked up during a vacation.
Much as Westerners might buy a keychain, a fridge magnet or some local
snack to give to friends, Chinese travelers love to buy "tè chǎn (特产)" or
distinctive local products, and tea is usually number one on the list, as
different regions in China have a wide variety of different leaf and flavor
types.
One of the most famous and the earliest Chinese pharmaceutical and
medicine books, 神农本草经 (shén nóng běn cǎo jīng), records “神农尝百
草，日遇七十二毒，得荼而解之.” This describes the Emperor Shennong,
who is famously known for his teachings on agriculture and herbal drugs,
tasting hundreds of varieties of herbs, and was poisoned (but luckily didn’t
die) by 72 of them. He drank tea to help detoxify his body. The character,
荼 (chá) was created to represent Chinese tea.

Tea is an important part of Chinese tradition. As Chinese society developed

and progressed, tea production has played a role in driving economic
development while tea consumption has remained a practice of daily life.
The practice of tea culture can bring the spirit and wisdom of human beings
to a higher orbit. Tea has an extremely close relationship to Chinese
culture, and its study covers a wide field and has very rich content. It not
only embodies the spirit of civilization, but also the spirit of the ideological
form. There can be no doubt that it has been beneficial in enhancing
people's social accomplishments and appreciation of art.
The Benefits of Drinking Chinese Tea:

Chinese tea, particularly green varieties, offer all the taste without the
excessive amounts of caffeine. Green and white tea (like jasmine tea)
contain considerably less caffeine than black tea.

“The Mayo Clinic state that consuming more than 500-600 mg of caffeine a
day may lead to insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, irritability, an upset
stomach, a fast heartbeat and even muscle tremors. However, previous
research has linked even moderate amounts of caffeine to negative health
effects. Last year, Medical News Today reported on a study suggesting that
consuming 300 mg of caffeine a day during pregnancy may increase the
risk of low birth weight babies, while other research suggests that drinking
four cups of coffee a day may increase the risk of early death.”

Black tea and coffee are known for their staining effect on teeth, but
Chinese tea provides the opposite result. All Chinese tea varieties offer a
natural source of fluoride, an essential mineral that prevents decay and
strengthens teeth. It’s not just your teeth that will benefit from you drinking
Chinese tea. Green tea contains antioxidants that keep the skin healthy,
vibrant, and youthful.

Present Day – Tea vs. Coffee:

China has very rich and glamorous tea culture; it is one of the most
important parts of Chinese tradition. A small cup of tea contains the spirit
and wisdom of the Chinese people, and it seems like the most enjoyable
thing is to drink a cup of tea on a quiet day that is full of “Zen” spirit.
Some people believe tea needs to be drunk quietly, so many of the tea
shops are located in a corner of a Hutong, providing customers with a very
quiet and comfortable environment- but the fast-pace of life sometimes
doesn’t allow that. So there are tea shop owners who, just as Starbucks
does, locate their shops in the downtown area in order to provide for quick
service customers.
Take Heytea for example. It's one of the most highly rated tea shops and it
has now opened several new outlets in the business areas of big cities like
Beijing. Waiting in lines for longer one hour for their tea is a common
occurrence.
China's consumption of tea is immeasurable. According to a research of
USC US-China Institute, in China, the average person consumes 400 cups
of tea per year. So it is unlikely that coffee can replace tea as the country’s
main drink any time soon.

And, according to analysis of China’s coffee market by the SPR Coffee,

Chinese people consume 5 cups of coffee per year, ranking 12th in a list of
coffee consuming countries, one place after South Korea. But the analysis
also claimed that China’s coffee market contains boundless potential.
Actually, as two different types of drink with different cultural backgrounds,
coffee and tea are both irreplaceable. The expanding coffee shops are not
there to replace tea, but to provide people with another choice that they can
use to enjoy life.
Chinese Tea Culture:
Chinese tea culture refers to the methods of preparation of tea, the
equipment used to make tea and the occasions in which tea is consumed
in China.
Tea drinking was popular in ancient China as tea was regarded as one
of the seven daily necessities, the others being firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy
sauce, and vinegar.

Tea culture in China differs from that of Europe, Britain or Japan in such
things as preparation methods, tasting methods and the occasions for
which, it is consumed. Even now, in both casual and formal Chinese
occasions, tea is consumed regularly. In addition to being a drink, Chinese
tea is used in herbal medicine and in cooking.

Tea Drinking Customs

There are several special circumstances in which tea is prepared and
consumed.
As a sign of respect, in Chinese society, the younger generation shows
respect to the older generation by offering a cup of tea.
Inviting and paying for their elders to go to restaurants for tea is a
traditional activity on holidays.
 Tea Utensils
In the past, people of lower rank served tea to higher ranking people.
Today, as Chinese society becomes more liberal, parents may pour a cup
of tea for their children, or a boss may even pour tea for subordinates at
restaurants. The lower ranking person should not expect the higher-ranking
person to serve him or her tea in formal occasions, however.

The Chinese make serious apologies to others by pouring them tea. This
act is taken as a sign of regret and submission.
Chinese Tea Etiquette:
Tea Serving Etiquette is one of the traditional Chinese etiquette which has
a history of more than 3000 years. Since Zhou Dynasty, tea had already
been a kind of present between friends and relatives and tribute for royalty.

Han people, Mongolian people and other ethnic minorities in China has the
tea serving etiquette. Han people’s tea serving etiquette has a long history.
As early as Tang Dynasty, Han people already had this etiquette. The
tradition and types of tea varies from place to place, such as Qi Jia Tea,
Yuan Bao Tea, Kong Fu Tea, etc... Mongolia’s serving tea etiquette is
known as “Serving Milky Tea". It is still popular today in the Inner Mongolia
Autonomous Region, Qinghai Province and other areas.
Steps of Serving Tea:
Serving tea is a custom in China and has a long history. Chinese people
like to serve tea to guest, gradually, it became etiquette. According to
Chinese traditional culture, no matter where it is, serving tea must relate to
tea etiquette.

1. Smell the tea. The host should show the tea, and introduce the
characteristics to guests, while guests should smell the tea by turns.
2. Warm the tea pot. Fill the boiled water into the empty pot to warm the
pot, the pour out the water.
3. Fill the tea to the pot. According to the variety of the tea to scoop the
quantity of the tea. Use teaspoon to scoop the tea, not the hand.
4. Invite guest to drink. Use two hands to hold the tea to guests to show
respect. The tea cup should put at the right hand of the guest. Fill the
water in time, when the water is nearly drinking out. Guest should
appreciate the tea, and try to avoid drinking a big mouthful of tea.
5. Try to avoid crossing legs when drinking tea, no matter host or guest.
Tea to many, especially the Chinese is more than just a cup packed with
flavor and aroma. It is aimed to promote interpersonal relationships, hence
there are some etiquettes to follow while having tea with others. Here, we’ll
be sharing some dos and don’ts in Chinese tea Etiquette.