Chinese History and Culture of Chinese Tea
According to Lu Yu, whose writings include the book Tea Classics in the Tang Dynasty, Chinese tea has enjoyed more than 4000 years of history.
Tea has found many uses thoughout Chinese history. It was used for offerings in the West Zhou period and medicine in the Warring period. During the West Han dynasty, it became a major commodity. In the 300 years between the Three Kingdoms period and the Northern and Southern Dynasties Buddhism became very popular. Buddhists used tea to relieve sleep, so tea trees were planted along the valleys and around temples. Not until the Tang dynasty did tea become popular in the general population. During the Ming dynasty, tea trade began to play an important role in the economy of the government. As a result the "Tea and Horse Bureau" was set up to supervise the tea trade.
Around the 6th century, Buddhists monks introduced tea to Japan. Around the 16th century, it was introduced to Europe by a Portuguese missionary. Tea was now an international drink.
Generally, tea is offered immediately to a guest in a Chinese home. Serving tea is more than a matter of mere politeness; it symbolizes togetherness, a sharing of something enjoyable and a way of showing your visitors respect.
Categories of Tea
Chinese tea contains hundreds of varieties. The teas, for the most part can be classified into five categories: Green tea, Black tea, Brick tea, Scented tea, and Oolong tea.
With its natural fragrance, Green tea is the oldest kind of tea. It is usually baked immediately after picking. Green tea can be divided into many varieties according to the different ways of processing. The more famous of various Green teas are: Longjing Tea, Huangshan Maofeng Tea, Yinzhen Tea and Yunwu Tea.
Black tea is much more popular with cultures outside the Chinese regions. Differing from Green tea, Black tea is a kind of fermented tea. After the fermentation, the color changes from green to black. The more famous Black teas in China are Qi Hong, Dian Hong, and Ying Hong.
Brick tea is a combination of Green and Black teas pressed into compact bricks. This type is very popular in the rural areas of china.
Very popular in Northern China, Scented tea is, in fact a mixture of Green tea mixed through an elaborate process with flower petals of rose, jasmine, orchid and plum. Jasmine tea is the most common type.
Oolong tea, with a wonderful combining of the freshness of Green tea and the fragrance of Black tea, has become very popular with many people. It enhances the well being of the body. Fujian, Guangdong and Taiwan are the major producing areas of this kind of tea. Oolong tea grows on cliffs, making the harvesting process more difficult. It is considered one of the most precious varieties of tea.
There are various other kinds of tea. Among them White tea is special and is relatively unknown to most people. Just as its name suggests, this kind of tea has a silver white color. Mainly produced in Zhenhe and Fuding in Fujian Province, it is very popular in Southeast Asia. Some famous varieties include Silver Needle and White Peony.
Ten Popular Chinese Teas
Jun shan Silver Needle: Produced at Qing luo Island on Dong ting Lake.
Bi luo chun: Produced at Wu County, Jiangsu.
Long jing (Dragon Well): Produced at Long jing village near the West Lake, Hang zhou, Zhejiang.
Wu yi Rock Tea: Produced at Wu yi Mountain, Fujian
Qi men Black Tea: Produced at Qi men County in Anhui.
Liuan Guapian: Produced at Liuan County in Henan.
Huang shan mao feng: Produced at Mount Huang shan in Anhui.
Xin yang Mao jian: Produced at Xin yang, Henan.
Du yun Mao jian: Produced at Du yun Mountain, Guizhou.
Tie guan yin: Produced at Anxi County, Fujian.
Health and Tea
In summer or in warm climates, tea seems to help dispel the heat and bring on instant cool as well as a feeling of relaxation. Medically, the tea leaf contains numerous chemicals, of which 20-30% is tannic acid, known for its anti-inflammatory and germicidal properties. It also contains alkaloids and anti-oxidants, which help stimulate the nerve centers, enhancing metabolic processes, as well as helping purify the blood. Tea that contains aromatics may help resolve meat and fat, helping promote better digestion. Teas, when used in conjunction with herbs, exercise and a proper diet, can enhance the functioning of your body immensely. As with everything, balance is the key - too much of anything is not beneficial.