CHINESE TEA
Contents 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18
History of tea in China
Routes of the Ancient Tea
Five Type of Tea
Chinese Tea: 10 of the best
2737 3800000 5 10 140/185 B.C.
meters
。 F
Green Tea Brewing Tips
How to Brew Kung Fu Tea How To Properly Use a Kongfu Ceremonial
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13
Steps
Tea Producting Regions in China
30%
How many people drink tea as a daily habit?
2,000,000,000
2737
History of Tea in China
B.C.
Tea was first discovered by the legendary Chinese emperor
Tea became a popular drink in Buddhist monasteries after
and herbalist, Shennong, in 2737 BCE. According to legend,
the caffeine proved to keep the monks awake during long hours
one fall afternoon, Shennong decided to take a rest under a
of meditation. For this reason, many monasteries cultivated
Camellia tree and boiled some water to drink. Dried leaves
vast tea fields. Lu Yu (Chinese: 陆羽), author of The Book of
from the tree above floated down into the pot of boiling water
Tea, was an orphan brought up and educated in a monastery.
and infused with the water, creating a pot of tea, marking the
It is likely that his experience growing up surrounded by tea
first ever infusion of the tea leaf. Intrigued by the delightful
inspired his book written during the Tang Dynasty. In The Book
fragrance, Shennong took a sip and found it refreshing.
of Tea, Lu Yu recorded a detailed account of ways to cultivate
In the beginning, tea was used in ritual offerings. Then, tea leaves were eaten as a vegetable, or used in medicine. Until the
and prepare tea, tea drinking customs, the best water for tea brewing and different classifications of tea.
Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago, tea was a new drink.
Whipped powdered tea became fashionable during the Song
During the Sui Dynasty (581–618), tea was used for its medicinal
Dynasty (960–1279), but disappeared completely from Chinese
qualities. In the fourth and fifth centuries, rice, salt, spices,
culture after the Yuan Dynasty (1279–1368), when many other
ginger and orange peel, among other ingredients, were added
aspects of Song culture were erased during foreign rule. Chinese
to tea. In the Tang Dynasty (618–907), tea drinking became an
people later became accustomed to drinking steeped tea from
art form and a drink enjoyed by all social classes.
leaves after Yuan Dynasty and continue to drink it today.
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Burang
Guan Zang route
3800000 meters
Routes of the Ancient Tea Horse Road The lengths of these two routes, Yunnan-Tibet and Sichuan–Tibet, are 3,800 km and 3,100 km respectively within China. For most part of the routes, they crossed the plateaus of Sichuan Province, Yunnan Province and the Tibetan Autonomous Region where rivers crisscross the area. The plateaus here were cut by the Salween River, Lancang River, Jinsha River and Dadu River, forming numerous peaks and canyons. Statistics show that en route from Ya’an to Lhasa, travelers had to pass by 78 mountains standing over 3000 meters high and cross 51 rivers. There are 15 overhead cables that enable people, livestock and goods to glide overhead of rivers and 10 iron chain bridges. Some so called roads are no more than 0.66 meter wide, or even narrower. When there is loose debris and rocks, occasional mudslides and landslides will occur. It takes six to seven months on these roads and sometimes travelers will experience weathers of all four seasons in a day, including the arctic coldness brought on by the snow-capped mountains, the scorching heat from the river valleys and the blaze of color that usually adorn spring.
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China Guan Zang route
Shangri-La
Lijiang
Kunming
Menglian
Jiangcheng
Simao Dry Season route
Mengla`
Jiang Lai route
Meng La route
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5
Types of Tea
White tea undergoes the least processing of all teas. Traditionally cultivated in China, white tea was picked only a few days out of the year, when a white down, known as bai hao, appeared on the tender shoots. Because they are unoxidized, green teas keep their vital color. The Chinese style of processing tends to bring out a mouthwatering range of flavors from citrus-like to smoky with a lighter body. The color of the liquor is usually not a true “green”, but a pale yellow or straw color. Oolong, also spelled Wu Long, teas are semi-oxidized. The term in Chinese actually means “Black Dragon”. Oolong teas have long been cultivated in both mainland China and Taiwan. Black tea is the most well known variety of tea in the West. Known as “red tea” in China, black tea leaves are fully oxidized. In the case of most black teas, younger leaves are picked before being withered, rolled, fully oxidized, and fired. Despite the common misnomer, there is a variety of tea that is actually fermented. Named for a town in China’s Yunnan province, Pu’er teas consist of larger leaves that can be aged for several years. Often, the most highly prized Pu’er teas will actually have a light dusting of mold. Pu’Er leaves are usually compressed into various shapes before being aged.
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White Tea
Green Tea
Black Tea
Oolong Tea
Pu erh Tea
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West Lake Dragon Well Green tea 西湖龙井 Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Dongting Green Snail Spring Green tea 碧螺春 Suzhou, Jiangsu
Yellow Mountain Fur Peak Green tea 黄山毛峰 Huang Shan, Anhui
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Liuan Melon Seed Green tea 六安瓜片 Lu’an, Anhui
Anxi Iron Goddess Oolong tea 安溪铁观音 Anxi, Fujian
Qimen Red Black tea 祁门红茶 Qimen, Anhui Wuyi Big Red Robe Oolong tea 武夷大紅袍 Wuyi Mountains, Fujian
T Taiping Houkui Green tea 太平猴魁 Huang Shan, Anhui
Xinyang Fur Tip Green tea 信阳毛尖 Xinyang, Henan Mount Jun Silver Needle Yellow tea 君山银针 Yueyang, Hunan
ea, that most elegant of restoratives. Forget coffee and its all caffeinated edginess; it is he who drinks tea that will truly find greatness. As the masterful Chinese writer, Lin Yutang said, “There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life.” And with that in mind, we here at the The World of Chinese bring you 10 of the best, classic teas: Dragon Well Tea. This is the most desirable of green teas and belongs to the roasted green tea group. Dongting
Biluochun is a famous green tea originally grown in the Dongting Mountains of Jiangsu Province. Huangshan Maofeng is a green tea grown near the famous Mount Huang, Anhui Province, which is home to many famous varieties of green tea. Gentleman Mountain Silver Needles. The tea originates from Hunan province and is considered the most famous yellow tea or the King of Yellow teas. Great Gate Red Tea comes from Anhui province. It is a relatively young tea less than 200 years. The Big Red Robe. This is another famous oolong tea from North Fujian. Lu’an Guapian or Lu’an Melon Seed Tea is a green tea from Lu’an, Anhui Province. It is named for its tightly rolled seed like processed leaves which are flat and resemble a melon seed. Iron Goddess. It is perhaps the most famous of oolong teas. XinYang Maojian is a green tea produced in Xinyang City, Henan Province. It has a deep dark green color and straight thin leaves.
10 Best Chinese Tea
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。 140 F
Green Tea Brewing Tips
A cup of Green tea enchances health. Many customers have asked us about the best way to brew green tea. Whether you are a newcomer to green tea or a long-time green tea enthusiast, we hope our Q&A on time and temperature will provide helpful guidelines to prepare a great tasting cup. Why is water temperature important?
。 185 F
Water temperature is a critical factor in bringing out the best qualities of green tea. If the water temperature is too hot, the tea will be too bitter and much of its delicate aroma will be lost; if the water temperature is too cool, the full flavor contained in the leaves will not be extracted. Why are green teas better at lower temperature? A number of substances in the leaf contribute to the flavor and aroma of green tea. The overall flavor and sweetness of green tea is determined by a variety of amino acids and natural sugars. Bitterness and astringency are contributed by polyphenols (“tannins”). Amino acids dissolve at 140°F (60 °C) while tannins dissolve at 176°F (80°C). Therefore, brewing green tea at lower temperatures will ensure that its sweet and complex flavors will not be overpowered by the bitter-tasting flavors. What is the right temperature for green teas? As a general guideline, green teas taste best when brewed at temperatures between 140°F–185°F. The grade of the tea and the time of its harvest will also influence the appropriate steeping temperature. Green teas picked earlier in the spring will benefit from lower temperature brewing due to their overall higher levels of amino acids. Here’s an example of how one might adjust the temperature for brewing Japanese green teas. Gyokuro, one of the highest grades, is best brewed at 122°F–140°F (50°C –60°C). Spring-picked Sencha tastes best at 160°F–170°F (70°C–80°C). Summer-harvested Bancha and Genmaicha will exhibit their best flavor with a short infusion at higher temperatures of 170°F–185°F (80°C–90°C).
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14
Steps
拞肆 How to Brew Kung Fu Tea
1. Appreciate the tradition. In the Chinese traditional tea culture, Kung Fu tea has a certain etiquette that goes along with a it, a procedure that drinkers follow. 2. Put together a suitable tea set. 3. Prepare the tea leaves in advance, so that they are ready to be placed in the pot as soon as it has been warmed cover.
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4. Rinse all vessels with hot water. This signifies that the ritual of tea making has begun by purifying the pot, cleaning it of dust and residue and making it ready to receive the tea. 5. Before infusion, pour hot water over the leaves and then quickly pour it off.
6. Use pure or mineral water to brew the 10. When the leaves have infused their essence, tea. Tap water should be avoided, since pour the tea out into the pitcher (fair cup). its chemical treatment imparts undesir11. From the fair cup, distribute the tea in the able flavors and odors which interfere aroma cups, keeping the pitcher close to the with the delicate aromatics of tea. cups and pouring slowly. 7. Fill the teapot to the top with hot water 12. After the aroma cups are filled, position and cover. one tasting cup, upside down, over each aroma cup. 8. Pour the water into the fair cup to heat it.
13. At this point, the aroma cup can be brought near the nose to receive the fragrance of the tea by inhaling the steam air. 14. After smelling, drink the tea from the tasting cups.
9. Add tea leaves and let steep. 15
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How To Properly Use a Kongfu Ceremonial Tea Set
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Tea can not be fully enjoyed without a nice tea set to serve it with, and this is especially important when drinking tea Kongfu style, or as part of a Chinese Kongfu Tea Ceremony. The Tea Tray: Tea trays are usually very beautiful, showing off the beauty of the tea set and displaying all of your tools in a pleasing manner. The Tea Pot : Tea pots are used to brew and pour tea, and you may use a tea pot to brew your tea, or a more traditional gaiwan. The Gaiwan: The Gaiwan is used traditionally to actually brew your tealeaves in, and pour the brewed tea from when brewing tea Gongfu style. The Tea Holder: The tea holder is known also as the “enjoy tea holder.” The purpose of your tea holder is to hold the dried tealeaves, which will be brewed, after removing them from the canister they have been stored in. The Tea Pitcher: The tea pitcher, which is also named fair cup and cha hai, is used to hold the brewed liquor of the tea leaves which you actually brew in your gaiwan. The Pinming Cup: Pinming cups are what you pour the brewed tea into from your fair cup to actually drink the brewed tea from, the western equivalent would be the teacup, although Pinming cups are much smaller, shallow and thin.
The Filter and Filter shelf : The tea filter is used to filter tea leaves after brewing so that you may pour the tea into the fair cup and Pinming cups without having tea leaves in them. The Tea Scoop: Your tea scoop is a scoop used to scoop out dry tea from your tea canister to place into your tea holder. The Tea Pin: Tea pins are small utensils which look like a needle and are used to clear any blocked tea from the spout of the tea pot if needed. Tea Tongs: Tea tongs are beautiful utensils used in the Gongfu tea ceremony to carry cups while warming them or bringing them to others. The Tea Container: The tea container is matched to tea set and is made to hold your utensils such as your tea tongs, tea pin, tea funnel, tea spoon and tea scoop. The Tea Towel: The tea towel is a small but very nec– essary part of the tea ceremony as it is used to clean up any spills, and water or tea stains, and is usually made from either cotton or linen cloth.
The Fragrance Smelling Cup: The fragrance smelling cup is used for the purpose of smelling the aroma that remains at the bottom of the used brewed tea.
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30% 18
Tea Producing Regions in China
According to a report released by the China Social Science Academy Press, China is the world’s largest tea producer. It produced 1.3 million tonnes in 2009, accounting for 30 percent of the world total. China, known in China as Zhōngguó (中国), is one of the most important tea-producing countries. The written history of tea consumption in China goes back longer than in any other country, thousands of years. In ancient China, tea was orignally used as a medicine; over hundreds of years it slowly shifted towards being viewed first as a tonic, and then as a beverage as it is today. China, together with India, is one of the two largest producers and consumers of tea. In 2007, China produced over 30% of the world’s production of tea, almost 1.2 million tons of tea out of the world’s almost 3.9 million tons. Most of the tea produced in China is consumed in China, although tea is also an important export good for China. A myriad of styles of tea originated in China, which produces and consumes black, green, white, oolong, and pu-erh teas, as well as the less well–known yellow teas. Chinese teas are astoundingly diverse, as within each of these broad types of tea, there are countless different styles, both ancient and modern. China has come to produce styles of tea that originated elsewhere, such as sencha, which originated in Japan. Tea tends to be produced mostly in the provinces towards the south and east of China, where the climate is ranges and humid ranges from tropical to subtropical, although teas are grown commercially as far west as Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, and as far north as Shandong province.
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How many people drink tea as a daily habit?
Tea is one of the three a popular drinks in the world-together with beer and coffee. Around 2 billion people drink tea as a habit every day, and over 160 countries have tea trading in their own country. China was the only country which exported tea worldwide from the beginning. But as tea plantation gradually emerged in other countries, tea trades became much easier and widespread. Together with soaring demand, different kinds of tea plants were being explored and appeared in the markets. In 2015, Americans consumed well over 80 billion servings of tea, or more than 3.6 billion gallons. About 85% of all tea consumed was Black Tea, 14% was Green Tea, and the small remaining amount was Oolong, White and Dark Tea. The U.S. is the third largest importer of tea in the world, after Russia and Pakistan, and the only western country to grow in tea imports and consumption.
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2 000, 000, 000
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Index A
D
Anxi Iron Goddess, 11
Dongting Green Snail Spring, 11
Anhui, 11
Dong Ting, 11
Amino, 13
B
G
Black Dragon, 08
Green Tea Temprature, 13
Bancha, 13
Gyokuro, 13
Brewing Tips, 14
Gai Wan, 17
K Kun Min, 04 Kung Fu Tea, 17
L Lu Yu Lhasa Liuan Melon Seed Lin Yutang
M
S
Mount Jun Silver Needle, 11
Song Dynasty
Maojian, 11
Sichun Province Shennong
O
T
Oxidized, 08
Taiping Houkui, 11
Oolong Tea, 09
Tea Set, 17 Tea Producting Regions, 19 Tea Horse Road, 06
P
W
Pu erh Tea, 09
White Tea, 05
Pitcher, 17
West Lake Dragon Well, 11
Pinming Cup, 17
Wuyi Big Red Robe, 11
Q
Y
Qimen, 11
Yuan Dynasty, 01
Qimen Red, 11
Ya An, 06 Yun Nan, 08 Yellow Mountain Fur Peak, 11 Yellow Tea, 11