G U IDE TO CHI NESE T E A
Tea or cha is China’s gift to the world. Here is our homage to this restorative drink.
According to legend, Chinese emperor Shennong first discovered tea in 2737 BC. One day on a trip to a distant region, he and his army stopped to rest. A servant was boiling water for him to drink, when a dead leaf from the wild tea bush fell into the liquid. The emperor drank it and found it refreshing, and so cha (tea) came into being. While the Chinese have enjoyed tea drinking for more than 4,000 years, it was not until the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) that it spread throughout Chinese culture, reaching every level of society. Tea shops became widely popular and tea drinking evolved into a respected art form with its various methods of fermenting and serving. Tea arrived in England during the 17th century when King Charles II married a Portuguese princess, Catherine of Braganza. The queen pronounced tea to be the drink of royalty, while aristocrats also enjoyed the tradition. Soon the beverage became a popular import via the East India Company. The taxes on imported tea were so high that smugglers would sell it illegally. So to maximize profits during the tea smuggling period, the East India Company began exporting to America. American tea was also taxed heavily, which contributed to the Boston Tea Party uprising.
TE A DR INK ING CUSTOMS
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In Chinese society, the younger generation shows respect to elders by offering them a cup of tea.
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The Chinese make apologies to others by pouring them tea.
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Folding the napkin in tea ceremonies is a traditional action to keep away bad chi energy.
GUIDE TO CHINESE TEA
GUIDE TO CHINESE TEA
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VA R IE T IES OF C HI NESE T E A
GR EEN
W ULONG
Made from Camellia sinensis
A long fermentation turns the
Also known as oolong, the
leaves, it is unfermented with
leaves black. Has a full-bodied
leaves are bruised by shaking.
an earthy, grassy taste.
bold and brisk flavor.
Taste can be sweet or woody.
WHITE
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BL ACK
Y ELLOW
MIXED
Lightly oxidized leaves form a
Leaves are sautĂŠed and roasted
Leaves from any of the above
high-antioxidant yellowy tea
to bring out their color. Has a
tea types are mixed with spices,
with a mild and sweet flavor.
fresh and slightly sweet flavor.
flowers or flavorings.
GUIDE TO CHINESE TEA
GUIDE TO CHINESE TEA
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GUIDE TO CHINESE TEA
T HE A R T OF T HE T E A C ER E MON Y
At the heart of Chinese culture, the tea ceremony represents an important ritual of healing and spirituality that has been handed down for centuries. In the beginning, tea was cultivated and used solely as herbal medicine, mostly within temples; but over time, the monks began to use tea to teach respect for nature, humility and an overall sense of peace and calm. As a result, the spirit of the Chinese tea ceremony became described as he, jing, yi and zhen, which translates as “peace,” “quiet,” “enjoyment” and “truth.” There are six major aspects to consider when performing a Chinese tea ceremony:
AT T I T U DE
A M BIE NC E
The attitude of the person performing the
A peaceful and calm environment can be
ceremony should reflect a happy and confident
created with a clean, comfortable and quiet
demeanor. The performer should exude a calm
room. Artwork can be used to enhance the
and relaxed manner to create a peaceful and
overall atmosphere of the space.
enjoyable tea ceremony.
T E A SEL EC T ION
WAT ER SEL EC T ION
There are many considerations when selecting
The best-quality tea leaves will have a poor
the right tea. In addition to fragrance, shape
taste if poor-quality water is used. Therefore,
and taste, the tea should have a beautiful story
select pure, light and clean water to ensure a
and name.
wonderful-tasting tea.
T E AWA R E
T EC H NIQU E
It is important to select the correct teaware for
The basic skills for brewing tea are needed, but
brewing your tea leaves. Teaware should be
also a graceful manner reflected through hand
chosen for its usefulness and its beauty.
movements, facial expressions and clothing.
Find out more about this fascinating ritual in our video. Secrets of Chinese Tea
GUIDE TO CHINESE TEA
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BR E W I NG M E T HODS F OR C HI NESE T E A
POW DER ED TE A
W HIPPED TE A
During the Tang Dynasty, tea leaves were
The most popular way to prepare a
steamed and made into tea bricks for storage
tea decoction during the Song Dynasty
and trade. The tea was prepared by roasting
(960–1279) was known as the “whipped
and pulverizing, then decocting the tea
tea” method. Tea leaves were first ground
powder in hot water, adding salt. The drink
into a fine powder. This tea powder was
was then served in tea bowls.
then placed inside a tea bowl and hot water added. The mixture was whipped with a bamboo whisk until a froth appeared on the tea surface. This process was thought to calm the mind.
GONGFU TE A Gongfu involves a ritualized presentation
During the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), tea
based on bringing out the aroma, flavor and
was prepared by steeping loose tea leaves
color of the tea. The term gongfu cha literally
in a teapot. This was called the “steeping
means “making tea with effort,” because
method.” For this method, it was important
it requires much practice and uses more
to control both the amount of tea leaves
tea leaves and a shorter infusion duration,
used and the water temperature. At the
allowing for multiple infusions. Once
beginning of the Ming Dynasty, people used
steeped, the tea is poured from the teapot
large teapots to brew tea so that they could
into a vessel to stop the infusion process.
drink many cups from one pot. They later
Each person at the table is given an aroma
discovered that the tea would become bitter
cup and a drinking cup. The tea is poured
if the leaves were steeped for too long, and
from the serving vessel into the tall aroma
the last cups would not be as good as the
cup, left for a few minutes and then poured
first. Hence, teapots became smaller.
into each person’s drinking cup. The empty aroma cup captures the fragrance of the tea and is enjoyed by putting it under one’s nose. This is followed by drinking the tea from the cup.
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STEEPED TE A
GUIDE TO CHINESE TEA
GUIDE TO CHINESE TEA
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GUIDE TO CHINESE TEA
C HI NESE T E A EG GS
A beautiful, earthy brown, these eggs are an elegant-looking appetizer or side dish. You could even mix them with traditional hard boiled eggs for a lovely first-course platter. Despite the long tea soaking, the flavor of the eggs is quite mild. The longer you let them soak, the darker the crackle design and the saltier they taste.
DIR ECTIONS
1 dozen eggs
Place eggs in a medium saucepan; cover with 1 inch
1½ C (355 ml) soy sauce
of water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce
½ C (32 g) black tea leaves 4 whole star anise pods
heat; simmer 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon,
1 cinnamon stick
remove eggs from water and run under cold water
2 T (19 g) Szechuan peppercorns 1 T (12 g) sugar
until cool enough to handle. Gently tap eggs with the back of a spoon until shell is finely cracked all over. Return to saucepan and add remaining ingredients, bringing to a boil. Reduce heat to low;
Prep time: 15 minutes.
simmer 30 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and
Cook time: 33 minutes.
let stand at least 4 hours or refrigerate for up to
Chill time: 4 hours.
5 days. Remove eggs from liquid and refrigerate in
Makes 12 servings.
an airtight container for up to 1 week.
GUIDE TO CHINESE TEA
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