Of the three major beverages of the world– tea, coffee and cocoa– tea is consumed by the largest number of people and China is the homeland of tea. It is believed that China has tea-shrubs as early as five to six thousand years ago! It’s around this same time that Starbucks came into existence (just kidding or am I?). Tea from China, along with her silk and porcelain, began to be known the world over more than a thousand years ago and has since always been an important Chinese export. At present more than forty countries in the world grow tea with Asian countries producing 90% of the world’s total output. So when the English clamor for “tea” time, most likely it’s tea from Asia. Sorry ol’ chap.
All tea trees in other countries have their origin directly or indirectly in China. In fact, the word for tea leaves or tea as a drink in many countries are derivatives from the Chinese character “cha.” The Russians call it “cha’i”, which sounds like “chaye” (tea leaves) as it is pronounced in northern China. Even, the Japanese character for tea is written exactly the same as it is in Chinese, though pronounced with a slight difference. The habit of tea drinking spread to Japan in the 6th century, but it was not introduced to Europe and America till the 17th and 18th centuries. Now the number of tea drinkers in the world is still growing. Cup of tea?
The Categories of Tea
There are so many types of tea that it can be mind boggling unless you are a true connoisseur. To simplify things, Chinese tea may be classified into five categories according to the different methods by which it is processed.
1 ) Green tea: Green tea is the variety, which keeps the original colour of the tea leaves without fermentation during processing. This category consists mainly of Longjing tea of Zhejiang Province, Maofeng of Huangshan Mountain in Anhui Province and Biluochun produced in Jiangsu.
2 ) Black tea: Black tea, known as “red tea” (hong cha) in China, is the category which is fermented before baking; it is a later variety developed on the basis of the green tea. The best brands of black tea are Qihong of Anhui , Dianhong of Yunnan, Suhong of Jiangsu, Chuanhong of Sichuan and Huhong of Hunan.
3 ) Oolong tea: This represents a variety half way between the green and the black teas, being made after partial fermentation. It is a specialty from the provinces on China’s southeast coast: Fujian, Guangdong and Taiwan.
4 ) Compressed tea: This is the kind of tea, which is compressed and hardened into a certain shape. It is good for transport and storage and is mainly supplied to the ethnic minorities living in the border areas of the country. As compressed tea is black in colour in its commercial form, so it is also known in China as “black tea”. Most of the compressed tea is in the form of bricks and is, therefore, called “brick tea”, though it is sometimes also in the form of cakes and bowls. This tea is mainly produced in Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces.
5 ) Scented tea: This kind of tea is made by mixing fragrant flowers in the tea leaves in the course of processing. The flowers commonly used are jasmine and magnolia among others. Jasmine tea is a well-known favorite with the northerners of China and is my personal favorite as well.
Tea Drinking
Tea has been one of the daily necessities in China since anyone can remember. Many people like to have their tea on hot summer afternoons to counter the heat and bring on an instant feeling of cool and relaxation. This is why tea-houses are everywhere in towns and market villages in Southern China and provide the perfect backdrop for the locals to meet and chat over a cup of tea. Medically, the tea leaf contains a number of chemicals that includes tannic acid and a bit of caffeine. Teas that are mixed with aromatics help to break down meat and fat, promoting digestion. Many of the ethnic minorities in China whose diet consists primarily of meat have a special saying, “Rather go without salt for three days than without tea for a single day.” Soon fast food diners everywhere will be heard saying, “Quarter pounder with hot tea, please.”
Tags: Tea
