Chinese tea culture

Tea is drunk in many countries around the world. In each country, the tea party has its own characteristics. But China is the birthplace of this drink.

Already in the Han dynasty used tea as medicine. In the years of the Tang began to use tea as a drink. While tea is usually prepared in the form of bricks, before pouring it milled in a mortar. During the song dynasty in the use of the included leaf tea and tea powder (fluffed with whisk a small amount of water), and the tea party turned into a delicious pastime, the top of which was a Song dynasty tea ceremony. This variant maker borrowed the Japanese, later including it in his tea ceremony.

Tea culture in China began to fade in the XIII century, this is due to the Mongol invasion, which were forgotten by many cultural achievements. Only in the era of the Ming dynasty tea culture was revived, but on a different basis: the Chinese have moved to a fully leaf tea, which insisted in hot water. It is with this tea and its preparation method met the Europeans.

A serious blow to the Chinese culture in General and tea in particular have become political upheavals of the XVIII—XIX centuries, the opium war, then the war and revolution of the first half of the twentieth century. All these events led to the fact that China, until the first half of the nineteenth century produced almost all the tea coming into the world market, completely lost their position and in some periods not at all exported tea. In the decade of socialist rule after 1949, the situation began to improve, but the Cultural revolution declared the tea traditions of unnecessary overkill. As a result, the traditional tea culture of China almost died, relatively preserved only in the Chinese diasporas of other States and also in Taiwan. Since the mid 1970-ies in China and Taiwan tea traditions are revived, so the modern tea culture of China is not more than 40 years, and cannot be regarded as finally established. For example, in nearly every tea club practiced its own order of Chinese tea ceremony.

At present, China consumed and produced a huge number of teas, plain and flavored. China’s share in tea exports is growing again, rising from a few percent in the 1980-ies up to a quarter or more of world production of tea.

Tea in China referred to as “the seven things required on a daily basis” along with firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce and vinegar. Chinese tea culture differs from the European, British and Japanese as ways of cooking and drinking and reasons for drinking tea. In China tea is drunk both in everyday situations and during official events and rituals. Tea here is not just a drink; it plays an important role in traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese cuisine and Buddhism. There is also a saying “Tea and Chan(school of Chinese Buddhism) taste the same.” Tea is a traditional drink in China and is eaten daily. Daily tea-drinking in China is a family affair. Tea (usually green) is brewed in a large teapot (porcelain, earthenware or clay) immediately on the whole family poured into cups or bowls from which to drink.

In China there are many ways of brewing tea, depending on the reason for drinking tea, the participants and abundance of teas.

10 famous teas of China:

Xi Hu Long Jing – lung Jing: a region growing – Jecsan province, English name – Dragonwell, type green.

Dong Ting Bi Luo Chun, Dong ting Bi Luo Chun: a region growing – the province of Jiang su, the English name Green Snail Spring, type – green.

Huang Shan Mao Feng, Huang Shan Mao Feng: the production region – Anhui province, English name – Fur Peak, type green.

Tai Ping Hou Kui, tai ping HOU kui: growing region – Anhui province, English name – Monkey King – green.

Lu’an Gua Pian – the public Prosecutor Guapan: growing region – Anhui province, English name – Melon Seed, type green.

Xin Yang Mao Jian – Xing Yang Mao Jian: a region growing – province of Henan, English name – Fur Tip, the type of green.

Qi Men Hong, Qi Hong Meng: growing region – Anhui province, English name – Keemun – black.

Jun Shan Yin Zhen – Sungsang Yin Zhen: region growing – Hunan province, English name – Silver Needle type white.

Wuyi Yan Cha – Wu Li Yan Cha: a region growing – Fujian province, English name – Wuyi Rock Tea type Oolong.

An Xie Tie Guan Yin – Teguanin: growing region – Fujian province, English name – Iron Goddess of Mercy – Oolong tea.