7 Major Flavours of Chinese Tea
There are more than 380 varieties of tea-trees growing around the world, of which over 260 are in southern China, mainly in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui provinces.
Apart from the different species of tea trees, based on the time of fermentation, Chinese tea products can also be categorised into 6 major flavours: Green Tea, White Tea, Yellow Tea, Red Tea, Oolong Tea and Black Tea.
Jasmine Tea is a mixture of two or more different tea flavours.
Chinese traditionally view tea plants, that usually grow in the high-altitude mountain ranges thus are nurtured by fresh pure qi (life energy) from higher levels, as a wonderful tool to address the yin-yang balance in the human body. For instance, Jasmine Tea is recommended to drink in spring, Green Tea for summer, Oolong Tea for autumn and Red Tea for the chilly winter season.
While alcohol has the ability to stimulate qi in the human body into rapid, often chaotic, movement, tea does the opposite. It helps appease and purify the qi, therefore is the top choice of beverage for Chinese Daoists and Buddhists who are forbidden to take an alcoholic drink.
Traditional Way of Brewing Tea
Brewing tea – Tang Dynasty glazed sculpture
It is part of classical Chinese art to brew a perfect pot of tea. It requires not only quality tea leaves but the right liquid source (unpolluted water from a spring or well), the right fuel (pine tree branches would be ideal), the right container (ceramic pot is the must) and the right time (the temperature should not be too low or too high).
soxfan1957
Sound like a lot of thought went into this one porcelain sculpture.
Eric
The art of tea making. π
All Things Chinese
The guy is Lu Yu and Lu Yu is known as Master of Tea who published the world’s first book on tea in 760, with the contact including tea plantation and brewing.
Making tea in a classical Chinese studio – ink painting by an ancient artist
Eric
Perhaps the world could find peace over a pot of tea. π€
All Things Chinese
There is a world hidden in every grain; There is a universe boiling in each kettle.
Tea Culture in Contemporary Chinese Daily Life
Tea with neighbours – village life in Jiangxi Province in southern China.
soxfan1957
I would enjoy this. Around here when we say tea party it is either 1) A politic party. 2) Referring to a revolt against England back in 1776.
Eric
Soxfan, yes well said. The picture looks a lovely place to meet friends have tea or simply quite competitive time.
soxfan1957
My mother (who was of English descent) would have friends over for a spot of tea. It was an excuse to sit around and gossip.
Eric
Very British to “tea and natter” natter, of course, is gossip.
All Things Chinese
This village house is designed by the family’s architect friend so the space is better arranged than most Chinese rural residences. A new generation of residential architecture with unique design characteristics and features based on local history and culture is growing fast in China, although some of them are trying to mimic Japanese style in their attempt to get away from the “universal” modern or post-modern architectural influence, but classical Japanese style is, in fact, an archaic pre-Song style, which was replaced by a more advanced later fashion.
The post was edited on 25 August 2019.