Tea holds a special place in Chinese culture and has a rich history that dates back thousands of years. Legend has it that Emperor Shen Nong discovered tea around 2737 BCE when tea leaves fell into his boiling water, creating a delightful aroma and refreshing taste. This marked the beginning of tea’s journey as a beloved beverage in China.
The origins of tea cultivation can be traced to the southwestern regions of China, specifically Yunnan province. From there, tea cultivation spread to other parts of the country and eventually across the globe. Tea production in China became highly developed during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) and continued to flourish throughout the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE). During this time, tea became not only a popular beverage but also an important part of Chinese philosophy, arts, and social rituals.
Lee Joseph, an expert on Chinese science and technology history in the United Kingdom, once said: “Tea is China’s fifth contribution to humanity after the four inventions.” China is the hometown of tea and the birthplace of tea culture. As one of the seven things (firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar) of life, tea drinking is very common in China. Tea is China’s national drink.
Tea culture belongs to Chinese traditional culture. In the Tang Dynasty, Lu Yu created the “tea classics”. This book combines tea techniques with tea techniques, integrates tea techniques into the mainstream of society, and integrates into Confucianism Taoism, and Buddha, thus creating a tea culture.
It makes tea technology an art of living, which in turn affects the lifestyle and philosophy of life. This book is about the history of tea production, its origin, the status quo, the production technology, and the technique of drinking tea. This book is a comprehensive book on the principles of the tea ceremony and an epoch-making book on tea science.
Tea culture is a jewel of Chinese food culture. Tea affected Chinese social life and social development, its influence is huge, there are six main types:
Drink tea when friends meet, use tea to promote friendship, and regulate social relationships.
Use tea instead of wine, advocate integrity with tea, raise people’s level of thought, and promote the spiritual civilization of society.
Sacrifice with tea, the combination of tea and Zen plays the role of tea’s media and spiritual support.
- Tea is used as a poem, painting, singing, and dancing, advocating elegant art enjoyment, beautifying people and life.
- Cooking with tea, and banqueting with tea, tea enriches people’s eating habits.
- Drinking tea fitness, making medicine with tea, exerting the health benefits of tea, and improving people’s health.
The tea ceremony originated in China. In the Tang Dynasty, the Chinese first used tea as a way of self-cultivation in the world. In the Tang Dynasty, “A Record of Feng’s Witnesses and Hearings” had the earliest record of the tea ceremony. The tea ceremony was introduced to Japan during the Southern Song Dynasty.
Chinese tea has six major tea systems, red, yellow, Oolong, green, black, and white tea
- Oolong tea:
Tieguanyin, Jingui, Wuyiyan tea (including Dahongpao, water turtle, white cockscomb, iron arhat, Wuyi cinnamon, Wuyi narcissus), Yuping narcissus, Zhangzhou Huangyaqilan, Yongchun bergamot Taiwan’s frozen top Oolong, Guangdong Phoenix narcissus, Phoenix single scorpion and so on.
2, Red tea:
Zhengshan small species, Jin Junmei, Yin Junmei, Tanyang Gongfu, Qimen Gongfu, Ninghong and so on. The well knows tea eggs are boiled with red tea to get the strong aroma.
3, Green tea:
Longjing, Birouchun, Huangshan Maofeng, Nanjing Yuhua tea, Xinyang Maojian, Lushan Yunwu tea.
4, White tea:
Junshan silver needle, white silver needle, white peony, Gongmei, Shoumei, and so on.
5, Black tea:
Pu’er tea, Brick tea, Liubao tea, and so on.
6, Yellow tea:
Huo mountain yellow bud, Meng mountain yellow bud, and so on.
