Tea History in China

The word "tea" originates from an ancient Chinese dialect, with variants including "Tchai", "Cha" and "Tay", and has historically been used to describe both tea leaves and the drink itself. The scientific name of the tea plant is Camellia sinensis, which belongs to the family Theaceae and is native to China and parts of India(check Indian tea varieties).

It is worth noting that the "cold teas" popular in the Guangdong region of China are not true teas, as they do not come from the Camellia sinensis plant. Instead, they are made by infusing a variety of other plants, flowers, fruits and herbs, which have the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying.

Today, there are many varieties of tea, with more than 1,500 varieties worldwide. More than 25 countries grow tea as a major agricultural product. China remains the world's leading tea producer, and tea is still known as the national drink, deeply rooted in Chinese culture and daily life.

The History of Chinese Tea

2000 BC: People in Yunnan eat raw tea leaves

1000 B.C.: People boiled raw tea leaves in water

5th century BC: Tea began to circulate as a commodity in China's domestic market

25th AD: Sun-dried tea leaves in Yunnan (precursor of Pu-tea, Pu-erh tea)

276 A.D.: Chinese scholars write that "...the barbarians of the East made a soup of tea leaves and vegetables."

600 AD: Beiyun semi-oxidized tea (predecessor of Wuyi tea, predecessor of Oolong tea) developed in Fujian region

618-907 AD (Tang Dynasty): Tea becomes a common drink for all levels of Chinese society and tea culture begins to flourish

641 AD: Yunnan tightly pressed green tea cakes were introduced to Tibet

700 AD: Steaming technology developed for green tea

815 AD: Tea was introduced to Japan

862 AD: Fan Chuo, a scholar of the Tang Dynasty, mentions Pu Cha (the predecessor of Pu'er Tea) for the first time in The Book of Barbarians (referring to the production of tea in the Yunnan region).

960-1279 AD (Song Dynasty): Tea trade flourishes, teahouses and tea ceremony culture develops

1100 AD: fermentation technology developed for green tea, first teahouses appear in China

1107 AD: Song Huizong mentions white tea for the first time in The Book of Tea.

1271 AD: Yuan government establishes the Imperial Tea Roasting Office

1368 AD: Oxidized black tea developed in Fujian's Wuyi region

1368-1644 (Ming Dynasty): Tea brewing changed from boiling to brewing, teapots and teacups became common tea utensils, and loose tea (i.e., not tightly pressed tea) became the mainstream.

1391 AD: The first emperor of the Ming Dynasty banned the production of pressed tea (moon tea) because people spent too much time on making pressed tea, and only allowed the production of loose leaf tea. Wuyi semi-oxidized tea was developed in the Wuyi area of Fujian Province (the predecessor of oolong tea)

1500s-1600s AD:

• Portuguese traders arrive in China and export green tea to European markets
• Holland expands the tea trade throughout Europe and the United States
• Boston Tea Dumping Incident - U.S. rejects British Crown's attempt to undermine Dutch competition and control tea imports
• English and French traders arrive in China

1644-1912 AD (Qing Dynasty): Teas such as Pu'er and Oolong developed and tea culture further enriched

1725 AD: Oolong tea cultivated in Fujian's Wuyi region

1769 AD: Silver Needle White Hair White Tea was developed.

1776 AD: The British preferred to exchange opium grown in India for black tea, while other countries continued to pay with silver. This led to many conflicts between the two countries. The British look for lower cost alternatives

1796 AD: Oolong tea is introduced to northern Fujian and Taiwan

1848 AD: Robert Fortune, a Scottish botanist, smuggles tea plants from China to India. British growers in India introduced Chinese experts to develop the mechanized processing of "broken black tea" using the native Assam tea plant.

1857 AD: Plants from the Fuding region can produce white tea of superior quality.

1885 AD: Silver Needle White Tea is developed.

1922: White Peony white tea was successfully developed.

1949 AD: After the founding of the People's Republic of China, tea production and export resumed and developed rapidly.

1968: China exported white tea for the first time.

1973 AD: Black Puerh Tea was developed and marketed in 1975.

2000 AD: The modernization of China's tea industry accelerated, and tea culture began to receive more attention and promotion globally.

Types of Tea

There are many types of tea in China, which can be mainly divided into the following categories:

• Green tea: unfermented, retaining the natural substances of tea, such as Longjing and Biluochun.
• Black tea: fully fermented tea with a mellow flavor, such as Keemun black tea and Dian Hong.
• Oolong tea: semi-fermented tea, between green tea and black tea, such as Tieguanyin, Dahongpao.
• White tea: slightly fermented, simple production process, such as white silver needle, white peony.
• Yellow tea: lightly fermented tea, unique process, such as Junshan Silver Needle.
• Black tea: post-fermented tea, the longer the storage time, the better the flavor, such as Pu'er tea.

Tea Ceremony and Etiquette

The Tea Ceremony is an important part of Chinese tea culture, emphasizing the selection of tea leaves, the technique of brewing tea, the way of tasting tea, and the arrangement of the tea-tasting environment. The Tea Ceremony is not only a skill, but also a spirit of embodiment, emphasizing the principles of "harmony, respect, clarity and silence":

• Harmony: harmony, including the harmony of man and nature, man and man.
• Respect: respect, including respect for the tea, respect for the tea people.
• Clear: quiet, tea and tea environment should be clean, people's state of mind should be quiet.
• Silence: tranquility, tea tasting is a kind of cultivation activity, emphasizing inner tranquility

The gaiwan is one of the most important tea utensils in the Chinese tea ceremony, consisting of three parts: the tea bowl, the tea lid and the tea tray. When tea is brewed in a gaiwan, the shape, color and aroma of the tea leaves can be better displayed. When the tea leaves are tumbling in the tea bowl, the tea master can observe the changes in the tea leaves and feel the charm of tea.

Due to its unique design, the tea bowl can better control the water temperature and time of tea brewing, so that the tea soup can reach the best concentration and taste. When brewing tea, the tea master demonstrates his superior skills and understanding of tea through the use of the covered bowl.

Tasting tea with a covered bowl allows one to feel the color and flavor of the tea more intuitively. The tea taster can smell the aroma through the lid of the tea bowl, observe the color of the tea broth through the tea bowl, and feel the taste of the tea through tasting.

Read more: How to use Chinese tea set correctly.

What Is Chinese Wedding Tea?

Chinese Wedding Tea, also known as the "Tea Ceremony", is an important tradition in Chinese weddings, symbolizing respect and appreciation for the elders of the family. This ceremony is one of the most important parts of a traditional Chinese wedding, reflecting the values of family hierarchy and unity.

(Auspicious Dragon Tea Set: Perfect for special occasions like Chinese New Year, birthdays, weddings or housewarmings.)

The tradition of the Wedding Tea Ceremony dates back thousands of years and is rooted in the Confucian principle of filial piety, which emphasizes respect for parents and ancestors. The ceremony has evolved over time but has always maintained the core values of respect, unity, and family harmony.

Preparation

The tea used in the ceremony is usually of high quality, often black or black tea, symbolizing prosperity and harmony. Sometimes lotus seeds and red dates are added to the tea, symbolizing fertility and sweet marriage. The tea set is carefully selected and usually consists of a teapot and small teacups, often decorated with auspicious symbols such as dragons and phoenixes.

Tea Ceremony

The Tea Ceremony is usually held on the day of the wedding, either at the bride's home, the groom's home, or the new couple's new home.

The newlyweds kneel down in front of their parents and offer tea one by one. In some families, the newlyweds may also offer tea to other older relatives, such as grandparents, uncles and aunts. It symbolizes the respect and gratitude of the new couple for their upbringing and blessings.

The bride first offers tea to the groom's family, signifying that she has joined the groom's family. The groom then offers tea to the bride's family to show his acceptance and respect.

Receiving Blessings and Gifts

After receiving tea, parents and elders usually offer blessings and words of wisdom to the newlyweds. They also present the newlyweds with red envelopes containing gifts such as money or jewelry, symbolizing good luck, prosperity and fertility.

Modern Adaptations

While the traditional aspects of the wedding tea ceremony are still prevalent, modern adaptations have emerged. Some couples are incorporating the ceremony into their wedding reception, allowing more guests to witness and participate in the tradition. Additionally, the attire for the ceremony ranges from traditional Chinese clothing, such as cheongsams, to modern wedding dresses and suits.

Tea Sets

Different teaware will directly affect the feeling when drinking tea. Exquisite teaware can not only enhance the visual enjoyment, but also make the process of drinking tea more pleasant. When using ornamental teaware, people tend to feel happy and enjoy every detail of the process. On the contrary, when the teaware is not so beautiful, the pleasure of drinking tea may be reduced.

Drinking tea is considered to be a manifestation of personal morality, education, social principles and status. A set of high-quality teaware may achieve the effect of collection. The quality of teaware will also affect the taste of tea. We recommend that you choose teaware manufacturers with good quality and reputation.

For example, Teatsy Chinese teaware, provides high-quality teaware. Teatsy is a legitimate online store. We carefully select artisans and suppliers to ensure that we can provide environmentally friendly, sustainable and pollution-free products.

More interesting articles:

Gift ideas for tea lovers

Chinese tea categories, Chinese tea guide

Chinese tea set vs English tea set