Chinese Tea

Written by Vivian Updated Mar. 16, 2023

Tea is a simple beverage, and one that has long been central to the lives of millions of people, originally in the East, and now virtually worldwide. It is said to aid meditation and self-reflection and to induce tranquillity, even perhaps inspiring imagination.

6 Major Types of Tea

There are six major types of tea in China –green tea, black tea, Oolong tea, dark tea, white tea, and reprocessed tea, distinguished mainly by different methods of production. Folklore relates each type of tea to certain human characteristics.

Thus it is said that green tea, simple and light, stands for the scholasticism of south China; black tea, mild and reserved, is regarded as rather ladylike; Oolong tea, warm and persistent, resembles the perseverance of philosophers, dark tea, with its lingering aftertaste, symbolizes the wisdom of the elderly, and so on and so forth.

green tea
Tea Fixation

The varieties of tea also vary according to the season in which they are harvested.
There are seven things about which the Chinese people worry in their everyday culinary life: the wood to warm, the rice, the oil, the salt, the soy sauce, the vinegar, and the tea. Although tea is lastly placed on the list, it represents nonetheless a cultural heritage mattering in the Chinese tradition.

History of Tea Drinking in China

China, the homeland of tea, is a leading producer and consumer, and the discovery and usage of tea have a history of four or five thousand years. Tea developed from the earliest fresh-boiled tea taken as a kind of soup, to later dried-and-preserved teas, and from simple green tea to the blending of six major kinds of tea.

Drinking tea first started to become popular in the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) Dynasties, and has continued into contemporary times. The flavor of tea, which may be drunk weak, or strong, contains both bitter and sweet elements.

The origin of tea is lost in history and legend. What can be roughly confirmed is that tea originated in southwest China. In Yunnan, and elsewhere, there are still some wild tea trees that are over 1,000 years old.

How Tea Was Discovered and Who Discovered It

According to one of the Chinese legends, the tea was discovered some 5,000 years ago by Shennong Shi, whose name literally means "Divine Farmer" and who is considered to have been one of the Three Sovereigns (also known as "Three Emperors").

Shen Nong Shi was the first Chinese herbal doctor and is venerated as the Father of Chinese medicine. One of his contributions was tasting herbs so people could have medicine; he discovered tea while he traveled many high mountains and collected various plants.

Myths tell that Shennong had a transparent body and thus could see the effect of different plants and herbs on him. Thus, he could see which organ was affected and then select an antidote immediately. He found tea named “Cha” to work as an antidote.

One day, Shennong Shi found a kind of plant with green leaves and white flowers. He tested the leaves and noticed a strange thing: they circulated in his stomach and cleaned the food that he consumed before and also perfumed his breath and left a sensation of freshness in his mouth. From then on, Shennong Shi used those leaves to neutralize the toxins of the healing plants he experienced.

He thought that this discovery -dated 2737 B.C-, had been addressed to him by the celestial gods to show him their gratitude for its act of kindness in its search for healing plants to cure the diseases of the elderly.

China Tea Museum
China Tea Museum

How Did the Ancient Chinese Drink Tea?

By the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC), the function of tea to refresh the body and clear the mind had gradually replaced its function as medicine. People started drying the leaves to preserve the tea. When they made tea, they put the leaves into a pot and made a kind of thick soup.

In the Han Dynasties (206 BC-AD 220), both the collecting and processing of wild tea leaves were improved. Tea became a tasty drink and was very popular amongst the nobility.

In the Wei Period (220-265) and Jin Dynasties (265-420), tea came to be the drink of banquets and lubricated philosophical and metaphysical discussions. Tea's "freshness and purity" came to be referred to as the "violence and intoxication" of wine.

Chinese Tea Ceremony
Chinese Tea Ceremony

The Relationship between Tea and Wine

In fact, the relationship between tea and wine has always been subtle. Wine drinking is appropriate for a joyous occasion; while tea drinking is best suited to tranquillity. These two drinks differ in many aspects, but they are also the best partners because tea can counter the effects of drunkenness.

In later times, the opposing aspects of tea and wine were reflected in a dialogue between them in a book called On Tea and Wine.

Development of Chinese Tea

It is often said that “tea started in the Tang Dynasty and flourished in the Song Dynasty”. In the Tang Dynasty a method called “green steaming” was invented, the aim of which was to rid tea leaves of their “grassy” flavor.

After steaming, the tea leaves were ground, made into cakes, and then dried and sealed for storage.

Before Tang Dynasty

Before the Tang, tea was known by many names, one of these being a Chinese character meaning “bitter”.

It was also in the Tang Dynasty that teahouses in their true sense came into being, and in some big cities, there were also tea shops, which stored large amounts of tea leaves and prepared tea for their customers. Poems and articles dedicated to tea also appeared, and poets such as Lu Tong and Bai Juyi all wrote about tea.

Tang Dynasty

Furthermore, the Tang Dynasty also saw the first definitive publication about tea –The Book of Tea, which was the first of its kind in the world.

This book which contained a comprehensive summary of all aspects of the culture of tea including medicinal uses, picking, tea making, cooking, and utensils was then a complete synthesis of knowledge about tea. Its author, Lu Yu (733-c.804), was consequently dubbed the “Saint of Tea” by later generations.

During this period, tea became the most popular commodity in foreign trade, and Japanese Buddhists brought tea leaves back from China to Japan. For the sake of easier transportation, tea leaves were made into bricks, from which convenient pieces could be broken off to prepare tea.

Song Dynasty

The Song Dynasty was a golden age for tea, and the teahouse played a prominent role. The calligrapher Cai Xiang (1012-1067) wrote Record of Tea and Emperor Huizong, Zhao Ji (1082-1135) wrote General Remarks on Tea.

Ming Dynasty

Then, in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), tea culture, which had been set back by Mongolians, underwent a renaissance with the familiar dark tea, green tea, and Oolong tea all developed during this time.

Zhu Yuanzhang (reigned 1368-1398), the first Ming Emperor, oversaw a change from roll tea to loose tea, and this tradition has been retained ever since.

As their understanding of tea improved, people were no longer content to harvest tea from the wild, but began to plant and cultivate tea trees, while at the same time processing techniques were improving, with different methods producing the six major types of tea.

Development of Tea
Development of Tea

Manners of Tea Drinking

There are also detailed requirements for the drinkers. Meanwhile, with the popularization of tea, people in different regions and of different nationalities developed their own unique customs of taking tea.

In Guangdong, for example, people like drinking morning tea, in Fujian they prefer Kongfu tea, Hunan has Lei tea, Sichuan people love “covered-bowl tea”, while people of the Bai nationality treat their guests with “Three-Course Tea”. Tibetan people prefer buttered tea and those from Inner Mongolia like milk tea.

These various tea customs constitute the rich and profound Chinese tea culture.

Many traditional Chinese families drink tea after dinner or when greeting visitors. This is not only a healthy habit but also reflects rich culture and history. Chinese people can chat with a friend for a whole afternoon over a pot of good tea.

Manners of Tea Drinking
Manners of Tea Drinking

Experience Tea Culture with Us

High-quality tea is produced in many places in southern and central China. If you want to taste fresh Chinese tea and chat with Chinese people to gain a deeper understanding of the country, choose a trip from the Top 10 China Tours and ask your local guides to lead you to the best tea shops along your itinerary.

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