Chinese Tea Basics

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Every day around the world, the number of people drinking Chinese tea increases. However, for anyone new to the Chinese tea, what are some basics you need to know about it?

Here we’ll take a look at some of the Chinese tea basics. We hope this will give you a better insight into this legendery beverage.

As China’s national drink, tea has been known in the country for over 4,000 years. To help you better understand how far back its history, the Chinese civilization is only 1,000 years older.

A popular Chinese legend says that the discovery of tea by Shen Nong-one of China’s most famous mythological figures-was more by luck than by fate. One day, Shen Nong noticed some leaves were blown into his pot of boiling water and produced a lovely, refreshing drink.

Celebrated as the homeland of tea, China boasts itself with some of the world’s oldest tea plantations, where tea trees have grown for nearly 3,000 years.

Out of question, these tea trees are a national treasure, and enjoy a 24-hour guard service.

Today, this country produces 8 major classes of Chinese tea with over a thousand different sub-classes. They are, namely, green, oolong, black, red, yellow, white, compressed, as well as flower-scented Chinese teas.

Of these Chinese tea varieties, Longjing (green), Maojian (green), Da Hong Pao (oolong), and Shuixian (oolong), and Pu’er (compressed) are some of the most popular. As tea lovers worldwide vie for a batch, the Chinese teas often create long lines of waiting customers.

The Chinese teas, though in great variety, are actually harvested from one single species of plant: the Camellia Sinensis.

This plant prefers warm climate and acid soil. Evergreen, leaves of the Camellia Sinensis shrubs can grow up to 15cm long and 5cm broad. For good quality Chinese tea, only the young and tender leaves are harvested for processing.

The processing is delicate, as it determines what types of Chinese tea will come out. Green tea is dried under the sun in order to bring out a natural flavor, while oolong tea is fermented long and hard for a deep and crisp taste.

It has been known for centuries Chinese tea had a wide variety of health benefits. It can help you lose weight, fight against cancer, lower blood pressure, and slow down the aging process.

Know these basics, and you will be a better acquaintance to Chinese tea than your neighbor!

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