In ancient times, tea was used as a medicine. The silver needle white teas that were produced from the "chaicha" tea bushes were thin, small and did not have much silvery-white hair. Generations of growers and... Chinese Tea Types. There are several types of tea: green tea, oolong tea, red tea, black tea, white tea, yellow tea, puerh tea and flower tea. The black tea leaves of India and Sri Lanka originally introduced from China also enjoy an established fame. Green tea is made from the leaves from Camellia sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation during... Black Tea. Under the Tang dynasty, Lu Yu (733–804) was valued as the Sage of Tea for his contribution to Chinese tea culture. Tea is often associated with literature, arts, and philosophy and is closely connected with Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. The concept of tea culture is referred to in Chinese as chayi ("the art of drinking tea"), or cha wenhua ("tea culture"). However, most scholars credit a reference found in Erh Ya, an ancient Chinese dictionary, dated about 350 BC. Another method for serving tea is to use a small lidded bowl called a gaiwan. History of Tea According to Lu Yu, writer of the book "Tea Classics" during the Tang Dynasty, Chinese tea has enjoyed a history of more than 4000 years. Light finger tapping is an informal way to thank the tea master or tea server for tea. Whilst the final drink may be very different, it is interesting to note that all of the main varieties of tea actually come from the same species of plant - camellia sinensis. It turned a brownish color, but it was unnoticed and presented to the emperor anyway. In the southern part of China, tea leaves were sun dried and then half fermented, producing Oolong or "black dragon tea." In 1940, on the Old Eagle mountain of Wuchuang county, a 6.6 (21.7) meter tall wild tea tree was discovered. While there are hundreds are varieties of Chinese teas, most fall into four basic categories: There is also a fifth category known as "scented teas," made by mixing various flowers and petals with green or oolong teas. About Us Tea was also called "She' (蔎) in a West Han monograph on dialect: Fang Yian. Longjing (Hangzhou), Bi Luo Chun (Jiangsu) and Huangshan Maofeng (Anhui) are among the most famed green tea varieties in China. The act of drying the leaves also allowed for tea to be stored and transported as a consumer product. The use of tea as a beverage drunk for pleasure on social occasions dates from the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE) or earlier. Tea, still probably the world’s most popular prepared beverage, was first drunk by Chinese monks to aid meditation and those who valued its medicinal qualities, but it quickly grew in popularity, spreading to other East Asian cultures, especially Japan. Roughly since the Tang Dynasty, drinking tea has been an essential part of self-cultivation. It's hard to exaggerate the importance of tea in Chinese culture. Benefits, Uses, & Recipes, What Is Sencha Green Tea? The other two celebrated varieties of black tea leaves, namely kungfu and the small-leaved tea, are known for their fragrance. Chinese Tea has existed more than 5000 thousand years. Steaming tea leaves was the primary process used for centuries in the preparation of tea. Tea continues to play a significant role in Chinese culture today. While or after one's cup is filled, the receiver of the tea may tap the index and middle fingers (one or more in combination) to express gratitude to the person who served the tea. Later, however, he recognized two species, Thea Bohea and Thea viridis, as cultivated in China, and it was long thought that these were the origin of black and green tea respectively. The main varieties of Chinese tea are classified as green tea, black tea, Oolong tea, white tea,... Chinese Tea Culture. However, habitual tea drinking didn’t spread to the rest of China until the middle of the eighth century, with the publication of The Classic of Tea by the Tang dynasty writer Lu Yu, which tied tea drinking with Buddhist thought. At the same time, the consumption of alcohol was falling out of favor thanks to Buddhist attitudes, combined with a growing caution about the dangers of intoxication. Drinking white tea can help reduce cholesterol, decrease blood pressure, and improve the function of blood vessels, thereby decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. One day in a restaurant, the emperor poured tea for a servant. In formal tea ceremonies nodding the head or saying "thank you" is more appropriate. Hot water was added to the powdered teacake, or the powdered teacake was boiled in earthenware kettles then consumed as a hot beverage.