Tea from China – Green Tea, Oolong & Tradition
China is considered the cradle of tea and possesses arguably the oldest tea tradition in the world. For thousands of years, tea has been cultivated, developed, and enjoyed here in numerous forms – from fine green tea and Oolong to scented specialties and black tea.
Green tea, Oolong, jasmine tea, Keemun, and Lapsang Souchong: Chinese tea culture is one of the most diverse and traditional in the world.
The oldest tea tradition
The Middle Kingdom likely has the oldest tea tradition. Cultivated in China for approximately 5,000 years, green tea was first mentioned in writing around 600 BC and described in detail in the work of the poet Lu Yu in 780 AD.
Lu Yu's work ushered in a new form of tea preparation. The tea of the Tang Dynasty, which had been pressed into bricks or other shapes, was now ground into powder and prepared with boiling water.
This method of preparation would then be further refined during the subsequent Song Dynasty: after steaming and drying, the tea leaves were ground directly in stone mills – the origin of the tea ceremony still practiced in Japan today.
During the Ming Dynasty, tea was finally brewed with hot water without prior pulverization – the form of preparation still used today.
Many tea preparation methods we take for granted today have their origins in China – from infusing whole leaves to processing them into powder.
Tea plantation in China
Green tea from China
For centuries, the Chinese have considered green tea a healthy and vitalizing beverage. Most green teas and semi-fermented teas, i.e., Oolong teas, come from the provinces of Anhui, Zhejiang, and Fujian.
With its positive properties, green tea often takes some getting used to for the Western palate. Preparation is very decisive for the taste and effect of green tea.
Depending on the variety, Chinese green tea can appear fine, fresh, slightly tart, floral, nutty, or gently smoky. The correct water temperature and steeping time are particularly important.
Black tea from China
The Chinese also produce significant quantities of black tea for the global market, although it is consumed less by the Chinese themselves.
A wide variety of black teas, for example from the provinces of Yunnan, Hunan, and Sichuan, taste mild, sweet-spicy, and slightly smoky. The best-known variety is Keemun.
Chinese tea specialties
China is the only producing country to manufacture specialties such as jasmine tea, rose tea, and lychee tea. The tea varieties are steamed together with the corresponding flowers and thus absorb their fragrance and taste.
The well-known Lapsang Souchong, the so-called smoke tea, is also produced according to a traditional recipe. The smoke of special types of wood gives it its characteristic taste.
Anyone wanting to discover Chinese tea should compare different styles: a fine green tea, an aromatic Oolong, a mild-spicy Keemun, and a fragrant specialty like jasmine tea.
Discover further growing regions
Discover other important tea regions and tea cultures – from Japan and Formosa to Darjeeling, Assam, and Ceylon.
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Useful information about tea, its origin, preparation, and special moments of enjoyment.
Tea Knowledge & Viennese Culinary Culture
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