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Written by TONY WANG
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Sunday, 19 February 2006 |
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Chinese Art of Tea (Cha in Chinese) Drinking Wherever Chinese go, the custom of drinking tea follows. The Chinese were the first to discover the tea leaf, and have drunk tea for uncounted ages. When you arrive in the beautiful island of Taiwan, you may see some elderly gentlemen seated in twos and threes, perhaps in a temple up some old street...
China produces the widest variety of teas in the world. No wonder so many western tourists tend to get confused when they go to buy some souvenir tea to take home. One question inevitably arises: What makes one tea different from another?
Chinese merchants mark the distinction by sorting teas according to differences in processing. Basically, there are six categories: green tea, oolong, black tea, white tea, yellow tea and dark tea. Of them, green tea, oolong and black tea are the three most popular ones.
Green Yea ("lu cha" in Chinese ) eaves still look naturally yellowish-green after they are processed, without fermentation. Leaves are first pan-fried in temperatures between 200 degrees Celsius and 260 degrees to kill an enzyme in the leaf that causes oxidation and discoloration. Then the leaves are rolled for shape and fired for drying. The finest green teas are usually dried by a hand-processing method. When the first harvest of green tea comes to Shanghai markets in early May, tea specialists often appear in tea shops to demonstrate the last step of processing: firing. The leaves are stirred by a skillful hand in a heated, large iron wok, leaving the leaves glossy. The Shanghai Friendship Store has had such an exhibition at its tea section on the ground floor in recent weeks. Green tea, in general, has a slightly sweet taste and pleasant aroma. A cup of fine green tea should be crystal clear with a light green hue. It should not be dull. In China, the three best-known green teas are Longjing (Dragon Wel), Huangshan Maofeng( Yellow Mountain Hairpoint) and Biluochun (Green Snail Spring). |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 09 July 2007 )
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Chinese Culture 
