A Cup of Tea, A Millennium of Elegance: Exploring the Profound Culture of Chinese Tea

In China, Tea has long transcended the status of a mere beverage to become a cultural symbol embodying thousands of years of history, philosophical thought, and life aesthetics. From the green buds in the mountains to the unfurling leaves in the cup, from the elegant banquets of emperors and nobles to the daily life of ordinary people, tea permeates every corner of Chinese life and has precipitated a unique cultural system, waiting for foreign tourists to explore.

China is the birthplace of tea, and the origin of tea Culture can be traced back to the period of Shennong, a legendary figure in ancient China. According to legend, Shennong tasted hundreds of herbs and used tea to detoxify his body, thus beginning the indissoluble bond between humans and tea. After sprouting in the Shang and Zhou dynasties, developing in the Qin and Han dynasties, flourishing in the Tang dynasty, and reaching its peak in the Song dynasty, tea culture gradually evolved from a simple use of beverages into a comprehensive cultural form integrating poetry, calligraphy, painting, etiquette, and philosophy. “The Classic of Tea” written by Lu Yu in the Tang dynasty is the world’s first monograph systematically elaborating on tea culture, revered as the “first book of tea” by later generations. It laid the theoretical foundation of Chinese tea culture and elevated tea from a necessity of daily life (along with firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, and vinegar) to a spiritual pastime (along with qin, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and wine).

Chinese tea boasts a wide variety of types with distinct flavors, each carrying unique regional characteristics and production techniques. Among them, green tea is the oldest and most produced variety, characterized by “clear soup and green leaves”. Representative varieties include West Lake Longjing, Biluochun, and Huangshan Maofeng. West Lake Longjing, produced in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, is picked around Qingming Festival. It has a flat and smooth appearance, a fresh and elegant aroma, a crisp and sweet taste, and a light green and bright soup color after brewing, fully reflecting the gentleness and elegance of the Jiangnan region. Biluochun, from Dongting Mountain by Taihu Lake in Jiangsu Province, has thin and curly strips covered with fine hairs. After brewing, it emits a rich fragrance, resembling both fruit and orchid, with a soft entrance.

Black tea is a fully fermented tea with a deep red soup and a mellow and sweet taste, suitable for tourists who prefer a warm flavor. Representative varieties include Keemun Black Tea and Lapsang Souchong. Keemun Black Tea, produced in Qimen, Anhui Province, is known as one of the “world’s three major high-aroma black teas”. It has a persistent and rich aroma with a unique “Keemun fragrance”, combining floral, fruity, and honey notes. The soup color is bright red and the taste is smooth and sweet. Oolong tea, also known as blue tea, is a semi-fermented tea between green tea and black tea, possessing both the freshness of green tea and the mellow flavor of black tea. Representative varieties include Tieguanyin, Da Hong Pao, and Wuyi Rock Tea. Tieguanyin, produced in Anxi, Fujian Province, has a tight and straight shape. After brewing, it emits a clear and long-lasting aroma, a mellow and fresh taste with obvious sweetness, and thick and uniform tea leaves.

In addition, the sweet and elegant white tea, the rich and mellow dark tea, and the fresh and sweet yellow tea together constitute a rich spectrum of Chinese tea, satisfying the taste preferences of different tourists. Chinese tea tasting not only focuses on flavor but also emphasizes etiquette and mood, which is the core charm of tea Culture. When brewing tea, every step from selecting utensils, adding tea leaves, pouring water, serving tea to tasting contains delicate讲究. In terms of utensil selection, green tea is suitable for glass cups to facilitate observing the unfurling of tea leaves; black tea is suitable for purple clay pots or covered bowls to better retain the aroma; oolong tea is often brewed in covered bowls to control the tea serving time and stimulate the best flavor of the tea.

The amount of tea leaves added should be adjusted according to the size of the utensils and the type of tea. The water temperature also has strict requirements when pouring water: green tea requires warm water of 80-85℃ to avoid destroying nutrients and aroma due to high temperature; black tea and oolong tea require boiling water above 95℃ to fully release the flavor. When tasting, one should first observe the soup color, then smell the aroma, and finally savor the taste to feel the changes of the tea soup in the mouth.

Chinese tea etiquette emphasizes “harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility”. When drinking tea with friends, tea should be poured in the order of “elders first, juniors later; guests first, hosts later”. The host takes the initiative to refill tea for guests, reflecting respect and enthusiasm; guests should hold the cup with both hands to express thanks, conveying friendship between each other. This slow tea-tasting method not only allows people to feel the original flavor of tea but also experience the peaceful and introverted attitude towards life pursued in Eastern culture.

Today, tea culture has become a bridge for communication between China and the world. Whether enjoying a cup of tea in a teahouse in an Ancient City accompanied by traditional Chinese music, or experiencing traditional brewing techniques in a modern tea room, foreign tourists can touch the thousand-year-old historical context of China and feel the unique charm of Eastern culture in a cup of tea. The story of tea continues, waiting for every traveler to read.