1. Chinese Tea Culture
By Tina Zhu, CL-2

2. The Origin of Tea
• Legend that Emperor
Shennong boiled
water to drink
(2737 BC)
• Tea leaves fell from
bush close by into
water
• Shennong drank it
and liked it

3. Daily Life
• Still part of Chinese daily life
• National drink
• Most popular drink after water

4. The Art of Tea
• Lu Yu‟s book
“The Classic Art
of Tea”, 8th
century
• Picking, brewing,
serving, tasting

5. The Art of Tea (Cont.)
• Environment/
atmosphere
• Teahouses
• Teapots
Yixing Zisha (purple-
sand) clay teapot

6. Tea Customs
• Customarily offered to guests
• Shows respect
• Serious apologies, gratitude
• Tradition

7. Believed Benefits
• Refreshes mind
• Relieves headaches,
dizziness, sleepiness
• Antioxidant
• Aids immune system
• Improves digestion
• Prevents cancer

8. Types of Chinese Tea
• Thousands of tea types
• 5 main types
• Green tea
Unfermented, „raw‟
o
Longest history, most
o
popular in China
Green leaves, liquid
o
mostly clear, tinted with
green
Longjing (Dragon Well) in West
o
Lake, Hangzhou; color, fragrance,
flavor and shape

9. Types of Chinese Tea
• Black (red) tea
Fermented before
o
baking
Easy to transport
o
Popular with
o
Westerners
Red in color,
o
thicker in flavor

10. Types of Chinese Tea
• Oolong tea
Moderately
o
fermented
Between green and
o
black tea
Mellow taste
o
Said to make you
o
fitter

11. Types of Chinese Tea
• White tea
Picked and harvested
o
when leaves are still
buds
Light aroma/color
o
Rare, expensive
o
• Scented tea
o Flowers + tea leaves
o Osmanthus, plum, and jasmine

12. Trade
• Drove economy
in ancient times
• China = main
(and first)
producer
• Major export
• Spread across
the world

13. Sources
• http://www.chinateahub.com/
• http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/cuisine_drink/tea/
• http://www.chcp.org/tea.html
• http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-tea/
• http://www.chinavista.com/experience/tea/tea.html
• http://www.index-china-food.com/index-china-food/tea-culture.htm
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_tea_culture
• http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/lifestyles/chinese_tea_health.html
Images:
• http://happyhomemaker88.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/chinese-green-tea.jpg
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/charliesiebert/115607189/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/austinette/2864283985/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/chriscav/1192867568/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/oceanoftea/2969685991/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/i_travel_east/3185573232/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/photomato/2074641949/
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/38159369@N00/805303049/
• http://picasaweb.google.com/jim.aarons/Sydney#5150305553948404194
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/iceler/116149007/
• http://exposingchineseancestorworship.blogspot.com/2008_07_01_archive.html
• http://www.periyartigerreserve.info/teaplantation.html