Transcript Tea and Chinese Culture

Chinese Tea Culture
Chinese Tea Culture
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Introduction
China, the Hometown of Tea
The Importance of Tea in People’s Daily Life
Classification of Tea
Tea and Health
Tea Custom
Tea Ceremonies Gongfu Tea
Tea and Chinese Culture
Tea Service Master
Tea utensils
Introduction
• Tea (茶) commonly denotes the drink made from
steeping(浸泡） the processed leaves, buds（芽）, or
twigs（枝） of the tea bush (Camellia sinensis 茶树) in
water.
•Only the top 1-2 inches of the
mature plant are picked. These
buds and leaves are called
flushes . A plant will grow a new
flush every seven to fifteen days
during the growing season, and
leaves that are slow in
development always produce
better flavored teas.
• Of the three major beverages of the world-- tea,
coffee and cocoa-- tea is consumed by the
largest number of people in the world. It has a
cooling, slightly bitter, astringent flavor （收敛
味）which many enjoy.
Introduction
 Chinese tea culture refers to the methods of
preparation of tea,the equipment used to make tea
and the occasions in which tea is consumed in
China. The terms chayi "Art of Tea 茶艺" and
"Tea Ceremony" have been used, but the term "Tea
Culture茶文化" includes more than just the
ceremony. Also "culture" is easier to translate into
English from the Chinese term "art 艺".
 Tea culture in China differs from that of Europe,
Britain or Japan in such things as preparation
methods, tasting methods and the occasions for
which it is consumed. Even now, in both casual
and formal Chinese occasions, tea is consumed
regularly. In addition to being a drink, Chinese
tea is used in Traditional Chinese medicine and
in Chinese cuisine.
 It is China,
universally
acknowledged
thatofChina
the
Hometown
Teais the
original tea-growing area, as well as the first
country to grow, produce and drink tea.
The Discovery of Tea
The History of tea in China
The Discovery of Tea
 According to legend, in 2737 BC, Emperor
SHEN NUNG a notably skilled ruler, scientist,
scholar and patron守护神 of the arts, ruled
China’s vast empire. His many farsighted
edicts法令 included the requirement that all
drinking water be boiled as a hygienic
precaution.
Shen Nung Tasted Plants
The Discovery of Tea
 One summer day, while on a state visit to a distant
part of his realm, he and the court stopped to rest.
Accordingly, servants began boiling water for the
royal court to drink. By chance, the wind blew
dried leaves from a near by bush, into the boiling
water and a brown substance was infused into the
liquid. As a gifted herbalist and scientist the
Emperor was interested in the newly blended
concoction混合物. He examined its properties and
after sipping and tasting the declared it to
be…”MOST REFRESHING!”
The History of tea in China
 It has been used as medicine since the primitive
society.
 It has been found in the record documents of China’
Zhou Dynasty about 1100BC.
 According to historical data, China began to grow
tea about two thousand years ago during the period
of the Warring States (475-221BC).
 Drinking tea became a fashion in the Western Jin
Dynasty and Tang dynasty.
 In the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368)
Dynasties tea appraising became a popular custom
 Since 1700s, the Chinese tea has largely expended
into the world market.
The History of tea in China
 At present more than forty countries in the world
grow tea, with Asian countries producing 90% of
the world's total output. All tea trees in other
countries have their origin directly or indirectly
in China.
Map of Chinese Tea Producing Area
 21 Provinces
 4 regions
Lu Yu, the Sage of Tea
陆羽煮茶图
陆羽（733年－804年），字鸿渐；唐朝复州竟陵（今湖北天门市）人。一名疾，字季疵，号竟陵
子、桑苎翁、东冈子，又号茶山御史。以著世界第一部茶叶专著——《茶经》闻名于世，对中国茶
业和世界茶业做出了卓越贡献，被誉为“茶圣”，奉为“茶仙”，祀为“茶神”。
《新唐书·陆羽传》记：“羽嗜茶，著经三篇，言茶之原、之法、之具尤备，天下益知饮茶矣。”
Lu Yu: Sage of Tea
“Tea Jing” 茶经（Tea Classics) written by Lu Yu 陆羽
in 760AD was the first book of tea in the world.
Tea appraising in Ancient China
 In the Song and Yuan
Dynasties a popular custom
was. Over the long history of
drinking tea, a special and
simple Chinese tea culture
came into being. Drinking tea
was not only for quenching
thirst or for enjoyment, but
also for the promotion of
friendship and mutual
understanding. Folk customs
of drinking tea reflected the
ancient Chinese people's
great interest in tea culture.
品茶图
斗茶 Tea Fight
• A tea plant will grow
into a tree of up to 16
metres (52 ft) if left
undisturbed, but
cultivated plants are
pruned to waist height
for ease of plucking.
Wild Tea Trees in Yunnan Province
 Height:3
2.12m
Tea Mountains
The importance of Tea
Tea in Daily Life
 “Firewood, rice, oil,
salt, sauce, vinegar
and tea are the
seven necessities to
begin a day.”
 Cu Cha Dan Fann
粗茶淡饭: coarse
tea and tasteless
dinner
The Importance of Tea
Tea in China’s Economy
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Tea has always been a vital part
of China’s economy. Back in the
“Good Old Days” 往昔美好时
光of the Great Wall it was
actually used as money! Black
Tea was formed into bricks and
carried by traders as the
caravans 穿越沙漠的）旅行队
ventured west. At that time, a
brick of Black Tea was as
precious as gold and as
important an international
currency as the US Dollar is
today.
Tea in Literature
商人重利轻别离，前月浮梁买茶去。
 The merchant cared for money more than for me,
 one month ago he went away to purchase tea.
酒壮英雄胆，茶引文人思。
 Wine can add virginity to heroes
 while tea can stir up men of letters.
Tea in Art
秉烛品茶
Tea Classification
 The main varieties of
Chinese tea:
•
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Green Tea
Black Tea
Oolong Tea
White Tea
Yellow Tea
Scented Tea
Tea producing technology 制茶工艺
制茶工艺
(1)绿茶：鲜叶－杀青－揉捻（做形）－干燥
⑵黄茶：鲜叶－杀青－揉捻－闷黄－干燥
⑶黑茶：鲜叶－杀青－揉捻－渥堆－干燥
⑷白茶：萎凋－干燥
（新工艺白茶：萎凋－轻揉－干燥）
⑸青茶(乌龙茶):萎凋-做青-炒青-揉捻（做形）－干
燥
⑹红茶：萎凋－揉捻－发酵－干燥
Tea Classification
Other teas:
 date tea
 ginseng tea
 fruit tea
 eight-treasure tea
 lotus seed-heart tea
 Tangerine（柑橘） peel tea
 Chrysanthemum （菊花）Tea
Green tea 绿茶
Characteristics
• The tea made without being fermented.
• The tea liquid and tea leaves are greenish.
Benefits:
• It help people reduce their inner heat.
• It helps with anti-ageing.
• It prevents computer radiation and bad breath.
Green tea 绿茶
The most well-known green teas:
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Longjing Tea from West Lake of Hangzhou 西湖龙井
Maofeng Tea from Huangshan Mountain
黄山毛峰
Yunwu Tea from Lushan Mountain
庐山云雾
Biluochun Tea from Jiangsu
洞庭碧螺春
Longjing Tea 龙井
a top-grade green tea from Longjing, West Lake,
Hangzhou
Four characteristics：
• green in color
色绿
• fragrant in smell 香郁
• sweet in taste
味醇
• beautiful in appearance形美
Longjing Tea
West Lake
Biluochun Tea 碧螺春
 a top-grade green tea from Dongting 洞庭, Taihu,
太湖，Wu County吴县, Jiangsu Province
 Biluo Peak on Mountain Dongting
 “Terrifying aroma” 吓煞人香
 Emperor Kangxi 康熙 named it biluochun.
Biluochun Tea
Dongting
Black tea 红茶
Characteristics:
• The fermented tea.
• The most popular tea in the world.
• The tea liquid and tealeaves are reddish.
 Benefits:
• It facilitates the fostering of yangqi in the human body.
• It warms the stomach.
• It helps with digestion.
• It is a most suitable choice in cold seasons.
Black tea 红茶
The most well-known black teas:
• Qimen Black Tea
• Yunan Dianhong Tea
• Sichuan Chuanhong Tea
祁门红茶
云南滇红
四川川红
Qimen black tea
 a top-grade black tea from Qimen 祁门 and
Guichi 贵溪 of Anhui Province.
 In 1915, Qimen black tea was awarded the Gold
Medal at Panama International Fair.
 From then on, it has been popular with people in
foreign countries, especially the upper-class
people in Britain.
Qimen black tea
Qimen
Oolong tea 乌龙茶
Characteristics:
blue tea 青茶
The half-fermented tea
an important part of Gongfu tea
The tea leaves are green in the center and red at
the edge.
Benefits:
It decomposes fat and helps people lose weight.
Oolong tea 乌龙茶
The most well-known blue teas:
 Tieguanyin (Iron Goddess Guanyin) 铁观音
 Wuyiyan Tea
武夷岩茶
 Taiwan Oolong Tea
台湾乌龙
Tieguanyin 铁观音
 Tieguanyin Tea, translated into English as Iron Goddess
Tea, is one of the most famous types of Chinese Tea. It
has many different translations and is often called
Tieguanyin, Ti Kuan Yin, Tikuanyin, Iron Buddha, Iron
Goddess Tea, and Iron Goddess of Mercy Tea.
 Tieguanyin is produced originally in Anxi County(安溪)
in Fujian Province
 Tealeaves: dark green in color, similar to that of iron
 It is said that Tieguanyin has such a strong aroma that
even after adding water to the teapot seven times, one
can still enjoy the pleasant taste and fragrance.
 Several legends of Tieguanyin.
Tieguanyin 铁观音
A Legend of Tieguanyin 2-1
 During the reign of Emperor Qianlong there in Fujian
Province's Anxi County there was a dilapidated temple
that was dedicated to the Buddhist Bodhisattva Guanyin,
the Goddess of Mercy. A poor farmer named Wei
Yin(魏饮) , on his way to his fields’ everyday, would
pass the temple and noticed its deteriorating state. He
felt something needed to be done. The farmer was quite
poor and didn't have the means to restore the temple, so
instead he brought a broom and incense to the temple.
He thoroughly cleaned the temple and burned the
incense in offering to Guanyin. He did this twice a
month for many months.
A Legend of Tieguanyin 2-2
One night in a dream, the Bodhisattva Guanyin appeared to
him and told him of a cave located behind the temple.
Guanyin told him that a treasure was waiting in the cave for
him. He was told to take this treasure and share it with
others. When he woke up, Old Wei headed straight to the
temple and found the cave which he had never noticed
before. Growing in the cave was a single tea shoot. He took
the shoot home, planted it, and nurtured it until it grew into
a large bush. The tea he made from this bush was fantastic
and unlike any tea he had ever tasted. He knew that this tree
was indeed a treasure. He gave cuttings of the bush to all of
his neighbors and began selling the plant as Tieguanyin, or
Iron Goddess of Mercy. The tree of legend still exists and is
considered a national treasure. Located near the tree, carved
into the cliff is the name of the farmer who, according to
legend, found the original tree.
Anxi 安溪
White tea 白茶
Characteristics:
 uncured, non-fermented, non-rubbed, fast-dried
green tea
• The tealeaves are silver in color and have fine
white hair on them.
 The tea liquid is yellowish in color and sweet in
taste, with natural fragrance.
Benefits:
 It helps dispel heat within the human body.
 It also enhances immune function
 It protects the heart and blood vessels.
White tea 白茶
It is mainly produced in Fuding 福鼎，Zhenghe
政和, and Songxi松溪 of Fujian Province.
The most well-known White tea:
• “yinzhen baihao” 银针白毫 (silver needle
with fine hair on them)
• “baimudan” 白牡丹 （White Peony ）
yinzhen baihao 银针白毫
Yellow Tea 黄茶
Characteristics:
 The tea is produced by letting damp tea leaves
naturally turn yellow
 It has an original smell like that of black tea if
the tea is cured with other herbs, but its taste is
most similar to green and white teas.
Benefits:
 It refreshes the mind.
 It helps clear away heat and toxic materials
within the human body.
Yellow Tea 黄茶
The best well-known:
 Junshan Yinzhen (君山银针) from Hunan
 Huoshan Huangya (癨山黄芽) from Mt.
Huo, Anhui
 Meng Ding Huangya (蒙顶黄芽) from Mt.
Meng, Sichuan
 Da Ye Qing （大叶青）from Guangdong
Junshan Yinzhen 君山银针
Scented tea 花茶
The tea made by mixing and aromatizing tea
leaves with scented flowers
It is produced mainly in Fujian, Zhejiang,
Jiangsu and Anhui provinces.
Scented tea 花茶
The most well-known:
 jasmine tea
茉莉花茶
 magnolia tea
玉兰花茶
 lotus flower tea
荷花茶
 chrysanthemum tea 菊花茶
 rose tea
玫瑰花茶
Jasmine tea 茉莉花茶
 the most popular among scented tea
 made from jasmine flowers.
 The most well-known jasmine flower tea is
produced in Fujian Province.
The Steps of Making Jasmine Tea
 Pick a lot of jasmine flower buds and put them
in a clean place;
 At midnight when the flowers have the strongest
fragrance, add green tea to them for absorption;
 Get rid of the withered jasmine flowers and get
the tealeaves baked;
 Put the baked tealeaves into newly picked
jasmine flowers again.
 This is repeated several times before the
tealeaves are ready to be used.
Compressed tea 压制茶
The tea compressed and hardened into a certain
shape
• brick tea 砖茶: in the form of bricks
• Tuocha 沱茶: in the form of cakes and bowls
good for transport and storage
mainly supplied to the ethnic minorities living
in the border areas of the country
mainly produced in Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan and
Yunnan provinces
Compressed tea
Brick tea: 砖茶
 huazhuan 花砖茶 (flower brick)
 heizhuan 黑砖茶 (black brick)
 mizhuan 米砖茶 (rice brick)
 qingzhuan 青砖茶 (green brick)
Tuocha 沱茶
 Xiaguan tuocha 下关沱茶
 Pu’er tuocha
普洱沱茶
 Sichuan tuocha 四川沱茶
Huazhuan & Heizhuan
Qinghzhuan & Mizhuan
Tuocha
Tea Custom
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Popularity
Tea health benefits
Social functions
Some common practices
Tea Ceremony
Tea customs
Popularity:
 Scented tea is popular in northern China;
 Green tea is preferred in eastern China;
 Black tea is optimum for people in Fujian and
Guangdong;
 Compressed tea is mainly for minorities.
Tea and Health
 Tea is a natural and healthy drink.
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Tea contains a lot of nutrients that help to build up
good health.
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Tea is refreshing and helps you work efficiently.
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Tea is a thirst quencher and aids digestion of food.
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Tea helps to disinfect and alleviate inflammation.
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Tea helps urinary output and purge toxins.
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Tea helps fitness and against cardiovascular diseases.
Social Functions
As a sign of respect:
 The younger generation shows its respect to the
older generation by offering a cup of tea.
To apologize:
 People make serious apologies to others by
pouring them tea. (a sign of regret and
submission)
To express thanks to your elders on your
wedding day:
 Traditionally, both the bride and groom kneel in
front of their parents and serve them tea.
Tea Served at Wedding Ceremony
Some common practices
 One should neither pour tea water till the teacup
is full nor empty the teapot or teacups while
drinking tea. (Shandong Province)
 If a guest emptied his/her teacup, the host would
think he/she does not want any more tea and
therefore wouldn’t offer him/her any more tea.
 Knocking bent index, middle and ring fingers on
the table three times to express gratitude to the
person who serves the tea.
Tea Ceremony
Tea Ceremonies
 The Chinese tea ceremony, also called the Chinese
Way of Tea, is a Chinese cultural activity
involving the ceremonial preparation and
presentation of tea leaf. The manner in which it is
performed, or the art of its performance is shown
in the tea ceremony. Taoism has also been an
influence in the development of the tea ceremony.
The elements of the Chinese tea ceremony is the
harmony of nature and enjoying tea in an informal
and formal setting. Tea ceremonies are now being
revived in China's new fast-paced culture, and
continuing in the long tradition of intangible
Chinese art .
Tea Ceremony
Steps to Make Tea
 Heat the pot: Heat
the teapot with
boiled water to
eliminate peculiar
smell. Heated pot
can help to release
the tea scent.
Steps to Make Tea
 Place the tea: The
mouth of the teapot is
usually small, so one
should first put the
tea in a special halfball vessel and hand
it to guests for them
to appraise the shape
of the tea leaf. Then,
put the tea into the
pot with a teaspoon.
The amount of the tea
is about 1/3 of the
teapot.
Steps to Make Tea
Warm
Warm
with
that
pot.
the cup:
the cups
boiled water
heats the
Steps to Make Tea
 High pour: One needs
to lift up the kettle
high to make a good
tea. The tealeaves
turn over and scatter
in the pot after
water pouring in from
a high level. This is
known as high pour, a
better way to get out
the aroma of the
tealeaves.
Steps to Make Tea
 Low pour: After the tea is
ready, one can pour it into a
handless cup. This time, one
should keep the pot's mouth
as low as possible and close to
the cup to minimize escaping
of the aroma. This is known
as low pour. Normally, pour
the first-round brewing and
the second-round brewing
into one cup, one will have a
better taste tea. Repeat this
when one makes the third
and fourth brewing, and the
following rounds as well.
Steps to Make Tea
 Distribute the tea: Tea is distributed into cups
from the handless cup, with an amount of about
7/10 of the cup.
 Offer the tea: Offer the tea to guests in teacups
together with cup pad.
 Smell the tea: Before tasting the tea, one should
first look at its color and smell its aroma.
 Taste the tea: The Chinese character 品 (taste) is
three 口 (mouth) that are put together, which
means one should taste one cup of tea in three
sips. Before sipping and tasting the tea, one
should smile at the tea brewer for one or two
seconds to express appreciation.
Gongfu tea
Gongfu Tea
 Introduction
 The vessels for Gongfu tea
 Drinking Process
Gongfu Tea: Introduction
What does Gonggu( 功夫) mean in Chinese?
It came into being in the Qing Dynasty.
Gongfu: time-consuming.
• choose the appropriate tea set
• take time to prepare the tea
• take time to taste and drink the tea
Gongfu Tea: Four treasures
 Kettle: yushu wei
玉书煨
 Oven: chaoshan lu
潮汕炉
 Teapot: mengchen gua
孟臣罐
 Cups: Ruochen ou
若琛瓯
The tea vessels are small and exquisite.
Gongfu Tea: Drinking Process
 The teapot and teacups are heated with hot water.
 Tealeaves are put into the teapot (7/10 of the
capacity).
 Boiling water is poured into the teapot.
 When pouring boiling water from the kettle into
the teapot, one should raise the kettle high.
 When pouring tea from the teapot into the
teacups, one should lower the teapot and keep its
spout close to the teacups.
Gongfu Tea: Drinking Process
 One should not fill one teacup after another, instead,
one should put the teacups in a circle and pour a little
tea into the teacups each time.
 Only after two or three rounds of pouring should the
teacups be filled with tea. (This is to ensure that each
teacup gets an even share of tea and each cup of tea has
the same taste.)
 Even when only a few drops of tea water is left, the
person serving tea should not stop serving; he/her
should drip the tea water into all the teacups in turn to
the last drop.
Gongfu tea: Drinking Process
 The person serving the tea should take the teapot
handle with his/her thumb and middle finger,
push the teapot lid open with his/her forefinger,
and make the tea water drip up by means of air
pressure.
 When drinking tea, one should not drink it up all
at once; he/she should first smell it, taste it, then
drink it slowly.
 One should strictly follow the rules, otherwise
he/she would be considered as ignorant of tea
etiquette.
Tea and Chinese Culture
 In the Tang Dynasty, the word cha (tea) was a
complimentary name for girls.
 Little girls were called “little cha” or “chacha”.
 牙牙娇语总堪夸，学念新诗似小茶。--元好问
 进得女真千户妹，十三娇小唤茶茶。--朱有燉
Tea and Chinese Culture
Betrothal gifts(订婚礼): tea gifts
 bridegroom’s family: tea gift giving 下茶
 bride’s family: tea gift accepting
受茶
 Tea can only propagate(繁殖) by seeds and tea
trees cannot be transplanted once they are
planted.
Tea and Chinese Culture
 “Listen to her!” cried Tai-yu. “Just took a little
tea from her and she starts to order you about.”
 His-feng chuckled.
 “Only asked a favor, you make such a fuss! And
over drinking tea! Now since you have drunk
our tea, a daughter-in-law you should be!”
 On hearing this, the whole party burst out
laughing. Tai-yu blushed and turned her head
away, saying nothing.
Tea and Chinese Culture
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竹无俗韵，茗有奇香。
煮沸三江水，同饮五岳茶。
客至心常热 ，人走茶不凉。
拣茶为款同心友， 筑室因藏善本书 。
山静无音水自喻， 茗因有泉味更香。
青山似欲留人住， 香茗何妨为客尝。
《一字至七字诗·茶》元稹[唐]
茶，
香叶，嫩芽，
慕诗客，爱僧家。
碾雕白玉，罗织红纱。
铫煎黄蕊色，碗转曲尘花。
夜后邀陪明月，晨前命对朝霞。
洗尽古今人不倦，将至醉后岂堪夸。
Tea Service Master 茶博士
Tea Service Master 茶博士
Tea Service Master 茶博士
Tea utensils
Tea
Sets
 Fictile(陶) Tea Sets
 Porcelain（瓷）Tea Sets
 White-porcelain tea sets
 Celadon (青瓷 )tea sets
 Black-porcelain tea sets
 Lacquer Tea Sets （漆器茶具 ）
 Glass Tea Sets
 Metal Tea Sets
 Bamboo and Wooden Tea Sets
Fictile Tea Sets
 The purple clay teapot
is made of unglazed
clay (素烧的,没有上釉的
黏土), which is baked
with purple and red mud
specially found in the
local area.
 Among the fictile tea
sets, the purple clay
tea set made in Yixing
is regarded as the best
one.
Porcelain Tea Sets
 White-porcelain tea
sets: the most
famous whiteporcelain producing
area is Jingdezhen,
and other areas
include Liling of
Hunan Province,
Tangshan of Hebei
Province and Qimen
of Anhui Province.
Lacquer Tea Sets
 Lacquer tea sets were put into use in
the Qing Dynasty and mainly made in
Fuzhou area of Fujian Province.
Glass Tea Sets
 Glass, transparent and
with dazzling luster, is a
plastic material used
widely. Using glass cup
to make tea, one can
enjoy a good view of the
bright color of the water
and the tender tealeaves
that are pushed up and
down when water is
poured in and then
slowly stretch.
Metal Tea Sets
 Metal has great advantage over other materials in
tea storage, and tin is the best one compared to all
other metals such as gold, silver and copper. Tin pot
is mostly made with small mouth and long neck
together with a tube-shaped body. Such kind of
airproof tin pot can guard tea against moisture,
oxidation, light and peculiar smell.
Bamboo and Wooden Tea Sets
 Bamboo and Wooden Tea Sets: In past days,
large rural areas, including tea-producing
areas, used bamboo or wooden tea sets to make
tea because they were cheap but with good
quality. But such tea sets are seldom used
nowadays, except some bamboo and wooden pots
that are used to store tea, especially
teapots made of boxwood（黄杨木） and reedbamboo.
Tea utensils
Tea utensils
Tea utensils
Tea utensils
Tea utensils