Chinese tea together with its inseparable Chinese tea sets has been around for more than two centuries. China, being known as the homeland of tea, exports more than 90% of tea across the globe. Between tea, cocoa, and coffee -- tea is consumed by most number of people in the world.
People from different countries name their teas in different ways. In Russia, tea is called "cha'i", it is pronounced as "chaye" in their local tongue. China and the Philippines have more or less the same local name for tea. In China, it's called "cha" and "tsa-a" in the Philippines. They may not have the same spelling, but they do sound the same when spoken out loud.
It was only after the 17th and 18th century that Americans and Europeans were able to appreciate tea. Japan started its passion for tea after the 6th century. People around the world started enjoying their teas sometime in their lives, but there is no question that the passion for tea started in China, specifically a small town called Yixing.
Chinese teas are classified into several categories, but most of them are clustered according to how they are processed.
1. Green tea: The only variety of tea that can keep its natural color even after brewing is the green tea. Green teas that yield the perfect tea leaves are the following: Longjing tea of Zhejiang, Maofeng from the mountains of Anhui, and Biluochun of the Jiangsu province.
2. Black tea: Teas that are fermented before they are baked are classified as black teas. These teas are also known as "red teas" by tea lovers. The best tea leaves for black teas are: Suhong of Jiangsu, Qihong of Anhui, and Dianhong of Yunnan.
3. Wulong tea: Wulong tea is a combination of green tea and black tea. It is popular in the south-eastern coast of China, this includes Taiwan, Fujian, and Guandong.
4. Compressed tea: Compressed tea or "brick tea" is a variety of black tea that is compressed into a certain shaped to be stored and transported commercially to a large number of consumers. Brick teas are made in Hunan, Hubei, Yunnan, and Sichuan provinces.
5. Scented tea: This type of tea mixes fragrant flowers with tea leaves to create an aroma that is unique to teas. The most commonly used flowers are magnolia and jasmine.
When serving teas at afternoon tea gatherings and formal tea parties, it is proper that tea sets be used with tea. Tea sets are made of high quality porcelain, bone china, or silver, they are to be attractive as much as they are durable.
China is believed to be the cradle of tea. Historically, Chinese tea sets such as the Yixing clay pots are used to brew tea and serve it to the guess as soon as it is in the right temperature. The Yixing tea set is named after a Chinese town of Jiagsu province where tea was first brewed.
In assessing a quality of a pot, there are a number of things that a tea enthusiast should consider. Tapping the body of a pot with another pot is a simple test to determine its quality. If the light tap creates a metal like sound, then the pot is of good quality.
Another way of assessing the quality of a tea pot is to fill it with water until the water touches its rim. To see if the pot is made of high quality material, smooth flowing water should be seen when pouring the pot. Do not forget to close the lead before pouring the water since pressure inside the pot is needed to properly assess it.
When brewing from a Yixing pot, a coat like material may appear, this coat is significant since this retains the natural flavour of the tea as it is used over time. Washing it with soap will erase the coating, therefore, it is better to wash it with warm water and air-dry it. Yixing is very popular among tea aficionados because of this unique ability.
It is undeniable that tea has become a part of life for most people. Teas can be brought in a variety of mixes and flavours. Most teas taste best when they are served in their appropriate tea sets. Chinese tea sets, specifically the Yixing clay pots, are best with Chinese teas since they do not only preserve the flavour of tea, but the tradition of Chinese tea as well.
Author S. Cheng is a home and lifestyle magazine editor situated in Beijing, China. She has a fascination for Chinese Tea Sets and many other oriental style of living. Check out her site about the Chinese Tea Sets here.
Posted under Tea
