All about the Chinese tea

Chinese tea was used as medicine, Chinese tea is part of traditional ceremonies, and Chinese tea is used to treat guests. To many tea lovers, Chinese tea  is not just a substitution for Coca Cola when the mouth runs dry, it's part of an unique Chinese life style.

Tea, a drink pioneered by the Chinese, is brewed by infusing tender buds picked from tea trees in boiled water after baking. Legend has it that tea was first discovered by Emperor Shennong, who was tasting hundreds of herbal medicines to test their medicinal power in southwest China. Tea was originally used for detoxification and meant to be chewed in the mouth. Later, people began to steep it in water. Maybe because the drink has a slightly bitter taste, it was called “tu” (meaning “a bitter edible plant”) before the Qin and Han dynasties and wasn’t officially named “tea” until the Han Dynasty.  

What's the future of Chinese tea production? The problems of government contract length and price for tea will slowly fade away as the Chinese tea industry becomes more market oriented and China as a nation accedes to the World Trade Organization. The problem of farm size will also be slowly solved as China continues down the path of market reforms and allows foreign corporations with up to date technology to make investments in Chinese tea. The international press has focused much attention on prison labor in the past decade, and this, too, is sure to eventually go away as China promises to trade fairly with other nations. Although the Chinese tea industry is currently stuck between agricultural reforms and a free market, the future holds the promise that "all the tea in China" will again be an impressive amount, indeed.

The Oolong tea

It is said that oolong tea first began to be produced at Mt. Wu Yi Shan in FujianProvince at the end of the Ming Dynasty about 400 years ago.

The production of oolong tea requires that the leaves be processed directly after picking. First the leaves are wilted in the sun for a short period of time. They are placed into baskets and shaken, which bruises the leaves. The juices in the leaves are now exposed to the air, which begins the process of oxidation. The leaves are then spread out to dry. After a period of time--less than 2 hours for Chinese oolongs, longer for Taiwanese oolongs, the tea is fired, this stops the fermentation process.

Why drink Oolong Tea?

There are many reasons to drink oolong tea. First and foremost is the wonderful taste. Tea connoisseurs the world over value Taiwan tea for its sweetness and complexity.

The preparation and serving of Oolong tea is also a pleasing pastime that can be shared with friends and family. In Taiwan and elsewhere, drinking oolong tea is a social affair that solidifies relationships.