Tea in China is as old as the traditional medicine, 4000 years of recorded history and probably another 1000 years of non-recorded period.
It has been a culture deep rooted in the Chinese population from the ordinary working class all the way up to the imperial courts. There is a saying about the basic essential of a man is ‘tea, tobacco and rice’; one can imagine the importance of tea that it is the first priority. The traditional breakfast is some small varieties of dumplings and steamed bread with meat and/or fish, the drink is always tea usually plenty of it. If one is well to do in Southern China, tea house is where one will eat the breakfasts of which they call breakfast – ‘drink tea’ 饮茶.
Another enjoyment is watching the leaves ‘open’ in the hot water, also the leaves can be assess whether they are good quality or otherwise. The tea bag, I believe, was invented in the West. Inside the bag usually is broken leaves and low grade mixtures that will not give good flavour and for that reason, only tea leaves are used in China.
There are over 100 types of Chinese tea and about 30-40 types of more popular ones. China is nearly the size of Europe, one can imagine a plant grows in England will be quite different compared to one grows in Greece. On the same note, tea produced in Beijing 北京will be quite different to the tea in Guangzhou广州, 45 miles North from where I come from. A type of tea would be best produced in a certain area e.g. Puerh 普洱茶 is best from Yunan province 云南, Jasmine 茉莉花茶 is best from Northern provinces; Oolong 乌龙茶 is best from Taiwan 台湾 and Xiamen 厦门 provinces etc.
According to Lu Yu 陆羽(733-804), the tea saint in China, the water quality to brew tea is most important. The best is spring water – straight from source, second is river water and third is from a well. In this day and age, it is slightly, if not a tall order, for most of us.
The tool to brew the tea is a vast subject and is still regard as a highly important facet to brew a good cup of tea. The best material is a kind of clay, produced in the Jiangsu province江苏, called yixing宜兴 zi sha紫砂(purple sand). It is a brittle but light type of clay. After firing in the kiln the surface feels like sand paper thus it got the name.
cover bowl蓋碗
The other talking point is the teapot or the cup with a lid (cover bowl蓋碗). It is still a big debating point in the tea loving community. Backed up by modern findings the water temperature to brew tea is about 80º-90ºC. Any hotter, the vitamins C will be lose. After the water is put into the implement pot or cup, the lid should be put on as soon as possible and let the tea be brewed at least three minutes and drink hot.
Best time to drink tea is thirty to forty minutes after a meal. The worst condition is to drink with an empty stomach – too acidic for the stomach will lead to duodenal ulcer and other problems with the digestive system. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes the properties in tea can break down the fat in food. It also ‘cleans’ the alimentary canal and regulates the bowel movement. Therefore, tea is believed to be the best natural herb for loosing weight.
The property of tea to keep one awake has long been known to the Chinese. There are quite a few formulae in TCM includes a percentage of tea in the medicine. It is like a pawn on a chessboard and it is important to relate to the other pieces, the other herbs. In fact, some of the formulae actually have the ending with the word ‘tea’. Some Chinese doctors would even call the prescription medicinal tea.
In the winter months a cup of tea to warm one’s guess or a refreshing drink for a school child coming home. JQT TCM took the time to travel to the remote areas in Southern China annually and deals with the tea growers themselves. Three of them are Mr. Chan’s family friends for more than two generations. Mr. Chan ensures it is a fair trade to the growers and the hard working people in the fields. All the stock in JQT TCM are fresh, except black tea like Puerh, which will mature in time. Some of the Puerh stocks of JQT TCM are over fifteen years old.
According to a research in Feb, 2009, in Shenyang university, China, “Oolong/green tea could decrease body fat content and reduce body weight through improving lipid metabolism. Chronic consumption of oolong/green tea may prevent against obesity”.
In Alternative Medicine Review Volume 14, Number 2, 2009 Francesco Di Pierro, PhD; Scientific Director, Velleja Research, Piacenza, Italy, concluded that oral consumption of 150 mg green tea extract twice daily along with a low calorie diet resulted in significant weight loss after 90 days (14 kg) compared to the low calorie diet-only group (5 kg).
Mr. Chan’s family has been enjoying a long tradition of combining tea, herbs and acupuncture to cure obesity. The result has been a very popular, healthy and highly successful combinations.
Chinese Tea Shop
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