The Origins of the Humble Tea Leaf

The Origins of Tea
According to mythological fables, there are many tales of the origin of tea. The first one comes from over 4500 years ago. The Second Chinese Emperor Chen Sung(circa 2737-2697 BC) was sitting beneath a tree while his servant was boiling some water. A leaf from the tree above fell into the boiling water and Chen Sung tried the brew and liked it. The tree was a tea tree, of course.
Another fabled origin of tea comes from Bodhidharma, the traditional founder of the Zen school of Buddhism. The Japanese claim that he brought tea with him from India to China. The Indian legend proclaims that after 5 years of a 7 year sleepless meditation exercise on the Lord Buddha, BoddhiDharma began to feel sleepy. He immediately plucked a few leaves from a nearby bush and chewed them which thereby kept him awake. The bush was
a wild bush tree. Another story along these lines has him plucking off his eyebrows when they started drooping and he threw them on the ground. It is reputed that 2 tea trees sprang up that had the power to keep him awake and alert.
Whatever the truth is, the raw leaves of the tea tree were probably used as food from the earliest times by the native populations of Southern China. A chinese text of 50 BC mentions tea being prepared by servants. Historians and scholars have tea being cultivated in Szechuan around the 3rd Century AD. There are many authentic references to tea in the Chinese dictionary circa 350 AD.
In the 8th Century the Chinese author Lu Yu wrote the first book on tea, the "Ch'a Ching". This book summarised all the accumulated knowledge to date about tea growing and preparation. There were many illustrations of tea making utensils. This book succeeded in giving a major impetus to the drinking of tea by the upper classes. Some say that this book inspired the Buddhist priests to create the Japanese tea ceremony.
Early Processing of tea.
In the 4th Century the fresh green tea leaves were picked , squeezed into cakes and then roasted to a reddish color. These cakes were crumbled into the water and boiled, meanwhile adding onion, ginger, and orange peel. This tea was considered to be a good remedy for stomach problems, bad eyesight and many other diseases, but must have been a very bitter brew indeed.
Tea was beginning to be exported to Tibet, Turkey , India, and Russia because of its easy transportability. In the Tang Dynasty, this tea recipe was the national drink of the ruling classes. Around about the 8th Century the bricks of tea were now boiled with only a little bit of salt.
The first mention of tea outside China and Japan was by the Arabs in 850 AD. Some say that they introduced it into Europe throught the port of Venice. The Portuguese paved the way for the entry of tea into Europe also because of their exploration of the sea passages to China as early as the 16th Century. Jesuit priests coming back from the East brought back their tea drinking habits back to Portugal. The Dutch merchants got in on the act as well. In 1610, regular shipments of tea to ports in France and Holland were started. In the late 17th Century, the English East India Company entered the trade.
Beginnings of the names for tea.
In the 4th Century in China, the Chinese word t'u was often used to describe shrubs besides tea. The modern term for tea comes from early chinese dialect words such as Tchai, Cha and Tay. These words were used to pertain to both the drink and the leaf. Tea is known as Cha or Chai in India to this day. In japan, the word Cha is used to describe both tea and a hot broth.
Early Benefits of Tea.
From the earliest times tea was recognised and enjoyed because it is a healthy refreshing beverage. Made from the dried leaves of the camellia sinensis plant, tea is said to have antioxidant properties, can fight the flu virus, and boosts the immune system.
http://www.healthfromtea.com

Benefits of tea and the spiritual and health factors that add to our enjoyment of the refreshing taste.

China's Novel Investment – Making Money by Investing in Pu-erh Tea

For the better part of a decade the price of Pu-erh tea has risen each year, averaging a rough estimate of 10% annually. In China's supercharged economy, where no investment opportunity goes unnoticed the idea of investing in tea is not just a novel idea but an increasingly popular trend followed by many affluent young professionals. For the better part of a decade the price of Pu-erh tea has attracted many investors and opportunists.

In China's supercharged economy, where no investment opportunity goes unnoticed the idea of investing in tea is not just a novel idea but an increasingly popular trend followed by many affluent young professionals. While most Pu-erh tea lovers would never dream of selling their prized collections the escalating price of Pu-erh tea has attracted many investors and opportunists.
One piece of this famous teacake weighing approximately 357grams was once valued at US$1200 in 2003 but has now risen to almost US$5000 in 2006 at retail outlets in Hong Kong. A noticeable example is the price of the famous 1950s Red Label (Hong yin). Prices for certain vintages have sky rocketed, some easily multiplying by as much as 10X times within the span of a few years. The aged tea sector has produced the biggest gains of all.

For premium production consisting of wild tea leaves or leaves from old tea trees gathered from famous regions such as Yiwu this markup is progressively higher with prices jumping between 30-80% in 2006 alone.
In summary the market growth for Pu-erh tea is China, the sustainability and growth of the Pu-erh tea market will largely coincide with the future development and growth of the Pu-erh tea market will largely coincide with the future development and growth of the Pu-erh tea market will largely coincide with the future development and growth of the Pu-erh tea market will largely coincide with the future development and growth of the Pu-erh tea market will largely coincide with the future development and growth of the Pu-erh tea market will largely coincide with the future development and growth of the Chinese economy.
The knock on The pursuit of Pu-erh tea continues to increase annually, the quality has substantially dropped with outputs from both 2005 and 2006 being most disappointing. The knock on effect has been a sharp increase in the price of older vintages. The pursuit of Pu-erh tea continues to increase annually, the quality has substantially dropped with outputs from both 2005 and 2006 being most disappointing.

The knock on effect has been a sharp increase in the price of older vintages. The pursuit of Pu-erh tea continues to increase annually, the quality has substantially dropped with outputs from both 2005 and 2006 being most disappointing. The knock on effect has been a sharp increase in the price of older vintages. While the production of Pu-erh tea continues to increase annually, the quality has substantially dropped with outputs from both 2005 and 2006 being most disappointing. It is unfortunate but the precedence for increasing Pu-erh production has greatly compromised the quality of tea in recent years.

Much of the Pu-erh teas flooding the markets today are fakes and low quality teas. While the increasing demand and popularity points to a bright future, a note of caution, not all Pu-erh tea will appreciate in value.
All investments are a risk. The prices should be taken as a rough estimate only and the accuracy may vary accordingly. Note: Pricing information and opinions on market trends are based on informal discussions with tea merchants at various trading locations.
*To read more on Pu-erh investment trends click on the link
Pu-erh Tea News
or go to
www.puerhcha.com/Links/Links_Puerh_Tea_News.htm
For more information, articles and illustrations on Pu-erh tea please visit the Puerh Cha website at Varat's passion and love for Pu-erh tea frequently takes him to China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in his continuous search for rare and unique Pu-erh teas. is the founder of Puerh Cha and is a passionate collector of Pu-erh teas. Varat Phong.
www.puerhcha.com

Tea and Individuality

The most famous The distinctive rich aroma and slightly larger leaves are unique to this varietal. The most famous Oolong tea Tie Guan Yin is from the special varietal only grown in Anxi county of Fujian Province. The distinctive rich aroma and slightly larger leaves are unique to this varietal. The most famous Oolong tea Tie Guan Yin is from the special varietal only grown in Anxi county of Fujian Province.

The distinctive rich aroma and slightly larger leaves are unique to this varietal. The most famous Oolong tea Tie Guan Yin is from the special varietal only grown in Anxi county of Fujian Province. The distinctive rich aroma and slightly larger leaves are unique to this varietal. The most famous Oolong tea Tie Guan Yin is from the special varietal only grown in Anxi county of Fujian Province.

The silvery hair on the young buds is unique to this varietal. The White tea comes from a special varietal called "Big White Tea Tree" originally grown in Taimu Mountain of Fujian province in China. The elevation, climate and soil are the main factors that determine the tea varietals. Even though tea is from a single plant called camellia sinensis, there are many varietals.
In addition, different processing method produces different type of tea. The most popular classification of tea is based on the level of oxidation which produces Green , White, Yellow, Oolong, Black and Pu-er tea. Within each type of tea, there are many variations too due to the variation in varietal, oxidation and processing technique.
Combining the different tea tree varietals and processing methods, there are literally hundreds of teas for us to choose and enjoy. They all come in different color, shape and form, aroma and flavor and are all healthy. The well known ones include Tie Guan Yin (aka Iron Goddess of Mercy or aka Iron Buddha), Silver Needle, White Peony, Dragon Well and Big Red Robe among others. There are a lot more teas that are as individual and as precious as the well known ones.
Due to the individuality of each tea, the steeping method, steeping time, water temperature, water and leaf ratio vary accordingly in order to get the best health benefits and enjoyment out of the brew.
This teaches us about individuality and how we should take great care of it.
As human beings, we share a lot of commonalities such as intelligence, feeling. We all have similar physical, social and spiritual needs. At the same time, each and every one of us is different in our color, culture, upbringing and ideology. Recognition and respect for individuality is fundamental for healthy human relations. This applies to relationship of all kinds such as state to state, parent to children, friends, neighbors and co-workers.
When we forget or ignore individuality, we become unforgiving, impatient, arrogant and ignorant. When we are aware of other people's individuality, we tend to be kinder, more patient and more tolerating.
Their individuality should be recognized and respected with great care. They have different temper, different interest and different need. I also learned a hard lesson that a parent should not apply the same approach and standard to all children. It is amazing that they are so different in many aspects the minute they come into the world.

As a father of two boys, I have come to know the big difference in my sons and the need for individualized care.
The same goes with individuality within a team, an organization, a community and a society.
Individuality is what makes the world so diverse, colorful and beautiful. Let's cherish, celebrate and enjoy the individuality of tea, of nature and of people.
Jay is a tea lover and the owner of
Taimu Tea
- a premium Chinese tea store that focuses on tea knowledge, news and education in addition to providing quality fresh teas from Taimu Mountain and its surrounding areas in Fujian province of China.

http://www.taimutea.com
tea@taimutea.com

Tea Grades-Kinds-Varieties: Start Learning All About Tea!

TEA PLANTATION IS A LOVELY PLACE TO VISIT!
TEA PLANTATION
is a nice place to visit. Look at the bounty of nature. Have a view of the estates from a few hundred meters above in the sky. Wonder at the natural landscape being manipulated by man for his convenience.
The smooth undulating hill is seemed to be covered with green woolen blanket just to protect itself from the cold weather. See also a few trees other than the shade giving silver oaks, looking beautiful with their own canopy.
You can see the clouds spreading above the tea gardens and a few small waterfalls turning into streams. They fall down and run here and there in between the blocks of the estates and go down to mix with the river far off in the plains.
SILVER SHINE OF TEA FACTORY!
Look at the tea factories located on the hill tops; their metallic tops are shining in the sunlight; they leave smoke in the sky demonstrating that they are active in the production of raw teas.
They are grown to a short height of about 4 feet for all the operational convenience of man. The tea plants are not really short bushes, but tall growing trees kept pruned. When you admire with the birds eye view of the plantation, come down and drive in a jeep and see the estates at a closer look.
BONSAI CULTURE!
You are right. It is a large scale "bonsai culture" of hundreds and hundreds of tea trees grown to a short height, not in earthen pots, but in Mother Nature's lap. The aim is not to exhibit the art of bonsai, but to exploit the nature to the advantage of man with the help of science.
TEA PLUCKING AND PROCESSING!
The tea plucking is a beautiful operation. Just walk and see the plants opening their ‘two leaves and buds' every where in the terminal shoots. They appear in all the pruned shoots, say in hundreds in a bush of tea.They readily allow the women harvester to pluck and put them in tea leaf baskets. Baskets of tea leaves are emptied into small trucks and sent to the factory for processing.
You can see the tea leaves being processed inside the tea factory. To explain in a simple way, the leaves are withered, fermented, roasted, graded through sieves into different sizes and packed in separate bulks in chests and gunny bags in convenient sizes. There may be about seven or eight grades of tea from each factory.
OLD AND NEW!
However, the raw materials are the very same "two leaves and buds". The processing methods are different and so also the resultant teas. The good old method of processing is adopted in some orthodox factories, while ultra modern method of CTC processing is done in most of the factories. There is also difference in making of the teas also.
LOOSE TEA IS BULK TEA!
The teas are now made available in the form of bulk teas. In other words, they are graded and kept in loose form in bulk quantities ready to be shifted to godowns of auctioneers for selling to big traders.
Now, let us see the loose teas in different grades or sizes. Now, the teas are in the custody of auctioneers and tea brokers. You may ask for those samples of teas. Get a shock, here. What a surprise? They give you samples of teas of different kinds and grades and also from hundreds and hundreds of plantations, estates or factories. To a new entrepreneur, really it is a shock and starting of a state of confusion!
TEA
IS NOT A SINGLE OR SIMPLE PRODUCT!
You thought that the packed tea is simply a single direct product; not so; all are not alike; when you make it as a tea drink, it differs every time; taste it sip by sip; feel the difference!
Only when you see the auction catalogues and samples, you will get astonished to see that there are hundreds and hundreds of varieties and kinds; again that all are not the same; they differ in their characters too.
Alright, there is something to know and something to do!
It is wonderful!
Now, you agree that there is a need to understand all kinds of teas,
in respect of their prime characters called, color, taste, flavor and strength.
WE WILL MOVE TO THE NEXT.
Please Note:
This information web site/blog will grow steadily.
However, you know 'time is money and the fittest only survives'!
As a research scholar, grower, planter, trader, retailer or a part of this prestigious tea industry, please contact the author to get more information at a faster way.
CONTACT: teablendspnk@yahoo.co.in or pnkguru@yahoo.com
RESOURCE:
From business and intensive research experience of the author.