Exploring Chinese Tea Types and Traditions

There are several different kinds of tea produced in China from the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant. While these teas are all made from the same plant, they have significantly different characteristics depending on how they are processed. We’ll cover some common types of Chinese tea, how they’re made, and the history behind tea in China.

The history of tea in China

Tea has a rich history in China stretching back centuries. While both myth and archeological research indicate that tea may have been consumed in China as far back as three thousand years ago, its status as a popular staple for both elites and common people arose over the course of hundreds of years. By the seventh century Tang dynasty, however, tea had become an integral part of Chinese life, and specialized cultivation methods, ceremonial preparations, and cultural significance had developed around tea.

Today, China is still one of the largest producers of tea in the world, producing black tea, green tea, white tea, oolong tea, pu-erh tea, and more.

The Chinese tea ceremony

Kong Fu Cha is a tea ceremony practiced in China and in other Asian countries, and is designed to maximize the flavor and aesthetic experience of drinking a cup of tea over multiple infusions. Kong Fu Cha is translated as “making tea with great skill” – a practice that allows you to focus on the simple process of preparing tea and elevate it to an art.

To brew tea using the Kong Fu Cha method, you’ll need a small-sized teapot. These pots may be made out of yixing clay, which develops a patina over time, or they may be made out of porcelain or ceramic. They often come with two or more small cups to pour your tea into. Depending on the size of your pot and the size of your tea leaves, you should use somewhere between half a teaspoon and two teaspoons of tea leaves. Heat your water and infuse your tea leaves for only a few seconds, then pour your tea into the small cups. Repeat this process, infusing the tea leaves for 10-15 seconds at a time before pouring the tea.

By preparing tea using this method, you can get multiple infusions from your tea. Kong Fu Cha is a meditative process that allows you to savor the subtle differences in each successive infusion of tea.