chinese green tea with two cups and teapotThe drinking of Chinese green tea goes a long way back in time. China is the country from which tea originated more than four thousands years ago. Historically, tea had always received the patronage of the Chinese emperors but it was such a prized commodity that it was enjoyed only in the royal households and often used as tributes. Today, tea is easily available in China and it has become such a way of life for the Chinese people that we find them practically drinking tea everyday.

In reading the literature on China green teas, you will find that it is so interwoven with Chinese culture, mythology and folklore. The mythological Chinese dragon (sometimes depicted with a pearl) has always been featured prominently in Chinese culture and legends. And so, you will come across names such as Dragonwell and Dragon Pearls (Jasmine Pearls), for example, befittingly chosen for two of China’s most famous green teas. One legend commonly told was how tea was discovered quite fortuitously by Emperor Shen Nong when leaves of the tea plant fell into his pot of boiling water. If you are interested, you can always search on line and discover even more legends – and more fanciful ones at that – which seem to add to the romance of China green teas. The main purpose of this article is to give an overview of Chinese green teas with a historical backdrop.

Types and variations of Chinese green tea

Although all teas derive from the same Camellia Sinensis tea plant, there are diverse types or variations of Chinese green tea. You will find that some of the variations are indigenous to the locality or region in which they are grown, from different strains of the tea plant. The uniqueness of soil, weather, altitude and the special care paid to the farming and processing make all the difference. Indeed, you may also discover that some of the teas take on the ‘flavor’ of that locality. For example, the Huangshan Mao feng green tea partakes of the flavor of wild flowers and fruits of the Huangshan Mountain.

There are many variations of Chinese green teas which are not even exported out of China. This is especially true when in many villages in China, many of the households have their own tea gardens producing tea probably for their own personal consumption. Nevertheless, today we still get to enjoy several different types of Chinese green teas harvested and processed using methods that had been passed down from generation to generation since ancient times. Imagine drinking an ancient Chinese green tea such as the Lu An Gua Pian which can be traced back beyond a thousand years to the Tang Dynasty.

The flavor of chinese green tea

Chinese green tea is a most delicate tea. Mostly, they are quite mild, giving off a refreshing sweetness which sometimes hints at a subtle floral flavor. At other times, you will get a smokey flavor which comes from the roasting of the tea leaves. As compared to Japanese green tea, you will find that the China greens taste much less grassy and astringent, and the brew is often of a lighter color.

Overall, you will find Chinese green teas most satisfying and yet intriguingly complex. Of course, green teas come in different grades, and the higher the quality, the more infusions you will be able to get out of the tea. For certain types of high quality Chinese green tea, it is not uncommon to get as much as five or even more infusions.

The Human Factor in Chinese green tea

One thing that stands out in Chinese green teas, more so than those produced in any other country, is the human factor involved in the processing of the leaves. In other countries where much of the processing is done by machinery, for the high quality green teas in China, you will find that they are still done by hand, just like several centuries ago. It is only through the human hands that loving care can really be imparted to these delicate Chinese tea leaves.

Right after the picking, from the firing in the wok, rolling of the leaves to sorting them out for their packaging, you will find that human hands are directly at work. In the youtube video below where you can see how a Chinese tea processing master goes about drying the leaves in the wok – using his bare hands, he tosses the leaves, spreading them out and moving them from side to side. But only the master will be able to fully understand the skill and care that goes into the process.

When it comes to rolling the leaves, the master is again at his mettle. With the dexterity and speed of a skilled craftsman, the leaves are rolled into various beautiful shapes. Some are curled and twisted and others are sharply pointed. Yet some others are rounded. The purpose of rolling the tea leaves into shapes is not only for its aesthetic appeal but also to preserve the flavor till it is infused in the cup.

And the Chinese have aptly named their teas by the resemblance to the shapes into which they were rolled. Just to name a few examples. The Chun Mee (Precious Eyebrow) was so named because it was twisted to look like an eyebrow. Gunpowder green tea for its small greyish green round pellet. Yet another example is the spiralled shaped Bi Luo Chun (green snail spring) because it resembles a snail. An exquisite piece of art comes in the form of the Lu Mu Dan (Green Peony Tea) which was made by joining the leaves to look like a peony flower. This is the artistic craftsmanship of Chinese tea rolling at its best.

It is hoped that this overview has given you some introductory information on the green teas of China. You can read up more on some of the most famous Chinese green teas provided in this category. Indeed, there are so many types of Chinese green tea, many a tea connoisseur wonders whether he will get to savor all of them in his lifetime.

Filed under: Chinese Green Tea

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