Introduction of Chinese Tea - 中国茶叶的介绍

Introduction of Chinese Tea - 中国茶叶的介绍
　The Origin 中国茶叶来源
　　It is said that tea shrubs were first discovered in the tropical and sub-tropical climate zone in the southwestern part of China, where primeval forests prevailed and the warm and moist setting was favorable for the growth of tea shrubs. Wild tea trees of 2,700 years old and planted tea trees of 800 years old can still be found in the area.
　　Shen Nong Shi(神农氏), the God of Agriculture, was believed to be the first to discover tea. In his “Book of Herbs”, it says that “Shen Nong shi personally tasted hundreds of species of herbs and he was hit by 72 poisons in a single day. But he used a kind of tree leaves to ease his case and it turned out to be tea tree."
　　
　　Evolution(进化)
　　Chinese tea was primarily used as a medicine before the 8th century B.C..
　　During the Spring and Autumn Period(春秋时期), Chinese people chewed tea leaves and
　　enjoyed the taste of the juice itself.
　　In the next stage, Chinese tea was cooked like a soup. Tea leaves were eaten along with the soup. Tea leaves were even mixed with food. Ancient Chinese books documented that tea was eaten and used with other spices to cook.
　　During the Qin(秦代) and Han(汉代) dynasties (221 BC - 8 AD), simple processing of Chinese tea emerged. Tea leaves were pressed into balls, dried and stored. When served, tea balls were crushed and mixed with green onion, ginger and then boiled in teapots. This is the point where Chinese tea turned from a medicine into a beverage. Also, it marked the beginning of Chinese tea being used to treat guests.
　　
　　Chinese tea evolved from a palace treat to a common beverage during the Jin Dynasty(晋代).
　　
　　Tea trading did not start until the Tang Dynasty(唐代) (618 AD - 907 AD) when techniques in tea plantation and processing advanced at great speed, resulting in a lot of famous teas.
　　
　　In the Tang Era, Chinese tea was processed and distributed in the form of tea cakes. People started to get serious about making tea. Specialized tea tools were used and tea books were published - including the most famous "Literature of Tea" by Lu Yue. The art of Chinese tea started to take shape.
　　
　　"Tea became popular in Tang and prospered in Song (960 - 1276)". At the beginning of the Song Dynasty, Chinese tea was kept in the shape of balls and cakes. When served, tea was crushed and boiled with seasoning material. But as tea drinkers became more particular, they paid more attention to the original shape, color, and taste of tea leaves. Seasoning material faded out and loose leaf tea started to take the center stage.
　　
　　From the Ming Dynasty (明代)(1368 - 1644) onward, loose tea leaves completely took over. In 1531-1595, Chinese tea completed the process of moving from boiling to brewing. Specialty tea tools like Yixing teapots(宜兴紫砂) became popular.
　　
　　After Ming, numerous types of Chinese teas were introduced. The famous Kungfu Tea(功夫茶) was one of the landmarks in the development of Chinese tea brewing.
中国茶叶由来
  有人说，灌木茶首次在热带和亚热带的中国，西南部属热带气候区，发现在原始森林占了上风，温暖和潮湿的环境是为茶叶灌木生长有利。 2700岁的野生茶树和800岁的茶树种植仍然可以发现在该地区。
  神农氏被认为是第一个发现中国茶叶。在他的“草药书”，它说，“神农石亲自尝到了数百种草药，他一天内中了72毒药。但他使用了一种树的叶子，以减轻他的中毒症状，这种树就是茶树。“

进化
中国茶叶主要用作在公元前8世纪药。
在春秋时期，人民咀嚼茶叶
最欣赏的是茶叶汁液本身的味道。

在下一阶段，中国茶是像汤煮熟。茶叶是一起吃汤。茶叶甚至混合食物。古代书籍记载，茶吃，并与其他香料用来做饭。
出现在秦汉（公元前221年 - 公元8），对中国茶叶简单处理。茶叶被压成球干燥和存储。当服务，茶球被粉碎，葱，姜混合，然后在壶开水。这是中国茶从药物转变为饮料点。此外，它标志着中国茶叶开始被用于治疗客人。

  到了晋代中国茶已经是宫廷盛行的饮料。

 茶叶贸易开始于唐代（公元618 - 907年）时，在茶叶种植和加工技术的先进的速度，在一个引起很多著名的茶。
   在唐代，中国茶叶加工和茶饼的形式分发。人们开始获得关于泡茶严重。茶叶工具，专门用于和茶书出版了 - 包括最有名的“陆羽的茶经”。在中国茶艺术开始形成。
“茶在唐代开始流行，并在宋（公元960 - 繁荣1276）”。在宋代开始，中国茶留在球和蛋糕形状。当服务，茶被粉碎材料与调味料煮。不过，喝茶变得更具体，他们更注重对原来的形状，颜色和口味的茶叶。调味物质消失了，散叶茶开始采取了中心舞台。
  从明代（1368 - 1644）起，宽松的茶叶完全接管。在1531年至1595年，中国茶完成了从沸点到酿造的进程。喜欢紫砂茶壶，特种茶的工具开始流行。
明朝以后后，对中国茶叶介绍了多种类型。著名功夫茶是在中文泡茶发展的一个里程碑。
 

Tea culture(茶文化)
　　Just as coffee became a part of daily life in the West, tea became a part of daily life in China. One can see teahouses scattered on the streets of China, much like cafes on the streets of the West. The Chinese have such a close relationship with tea that a new culture relating to tea began to rise in China. Tea Culture includes articles, poems, pictures about tea, the art of making and drinking tea, and some customs about tea.
　
　　Among the customs, a host will only fill a teacup to seven-tenths of its capacity. It is said that the other three-tenths will be filled with friendship and affection. Moreover, the teacup should be emptied in three gulps.

　　Tea plays an important role in Chinese social life. Tea is always offered to a guest immediately upon entering a Chinese home. Serving a cup of tea is more than a matter of mere politeness. It is a symbol of togetherness, a sharing of something enjoyable, and a way of showing respect to visitors. In some areas of China, it might be considered rude not to take at least a sip.
　　
　　We normally think of tea drinking as an invitation to stay and socialize. In earlier times, however, the drinking of tea could signal close social encounter. This was particularly true when one visited one‘s superior. When the guest reached the host‘s home, the host would offer his guest a cup of tea. They would then talk. When the host wanted his guest to leave, he would signal this by holding his own cup of tea and drinking it. The guest would then know that the host wanted him to leave and would ask to leave.
　　
　　Although there has been an increasing amount of literature about tea in recent years, such literature is certainly not new. During the Song Dynasty(宋代), Lu Yu(陆羽), who is known as the "Tea Sage(茶圣)", wrote the Tea Scripture. This scripture describes in detail the processes of planting tea bushes, picking tea leaves and preparing leaves for brewing. Famous poets such as Li Bai(李白), Du Fu(杜甫), and Bai Juyi(白居易) created large numbers of poems about tea. Famous painters Tang Bohu(唐伯虎) and Wen Zhengming(文徵明) even drew many pictures about tea.
　　
　　The Chinese pay great attention to their tea and the way they drink it. People have high requirements for the quality of the prepared tea leaf, the water they use to brew tea and the wares they use to prepare and serve tea. Normally, the finest tea is grown at altitudes of 3,000 to 7,000 feet (900 to 2,100 meters). People select their water carefully. The Chinese emphasize water quality and water taste. Fine water must be pure, sweet, cool, clean, and flowing. Water from good springs is always considered the best, as is rainwater from autumn and the rainy seasons.
　　
　　Chinese prefer pottery wares to wares made of metal or other materials. The best choice is the purple clay wares made in Yixing(宜兴) and Jingdezhen(景德镇). The purple clay gives the ware their internationally-known purple color.
　　
　　The art of drinking and serving tea plays a major cultural role in China. It inspires poetry and songs. Mutual love of tea cements lifelong friendship. For centuries, the ritual of preparing and serving tea has had a special place in the hearts and minds of Chinese aristocracy, court officials, intellectuals and poets.
　　
　　The Chinese tea ceremony emphasizes the tea, rather than the ceremony per se -- what the tea tastes like, smells like, and how one tea tastes compared to the previous tea, or in successive rounds of drinking. Ceremony doesn‘t mean that each server will perform the ritual the same way; it is not related to religion. Each step is meant to be a sensory exploration and appreciation.
　　
　　This style of tea-drinking uses small cups to match the small, unglazed clay teapots; each cup is just large enough to hold about two small mouthfuls of tea. These tiny cups are particularly popular in Fujian(福建习惯用小杯). People in Shanghai and Beijing use large cups.

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