WANG 1 Chinese Tea Culture Case Study
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WANG 1 Chinese Tea Culture Case Study
WANG 1
Yuanxin Wang
Eng107
11.20.2019
Chinese Tea Culture
Various sources in the website support Chinese tea culture and history. These sources all emphasize on the history and culture of the chines tea. How it originated and how it has impacted and influence the culture of the Chinese people. Through these sources, the information about Chinese tea culture is well discussed and explained in detail. These website sources, where I based my research, highlights the following vital information about the tea culture in Chinese that supported me to work on this task efficiently. www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-tea/. According to this website, tea plays a crucial role in Chinese culture. It provides vital information about the tea culture in chines. For instance, this site includes information about how tea has played essential roles in the development of the Chinese economy and the protection of Chinese traditions. It also put forward how tea culture in Chinese how it has promoted history and civilization. It also emphasizes how tea is considered and taken as the beverage that curbs thirsty.
Furthermore, other researchers like Li Xiusong further discusses the crucial aspects of the Chinese tea culture. For instance, he emphasizes majorly on the tea benefits in Chinese. He also points out how tea is widely used as a beverage globally. To another author, pokosh and Nancy also echo more on the tea culture in Chinese. They highlight the cultural and social significance of tea from the Chinese perspective. The author also highlights the tye process of tea cultivation to the harvest point. Finally, the definitive source would be based on Zhao-Di Yang, whose primary emphasis is the connection between China and America brought by the tea culture. Therefore the following sources highlighted above are the main center and reliance on my information about the Chinese tea culture. This is discussed below in details as follows;
“Chinese Tea, Discover Chinese Tea Culture and History.” China Highlights, 21 Jan. 2018, www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-tea/
According to this site, tea has played essential roles in the culture of Chinese. This source highlights information about how the tea culture has impacted positively on the economy of china and its tradition. China is the homeland of tea and was amongst the first countries to cultivate tea. In China, tea porcelain and silk are used for export. Tea is the primary foreign earner for the Chinese economy. This has contributed much to the development of the economy of Chinese brought by the tea culture. Because tea is essential in China, A lot of tea houses have been made in business districts and in most Chinese neighborhoods, which has dramatically enhanced the Chinese economy. Chinese tea culture has facilitated the preservation of Chinese traditions. For instance, in China, family members gather on Sundays to drink tea together as a vital tradition, which ensures that the family members remain connected. Incase one family member has wronged the other, there is no need for enmity for the offender can serve a cup of tea tp the offended as a sign of apology on the offense committed. This tradition shows how vital tea is in a Chinese family.
Still, on the tradition perspectives, tea is essential in Chinese weddings, for it is given as tokens of thanksgiving or as a gift. In a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony, the groom and the bride both kneel before their parents and serve tea to them. This the primary way through which gratitude is expressed to this parents for bringing the couple up. Furthermore, the older generations are served a cup of tea by the young age as a way of showing them respect. Tea is also taken as a beverage and is accompanied by various practices such as tea art, tea loere, and testing tea. These practices are much-exhibited bt the Chinese people. This website also examines the rules that govern tea taking. Etiquette is essential while serving ea in china and has a very long history. Chines people love serving tea guests. When serving tea, the Chinese people introduce the characteristics and show the guests the tea, and in return, smell the tea in turns. Then the tea pot is warmed by filling boiled water in it and pouring it out. The tea is then poured into the container using a teaspoon and not the hands. The guests are then invited to drink, and the host is expected to hold the tea with two hands while serving the tea to the guest as a sign of respect.
In addition, the teacup should be placed on the right hand of the visitor. Before the guest finishes taking tea, they are expected to appreciate the drink and avoid making a bog mouthful sip of the tea. Lastly, the crossing of the legs should be avoided when drinking the tea, whether you are the guest or the host. When serving the tea I a cup, you should not put a lot of tea on it. It should about three-quarters of the container. The water should be of moderate temperature to avoid burning the tongue of the guest. The color of the tea should be the same or almost the same for all the guests. When serving the tea, you should smile as well. The Mongolian people’s etiquette for serving tea is primarily known as serving milky tea. Types of drinks vary from one community to the other and include the Kong fu tea, yuan bao tea, and Qi Jia tea.
Li Xiong. “Chinese Tea Culture.” Journal of Popular Culture, vol. 27, no. 2, Fall 1993, pp. 75–89.
This is another source that provides vital information about Chinese tea culture. This is discussed as follows; according to the author of this journal says that tea has many drinkers, including people of different nationalities and regions who have different cultures apart from taking tea. For instance, tea in Europe was introduced by the Dutch, who referred to it as a magic leaf, making the beginning of the use of tea in Europe. In France, the use of tea started in 1936, and in 1938 Russia began taking tea. Britain, a nation very famous for the purpose of tea, started taking tea in 1650. The author also points the tea preparation procedures. The process is straightforward; for example, it entails boiling water, adding tea leaves and sugar if necessary, or other material to make it complete. This ingredients are very cheap and readily available. Tea is also beneficial to the health of Chinese, as pointed out in this journal. It promotes digestion and helps in the relaxation of the mind. Apart from this, health benefits tea is also beneficial in maintaining the beauty and skin of the Chinese ladies.
Tea was used as food and was taken as a medical herb in china. Due to the love of tea, different researchers were done, which helped people to stop harvesting tea from the wild, and they began cultivating tea plants. Processing techniques were also improved, and different methods were used in the production of different types of tea. Tea became an export commodity for china alongside other products. The tea culture also permitted into the cultural aspects of the Chinese. It is associated with the Chinese culture for not less than five thousand years, and it is used in various religious practices. The tea culture has been a vital social factor in china and is an essential aspect of their tradition.
Prokosh, Nancy. “Tea and Chinese Culture.” Harvard Asia Pacific Review, vol. 7, no. 2, Winter 2005, pp. 12–13.
This article focuses on the cultural and social importance of Chinese tea culture. Tea brought people together; for instance, it became a significant activity to go to restaurants to drink tea during family gatherings. Also, a cup of tea was always available for any social group, especially during g the celebration of the festivals. In China, there are Chinese tea houses where the elderly meet with the young generations to have a cup of tea and char together and catch up with each other. For apologies purposes to parents, children serve a cup of tea to them as a sign of submission and regret. In these tea houses, family and friends spent time together interacting and bonding with one another. Tea is used as a refreshment in china and is also used as a medicine. Prakash, in this article too, appreciates the fact that china value tea very much in the maintenance of duty in women. It is also clear that from the material that the process of making tea varies from one culture to the other, for instance, in Mongolia, they prefer making tea with milk while others prefer different types of tea like black tea or green tea.
In this article, the process of cultivation of tea to the harvest point is also discussed. The following steps are observed in tea processing; growing. During growing, certain conditions are observed, for they affect the flavor of the tea. The growing environment of the ea is observed, for it influences the tea flavor significantly. Farmers change the growing conditions of the tae so as to control the chemical composition of tea and thus affect its taste. For instance, rocky soils and elevated grounds are used when planting tea so as to temper with the character of the product. As the tea grows, it is a shade with constructed awnings so as to enhance the production of theanine and chlorophyll. After the tea has fully developed, it is ready for picking by the use of bare hands so as to preserve its natural sweetness. Withering. After the leaves have been harvested, the leaves are softened. These leaves are left to wit on fabrics, and this reduces half of the water in the leaves. Bruising. In this process, the leaves are crushed using traditional crushing processes. the dark teas and the ones with the high amount of oxidation undergo oxidation and bruising more times. Oxidizing. After the bruising process, the leaves are left to oxidize and turn brown and then are lead out again and left to wither. This process requires a lot of keenness for a lack of timing might destroy the tea. Some types of pf tea do not go through this process, such as green tea, so as to remain green. Fixing. In this process, the tea leaves are heated so as to stop the oxidation process and stop the browning process. Black tea does not go through this process so that it can continue to oxidize so as it turns black. Drying. This is the last process. When the tea is laid down and dried so as to drive away any moisture. After the drying process is complete, the tea is then ready for consumption.
Zhao-Di Yang. “Tea Culture and Sino-American Tea Connections.” Chinese American Forum, vol. 23, no. 2, Oct. 2007, pp. 8–14
This articles examine and explain the origin of Chinese tea. According to this article, it says that tea originated from the southwest of China. There are traces in tea plants in Yunnan that are more than a thousand years old. It also communicates that the founder who found the impact of tea was Sheng Nong. He tested different kinds of plants so as to find out which one was fit for the food or for medicinal use. One day when sheng Nong was boiling water in a pot, a few leaves fell into the bowl and made the water very testy and sweet as well as refreshing. Zhao-Di yang says that tea clears the mind and refreshes the body, unlike initially used as medicinal purposes. In the wet period, tea became very famous to the nobles. By the time of the kingdom, tea had spread t many areas in China and was recommended to restrain competition of misuse of resources by the nobles since it was cheaper than wine. Taoism and Buddhism all played a significant role in the spreading of this leaf. The Taoists believed that tea maintained the beauty of people by making them look more youthful. Tea then became a popular commodity of trade and foreign exchange between china and japan. For secure transportation to reach the market on time before they get wrong, tea leaves were converted into bricks form that could easily facilitate and enable the braking of convenient pieces that could generate the preparation of tea quickly. Tea in China was not only consumed as food or medicine, but also tea started to impact the spiritual view carrying special cultural meanings. Tea then also spread from china to other parts of the world, like Europe and America. This has led to the formation of connections between China and America as they export the tea products to America na din return import products from America too. This has enhanced the better trade relationship between this two nations. In conclusion, Chinese tea culture has been supported by various sources, most of them focusing on the culture; that is how tea has influenced the culture of Chinese people. Through these sources, the origin and history and spread of Chinese tea are well discussed and explained in detail. The roles and significance that tea culture has resulted in china have also been recognized.
Reference
“Chinese Tea, Discover Chinese Tea Culture and History.” China Highlights, 21 Jan. 2018, www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-tea/.
Li Xiong. “Chinese Tea Culture.” Journal of Popular Culture, vol. 27, no. 2, Fall 1993, pp. 75–89.
Prokosh, Nancy. “Tea and Chinese Culture.” Harvard Asia Pacific Review, vol. 7, no. 2, Winter 2005, pp. 12–13.
Zhao-Di Yang. “Tea Culture and Sino-American Tea Connections.” Chinese American Forum, vol. 23, no. 2, Oct. 2007, pp. 8–14.