Category Archives: Tea History

Yunnan Province, China – Birthplace of Tea

Yunnan Province China is considered the birthplace of tea.

Yunnan Province China and the broader Asian neighborhood.

Yunnan Province is the most southwestern province of China and is considered to be the birthplace of tea. It is a large province, at approximately 152,000 square miles, making it slightly bigger than the state of Montana. There are approximately 46.7 million people living there as of the 2011 census. That is 9 million more people than the most populated US state of California.

Terroir of Yunnan Province

Yunnan is situated on the eastern side of the Himalayan Mountains, far enough south that the Tropic of Cancer crosses through the provenience. The average elevation in the province is 9,200 feet with the tallest peak being just over 22,000 feet. This provides just the right amount of elevation and warmth to produce a truly flavorful tea. Yunnan Province is also home to six major rivers that feed water from the Himalayan Mountains into the South China Sea and into eastern China.

The oldest tea trees in China, some of them older than 1,000 years, grow along a trail outside of Mangjing Village, in the southwestern part of the provenience. It is outside of the city of Lincang, which is home to the Tea Culture Garden. It is also along the Tea Horse Road which leads south to the city of Puerh.

People of Yunnan Province

Men working on the Tea Horse Road carrying large bundles of tea.

Tea Porters Along the Tea Horse Road, by Ernest H Wilson, CC BY 2.0

The population of Yunnan Province is very diverse with a wide range of traditions and ethnic minorities. This is a reflection of the location of Yunnan as the cross road to other countries of Vietnam, Tibet, Burma, and Nepal. One minority, the Blang, have a holy shrine near the ancient tea trees. Every four years, the Blang sacrifice an ox to the Spirit of Tea. Interestingly, the Chinese government, which tried in the early part of the Communist rule to eliminate minority religions, and still only sanctions five religions which does not include the Blang, actually highlight the Blang and their beliefs in their tourist materials. Most of the tea farmers near Mangjing are Blang and work to maintain the ancient tea tree forests even though they do not produce anywhere near the same amount of tea as a modern plantation. However, the annual harvest from these forest usually fetch top dollar in the local markets and never make it overseas to America.

Tea of Yunnan Province

The birthplace of tea is best known for Puerh. Being home to the Tea Horse Road, Puerh was created in Yunnan and continues to be one of its best quality products. Yunnan also produces fabulous black teas that are both fruity and brisk at the same time, like Yunnan Sunrise. So the next time you are looking for a black tea or Puerh, look for a product from Yunnan Province and enjoy centuries of tradition with every sip.

Keemun Black Tea: A Favorite of Anhui Province

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We recently highlighted the discovery of a hundred year old box of Qimen black tea in Anhui China. The story of this century old tea, though short, featured a beautiful wooden box that was typical at the time for shipping finished teas around the world. Though few producers actually ship in this type of wooden box any longer it was a handy excuse to focus a post on this wonderful tea from Anhui Province, China. Qimen or Keemun black tea, which incidentally forms the base for our Colonial Breakfast, tea has been produced in China for hundreds of years and like so many others has a history of it own.

Keemun Black Tea won gold at the Panama Pacific International Exposition (Public Domain)

Keemun Black Tea

Black tea has been produced in the region of Qimun County in Anhui, China and the area around it for about 200 years. The name Keemun, as we know it today, is an Anglicized version of the name. Black tea from this region is known for having a very unique aroma and taste. The aroma is often described as having hints of honey while the taste is often said to be sweet and mellow. It can take milk and sugar though is often consumed straight. The tea was common in the United States dating back to the colonies and has been part of some blends of English Breakfast Tea over the years.

Keemun black tea has been awarded international recognition many times as a gourmet tea product. In 1915, at the Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, which had 30 tea companies from Anhui Province, Keemun Black Tea was awarded a Gold Medal. Much more recently, in 1987 it received a gold medal for food quality in Brussels. Over the years there have been many other awards as well and it has been the gift of choice for visiting dignitaries.

Qimun Region Tea Production

Keemun Black Tea is the base for our Colonial Breakfast Tea

Keemun Black Tea is the base of our Colonial Breakfast Tea

The Qimun region dates back to the Tang Dynasty in 766 C.E. and is about at the same latitude as Northern India, falling due West of Shanghai and North Northwest of Taiwan. Although inland a bit, the region isn’t far from the East China sea. It lies in the general vicinity of the famous Yellow Mountains and the Yangtze River. It is a mountainous region at about 2000 ft above sea level with large temperature swings between day and night and often has very high humidity. Tea is a major industry in this part of China with hundreds of thousands of farmers producing tea on tens of thousands of hectares of land.

Not all of the tea produced in the area is black, of course, with green tea featuring prominently. Most tea produced in the region is for domestic consumption and the majority of Chinese drink green tea regularly. Indeed, black tea production has been on the decline in this part of China according to the Qimun County Government for a number of years. Reasons for the decline include international competition by Indian black tea, Ceylon black tea, and others. The competition from international black teas and continued low consumption of black tea in China has contributed greatly to the black vs green tea production decisions.

Steeped in history, Keemun Black Tea continues to be a wonderful example of Chinese black tea. Despite production falling off from the height of its demand, this tea continues to delight consumers around the world, even if not consumed so much in China itself.

Sources

Qimun [Keemun] County Government, The Rise and Fall Keemun Bicentennial (translated), January 4, 2010, http://www.ahqimen.gov.cn/DocHtml/1/2010/1/4/2197202312203.html

CPC Huangshan Committee, the People’s Government of Huangshan, Tea Industry, http://www.huangshan.gov.cn/en/NewsList.aspx?cid=10680&tid=10690

Official Catalogue of Exhibitors, Panama-Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco, California, 1915, pg 80, Digitized at: https://books.google.com/books?id=c-VFAQAAMAAJ

Cultural China, Food Culture, Keemun Black Tea, http://www.cultural-china.com/Kaleidoscope/en/131Kaleidoscope294.html

Tea with Milk and Sugar

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Tea has been consumed with milk and sugar for centuries, so why did we get in the habit of doing this? In trying to find and answer to this question, I turned to the British as they are well known for adding milk and sugar to tea.

Economics of Tea with Milk

Rail car for hauling milk with "Express Dairy - Milk for London" written on it.

Milk Wagon, By David Merrett from Daventry, England (6 Wheeled Milk Wagon) [CC BY 2.0]

Tea was extremely expensive in Britain when it was first introduced to the public in the mid-1600’s and remained that way for more than a century. In 1785 the duty on tea was slashed by the government because local tea merchants saw profits drop as people purchased tea on the black market. From its first days of import, the British government had a very high tax on tea that made it too expensive for most of the country. At first the tax was levied on the beverage itself, the coffee house would make it in the morning, pay the tax collector and then sell it throughout the day. So the customer buying the tea in the afternoon was getting a beverage that was brewed that morning and then reheated. Tea oxidizes once brewed, so that afternoon cup was dark and bitter. Thus began the use of sugar in the tea.

Loose leaf tea was also available to purchase at the time, but again, was taxed heavily so the buyers were only the wealthy. Wealthy women enjoyed tea at home, as it was not considered appropriate for a woman to spend time in the local coffee house. This paved the way for the afternoon tea party and high demand for fine porcelain cups. Porcelain originally came from China, hence why Europeans and Americans refer to porcelain plates and cups as fine china. The first porcelain cups produced in England where made in 1742 after the British got hold of the instructions on how to make porcelain that were written by a French Jesuit Father Francois Zavier d’Entrecolles about the techniques he saw porcelain producers using in China use to craft their wares. Those letters made their way all over Europe and allowed for the creation of porcelain locally, dropping the price of tea cups and fine dishes down to a range that was affordable by more than just the aristocracy. Interestingly, there was a time when it was believed that milk was added to the tea cup to protect it from the boiling tea water because the cups had a nasty habit of cracking if boiling water was poured directly on the cup. (A true porcelain cup would never crack when boiling water was put it in). It is quite possible that a cracking tea cup was a problem at the time. Porcelain made locally was a soft paste porcelain, meaning it was fired at a lower temperature than the Chinese porcelain. If it was made to look as thin as the Chinese porcelain, which would have been what was demanded at the time, boiling water would have cracked the tea cup. It took the British some time before they perfected true porcelain in the late 1700’s, and even then those who perfected it kept it a secret as they had the advantage of matching the Chinese in quality allowing them higher prices in the market. So milk protected the low quality porcelain tea cup.

Fine China (Porcelain) of the Qing Dynasty

Qing export porcelain with European Christian scene 1725 1735 by World Imaging CC BY-SA 3.0

There is a second story to the introduction of milk to tea. A Dutch merchant by the name of Jean Nieuhoff wrote of his dinner with the Chinese Emperor, as part of a Dutch delegation in 1655, where he was served tea with milk. Given that this would have been the time of the Qing Dynasty, which came from northern China, this is not a surprise. Northern Chinese, at the time, herded goats and where frequent consumers of yogurt, cheese and milk from these animals. Unlike most of the Chinese,who did not consume dairy products, the Emperor would have been raised on goat’s milk. So this presentation, while not commonly seen in China at the time, would have been common place for the Emperor. The writings of Mr. Nieuhoff made their way through the Netherlands, France and England exposing more people to the idea of drinking tea with milk. This would have presented a fabulous idea on how to stretch your tea longer and hide counterfeit tea (a very big problem at the time) – just add milk.

Tea with Milk

So if you are in the habit of drinking milk with your tea, you should probably know that the British have actually studied this and recommend that you will minimize the possibility of curdling the milk and altering the taste of the tea if you add it after pouring the tea into the cup. Now with that said, some of the best tea with milk that I have had is a traditional Masala Chai tea from India, which is made by boiling the tea leaves in a combination of milk and water. So at the end of the day, it is all in personal preference.

English Breakfast Tea

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There are a number of teas that might be considered staples today including Masala Chai, Lapsang Souchong or Earl Grey tea. One of the best known of these “staple” teas is English Breakfast Tea, a bold, eye opening tea that many turn to for that first cup of the morning. However, English Breakfast Tea isn’t a consistent blend and has somewhat cloudy history like many other tea.

English Breakfast Tea History

English Breakfast Tea was rumored to have been “invented” near Wall St in the 1800’s. [by George Bradford Brainard – Public Domain]

One of the reasons we love tea is the wealth of stories around tea and English Breakfast is included in this. Many websites will have you believe that English Breakfast Tea never even existed in England until it was brought over from the US after being “invented” by Richard Davies in New York City in 1843. Most of these websites cite a fascinating story in the “Journal of Commerce” as the source for this. Unfortunately, finding the source material for this has proven elusive and the nearest we could find was a reference to the same story in the Daily Alta California from February 1876. It too cites the “Journal of Commerce” though no date of publish, issue number, or other means to track it down. Partial collections of the New York Journal of Commerce are squirreled away in the rare book stacks around the country and if that weren’t bad enough there were “Journal of Commerce” periodicals in many cities across the US and Canada making it possible that the source came from another journal entirely.

From another corner of commerce in the 1800’s comes Robert M. Walsh, author of Tea, It’s History & Mystery, Tea Blending as a Fine Art, and A Cup of Tea. The last of these publications, circa 1884, suggests that English Breakfast was really Chinese Bohea tea; an oolong or black tea produced in the Bohea hills of northern Fujian Province in China. He speaks of Bohea tea as “a distinct variety, differing in color, liquor, and flavor from the Oolong species, and known to trade in this country [United States] as “English Breakfast” tea, from its forming the staple shipment to England.”

Then there is the Anhui Tourism Administration which states that Keemun was produced by a failed civil servant who sought to bring black tea manufacturing from Fujian to Anhui which had previously only produced green tea. According to the website the result was so good that it quickly gained popularity in England and became the prominent base to English Breakfast Tea.

We are great believers that the truth to most stories is likely somewhere in between. In this case it is likely that what we know as English Breakfast was already enjoyed elsewhere before it was “invented” and marketed to an eager consumer.

English Breakfast Tea Blends

English Breakfast Tea Loose Leaf and Liquor

English Breakfast Tea by Dominion Tea

Today English Breakfast Tea is typically a blend of black teas from Assam, Sri Lanka, and Kenya. Although this is not a hard and fast rule with many including a Chinese Keemun or other black tea instead. The selection of teas used to make English Breakfast are chosen for the qualities they offer to color, flavor, aroma, and mouth feel. Even if the same teas are used, the ratio of each are bound to be different. The ratio may even be changed from batch to batch to account for subtle differences in one or more of the ingredients. Since tea is an agricultural product the “same” product from the same vendor will have different qualities from year to year. Each blender chooses the combination that gives just the right taste that they have in mind and which they believe will best meet the needs of their customers. Thus, blends vary widely and will almost certainly be different from company to company. So no matter what the blend, if a smooth black tea sounds appealing in the morning, reach for some English Breakfast.

Sources Cited
Daily Alta California, Volume 28, Number 9436, 5 February 1876, Page 4, http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=DAC18760205.2.38#

Types of teas in Anhui Province, Qimen Black (Keemun) Tea, China Daily, http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/anhui/travel/2010-04/29/content_9791685_2.htm

A Cup of Tea, by Joseph M. Walsh, 1884, pg 108-109, https://archive.org/stream/cu31924023998184#page/n113/mode/2up

Tie Guan Yin (aka Ti Kuan Yin) – Iron Goddess Oolong

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Tieguanyin, Ti Kuan Yin, or Tie Guan Yin are named for the Iron Goddess of Mercy

Iron Goddess of Mercy – Guanyin – By Jakub Hałun (Own work) CC BY-SA 3.0

Tie Guan Yin, also known as Ti Kuan Yin, Tieguanyin, or other variant, is one of the oldest oolongs produced in China. Originating in Anxi in the Fujian province of China in the 1800s, it is named after the Mahayana Buddhist’s Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin. Tie translates into Iron, so the full translation is Iron Goddess of Mercy. Like other Chinese teas, its origin is tied to a myth.

Ti Kuan Yin Myth

A poor farmer named Wei who everyday on this way to the fields walks past a small run down temple to Guanyin. He stops and sweeps out debris from the temple and leaves burning incense each day. One night Guanyin appears in a dream to him and tells him there is a cave behind the temple that holds a treasure and that he is to take the treasure from the cave, plant it and share it with the other farmers in his village. The next morning, the farmer found a tea sprig in the cave, which he took to the fields where he planted and cared for it. When it grew into a bush, he discovered it made a very flavorful tea. He cut off sprigs and gave them to his fellow farmers to plant as well. Everyone in the village began growing tea and named it after Guanyin. The tea provided enough money for the farmers in the village that they restored the temple to Guanyin as a tribute to her sharing the tea with them.

Ti Kuan Yin Oolong Production

The production of Ti Kuan Yin is rather complex, like other oolongs, and can take anywhere from 3-5 days to complete. Like all teas, it is plucked and withered in the sun. Once withering reaches the desired level the leaves are lightly rolled/twisted to damage the leaves to help speed along the oxidation process. The leaves are usually left in bamboo baskets or trays to oxidize between 40-70%. The leaves are not fully dry but are damp. The leaves are then rolled/twisted into their desired form and may be returned to withering if it is determine to be necessary. This process can be repeated multiple times. Once the desired shape and flavor is reached the tea is then baked. It is the baking that creates the nutty flavor of a traditional Ti Kuan Yin.

Types of Ti Kuan Yin

Ti Kuan Yin (aka Tieguanyin) Loose Leaf and Liquor

Ti Kuan Yin, aka Tieguanyin or Tie Guan Yin – Iron Goddess Oolong Tea

There are a few different types of Ti Kuan Yin. The type is tied to the time of year the leaf is picked and how long the tea is allowed to oxidize. A traditional Ti Kuan Yin is picked in the spring and again in the fall. It is oxidized closer to 70%. A Jade Ti Kuan Yin is a less oxidized Ti Kuan Yin that is more like a green tea than oolong that is picked only in the spring. The Jade Ti Kuan Yin is more flowery in flavor while the traditional is nutty in flavor. In drinking any type of Ti Kuan Yin, allow the boiling water to cool to at least 180° Fahrenheit before putting the tea in the water.

As you explore the world of tea, pay tribute to the Goddess of Mercy and enjoy a cup of Ti Kuan Yin.