大年这几天，鸡鸭鱼肉、美酒佳肴大家都吃喝了不少吧，是不是觉得有点油腻了？

经历了几天的大吃大喝，咱们去去油腻，在今天的China story里，一起来聊聊茶文化。

History

历史

Tea and tea culture have been an intrinsic part of Chinese history and society for centuries, it can be traced as far back to before 2000 BC and the Qing Dynasty. The mythical Emperor 神农 discovered tea when a leaf fell into boiled water he was drinking, beginning a tradition that exists to this very day.

中国是茶的故乡, 古代中国人发现并利用茶据说是始于神农时代, 少说也有4000多年了。

The Classic of Tea

《茶经》

Tea drinking really took off particularly after the completion of The Classic of Tea by Lu Yu in the 8th century.

尤其是唐代陆羽写的《茶经》在历史上可以说是吹响了中华茶文化的号角.

茶经分为3卷共10个章节, 系统地总结了茶叶种植、生产、加工、品饮等等方面, 把饮茶从日常生活习惯提升到了艺术和审美的层次.

To brew tea

泡茶

Inspired by Lu Yu's idea, the literati attributed medicinal qualities to tea, praised it for sharpening the mind.

Religious rituals

宗教仪式

Tea to spread throughout society and to be used in religious rituals and offerings.

特别是文人墨客上流社会, 认为比起会让人迷醉失态的酒, 茶可以让你的头脑清醒, 是一种更上乘的饮品，因此在很多宗教仪式上也少不了茶的身影。

The Ancient Tea Horse Road

茶马古道

As time goes by, our customs of tea drinking spread over to Europe and to many other regions via the ancient Silk Road and other channels of trade such as Tea Horse Road in southwest of China.

之后, 随着历史的推进, 中国的茶文化也随着丝绸之路和茶马古道逐步传向了世界.

万事顺意·龙年大吉

Types of Chinese Teas

茶的种类

The type of tea produced is determined by the level of oxidation the tea leaves are allowed to undergo before the process is stopped by heating the leaves.

茶的种类是根据它的氧化的程度不同来决定的。不过我们的茶商通常会把这个oxidation叫做fermentation发酵.

白茶

White tea

It's essentially unfermented tea.

基本属于不发酵的茶

绿茶

Green tea

绿茶属于微发酵 lightly fermented

乌龙茶

Oolong tea

半发酵的乌龙茶 half fermented

红茶

Black tea

全发酵的红茶 fully fermented

黑茶

Dark tea / Fermented tea

These are generally quite dark and strong, they're set to be post-fermented.

按咱们的说法来说, 那是一种后发酵的茶

Fermentation

发酵

Oxidation

氧化

万事顺意·龙年大吉

In 2022, traditional tea processing techniques and their associated social practices in China were added to UNESCO's list of the intangible cultural heritage.

在2022年中国传统制茶技艺以及其相关习俗被加入了联合国教科文组织的人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录.

Tea ceremony

茶道

The tea ceremony is a typical Chinese activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of tea. It has held great cultural significance in China for over 1,000 years.

The basic steps of a tea ceremony include prepare tea, offer or serve tea, appreciate tea, sniff tea, savor and drink and taste tea.

To appreciate tea

品茶

Tea competition

斗茶/茗战

Lidded tea bowl

盖碗

Sharing cup/pitcher

公道杯/茶海

Purple sand clay teapot

紫砂茶壶

Tea tray

茶盘

Tea holder

茶匙

Scent cup

闻香杯

Tea tongs

茶夹

Tea pet

宠