飞天之梦想
Tea is an infusion made by steeping processed leaves, buds, or twigs of the tea bush, Camellia sinensis, in hot water for several minutes. The processing can include oxidation, heating, drying, and the addition of other herbs, flowers, spices, and fruits. The four basic types of true tea are black tea, oolong tea, green tea, and white tea. The term "herbal tea" usually refers to infusions or tisane of fruit or herbs that contain no Camellia sinensis.[1]Tea is one of the most widely-consumed beverages in the world, second only to water.[2] It has a cooling, slightly bitter, astringent flavor.[3] It has almost no carbohydrates, fat, or protein. Tea is a natural source of the amino acid theanine, methylxanthines such as caffeine and theobromine,[4] and polyphenolic antioxidant catechins[3] (often referred to as tannins).The word tea came into the English language from the Chinese word for tea (茶), which is pronounced tê in the Min Nan spoken variant. The British English slang word "char" for "tea" arose from its Mandarin Chinese pronunciation "cha" with its spelling affected by British English arhotic dialect pronunciation.[5]
叹久妞子
中国历史上有很长的饮茶纪录，已经无法确切地查明到底是在什么年代了，但是大致的时代是有说法的。并且也可以找到证据显示，确实在世界上的很多地方饮茶的习惯是从中国传过去的。所以，很多人认为饮茶就是中国人首创的，世界上其它地方的饮茶习惯、种植茶叶的习惯都是直接或间接地从中国传过去的。 但是也有人能够找到证据指出，饮茶的习惯不仅仅是中国人发明的，在世界上的其它一些地方也是饮茶的发明地，例如印度、非洲等。 1823年，一个英国侵略军的少校在印度发现了野生的大茶树，从而有人开始认定茶的发源地在印度，至少是也在印度。中国当然也有野生大茶树的记载，都集中在西南地区，记载中也包含了甘肃、湖南的个别地区。茶树是一种很古老的双子叶植物，与人们的生活密切相关。 在国内，也有关于茶树的最早原产地的争论，有好几种说法。不少人认为在云南，有一学者在认真研究考证以后断言，云南的西双版纳是茶树的原产地。人工栽培茶树的最早文字记载始于西汉的蒙山茶。这在《四川通志》中有载。 饮茶的发源时间 神农有个水晶肚，达摩眼皮变茶树，中国饮茶起源众说纷纭：追溯中国人饮茶的起 源，有的认为起于上古，有的认为起于周，起于秦汉、三国、南北朝、唐代的说法也都有，造成众说纷纭的主要原因是因唐代以前无“茶”字，而只有“荼”字的记载，直到茶经的作者陆羽，方将荼字减一画而写成“茶”，因此有茶起源于唐代的说法。其它则尚有起源于神农、起源于秦汉等说法。 神农说 唐．陆羽《茶经》：“茶之为饮，发乎神农氏。”，在中国的文化发展史上，往往是把一切与农业、与植物相关的事物起源最终都归结于神农氏。 而中国饮茶起源于神农的说法也因民间传说而衍生出不同的观点。有人认为茶是神农在野外以釜锅煮水时，刚好有几片叶子飘进锅中，煮好的水，其色微黄，喝入口中生津止渴、提神醒脑，以神农过去尝百草的经验，判断它是一种药而发现的，这是有关中国饮茶起源最普遍的说法。 另有说法则是从语音上加以附会，说是神农有个水晶肚子，由外观可得见食物在胃肠中蠕动的情形，当他尝茶时，发现茶在肚内到处流动，查来查去，把肠胃洗涤得干干净净
pinguo0911
以下是“中国”茶叶的历史：======================History of Chinese Tea======================Chinese tea consists of tea leaves which have been processed using methods inherited from China.According to popular legend, tea was discovered by Chinese Emperor Shennong (Shen Nung, Shen Nong, The Yan Emperor, The Emperor of the five grains) in 2737 BC when a leaf from a Camilla sinensis tree fell into water the emperor was boiling. Not everyone agrees on the origin, but no one disputes that tea is deeply woven into the history and culture of China. The beverage is considered one of the seven necessities of Chinese life, along with firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce and vinegar.Some writers classify tea into four categories, green, white, black and oolong. Others add categories for red, scented and compressed teas. All of these come from varieties of the Camilla sinensis plant. Chinese flower tea (花茶), while popular, is not a true tea. Most Chinese tea is consumed in China and is not exported. Green tea is the most popular type of tea used in China.Within these main categories of tea are vast varieties of individual beverages. Some researchers have counted more than 700. Others put the number at more than 1,000. Some of the variations are due to different strains of the Camilla plant. The popular Tie Guan Yin 铁观音, for example, is traced back to a single plant discovered in Anxi 安溪 in the Fujian province. Other teas draw some of their characteristics from local growing conditions. The largest factor in the wide variations comes from differences in processing after the tea is harvested. White and green teas are cooked soon after picking to prevent oxidization, often called fermentation, caused by natural enzymes in the leaves. Oolong teas are partially oxidized. Black and red teas are fully oxidized. Other differences come from variations in the processing steps.Chinese Tea HistoryTea (Camellia sinensis) is native to China. The ancient Chinese used them for medical purposes, then developed the infusion we know as tea; to this day tea is said to purge the digestive system of 'toxins'. Later the Chinese learned to grow tea plants and use their leaves to make various types of tea.Many different types of tea were grown during each of the dynasties in China.The Tang DynastyA list of the differing grades of tea grown in the Tang Dynasty:Premier Grade Tea: Xiazhou, Guangzhou, Huzhou, Yuezhou, Pengzhou. Second Grade Tea: Jingzhou, Ranzhou, Changzhou, Mingzhou. Third Grade Tea: Shouzhou, Hangzhou, Muzhou, Hengzhou, Taizhou, Xuanzhou, Yiazhou, Luzhou. Fourth Grade Tea: Jinzhou, Lianzhou, Huangzhou, Sozhou, Yunzhou, Hanzhou, Meizhou. Tea dates back to the West Zhou Period in ancient China, when the Chinese used tea as offerings. Since then, tea leaves have been eaten as vegetables, used as medicine, and, since the Han dynasty, infused in boiling water, the new drink making tea into a major commodity. There are many different kinds of tea. The three basic categories are non-oxidised green tea, semi-oxidised oolong tea, and fully oxidised black tea. All true teas are usually made from the same type of plant, “Camellia Sinensis”, although some teas are flavored with other plants and flowers.Tea is made through a very long and delicate procedure where young tea leaves are picked, steamed or pan fried, then dried and sifted, and finally distributed to wherever they need to go. The flavor of tea varies depending on how it is prepared.Many people drink tea because of its health advantages. Tea promotes in occasions digestion[citation needed], is rich in vitamins, and brings a feeling of relaxation when you drink it.The Song DynastyTea was an important crop during the Song Dynasty. Tea farms covered 242 counties. This included expensive tribute tea; tea from Zhejiang and Fujian provinces, where some was exported to Southeast Asian and the Arab countries.In the Song Dynasty, tea started to be pressed into tea cake, some embossed with patterns of the dragon and the Phoenix and was called exotic names including:Large Dragon tea cake, Small Dragon tea cake, Surpass Snow Dragon ball cake, Fine Silver Sprout, Cloud Leaf, Gold Money, Jade Flower, Inch of Gold, Longevity Sprout, Eternal Spring Jade Leave, Dragon in the Clouds, Longevity Dragon Sprout, Dragon Phoenix and Flower, Eternal Spring Silver Sprout.The Ming DynastyMing dynasty scholar 文震亨 Wen Zhenheng's book 长物志 Zhang Wu Zhi (On Superfluous Things) chapter 12 contains description of several famous Ming dynasty teas:Tiger Hill Tea and Heaven Pool TeaDuring this time Tiger Hill Tea was purportedly developed as (still) the finest tea in the world, however, the production quantity was rather small, and growing is regulated by the Chinese government. Some, however, consider its taste to be second to Heaven Pool tea. Zhen Heng.Jie TeaJie Tea from Chang Xing of Zhejiang is superb and highly regarded, though rather expensive.Those from Jing Qi find it is slightly inferior.NB: "Jie" is the short hame for "Luo Jie". Luo Jie was the name of a mountain bordering Zhejiang and Jing Qi (in the Ming dynasty), where "jie"-- meant boundary. Chang Xin was south of Luo Jie mountain, Jing Qi was north of Luo Jie. Chang Xin retains its name till today.Luo Jie tea from Gu Chu mountain in Chang Xing county in Zhejiang was also known as Gu Chu Voilet Shoot. Gu Chu Voilet Shoot had been imperial tribute tea since the Tang dynasty for nearly nine hundred years until the middle of the Qin dynasty. Gu Chu Voilet Shoot was revived again in the seventies as a top grade tea in China.NB. Jin Qi is now called Yi Xin township. Jin Qi tea was also known as Yang Xian tea. Ruo Leaves are leaves from Indocalamus tessellatus bamboo. The leaf is about 45 cm long.Liu An Tea"Liu An" tea is used for Chinese medicine, although if it is not baked right, it cannot let out its aroma and has a bitter taste. The inherent quality of this tea is actually quite good. Wen ZhenhengNote: Liu An is a county in Anhui. Liu An tea is still produced from Liu An county in Anhui province in China. The Liu An tea from the Bat Cave of Jin Zai county is of superior quality, as thousand of bats in the cave can provide an ideal fertilizer for the tea plants.Song Luo TeaSong Luo tea is manufactured at Song Luo mountain located north of Xiu Ning township in An Hui proovince in China. The tea farms are scattered between a height of six to seven hundred meters on the mountain.There is no real Song Luo tea outside an area of a dozen mu* and only one or two families possess the refined skill to prepare Song Luo tea. Recently the tea hand-baked by mountain monks is even better.Genuine Song Luo tea is produced at the foot of the Dong Shan (Cave Hill) and on top of the Tian Chi (Heaven Pool), highly treasured by people in Xin An county. It is also a favourite for the people of Nan Du and Qu Zong counties, due to its ease in brewing and intense aroma.One mu = 667 square meter. Dragon Well Tea and Eyes on Heaven TeaLong Jing and Tian Mu may match Heaven Pool tea due to the weather in their growing regions. Because the cold season comes earlier to the mountains, there is abundant snow in the winter, hence the tea plants germinate later. [Wen Zhenheng]Long Jing tea is manufactured in the West Lake district in Hangzhou city, China. There is a Longjing (Dragon Well) on the Feng Huang mountain. Tian Mu mountain is located in Lin An county in the north west of Zhejiang province. There are two 1500-meter peaks, each with a pond on top filled with crystal clear water looking like an eye, hence the name of Eyes on Heaven.
Z黑暗中獨舞
《中国茶(英文版)》内容简介：China, as the homeland of tea, pioneers the world in planting, making and drinking it. This book introduces various kinds of Chinese tea, the appreciation of tea sets that suit both refined and popular tastes, trade of tea both at home and abroad, Chinese tea ceremonies and the relationship between tea and literati and culture. China has a vast territory and varied climates, so different teas are produced in different areas, different techniques are developed in making tea and different tastes for appreciation of teas are developed among people from different regions. Through interesting descriptions, this book details all these situations, and meanwhile it makes some comparative descriptions between Chinese and some foreign teas, such as European black tea, Japanese clear tea as well their correspond-ing ways of drinking tea, enabling readers to better under stand and appreciate China and Chinese people while learning a great deal of knowledge about tea.
