Brief Commentary

Tea is found throughout China, with different regions having tea plantations and industries. Through the gradual development of the tea industry, more and more diverse teas have been invented, including different ways of using tea leaves. Chinese tea culture is divided into six main categories: green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong tea, yellow tea, and dark tea (Liu, 2012). These types of tea are the mainstream, and there are more detailed categories below these types. The difference between these types may be classified according to the type of tea, the process used to make the tea, etc.

Learning outcomes:

1. Illustrate the main types of tea originated from China. 
2. Analyze the technological process of tea producing. 

The main types of tea in China & The produce process

Green tea: Accounting for 75% of tea production is green tea, which is also the most widely consumed beverage by Chinese people (Jian, Xie, &Lee, 2003). Green tea is mainly manufactured from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis tree, and its manufacture also requires a hot and humid climate (Shi &Schlegel, 2012). “Two leaves and one bud” is the key collection method for green tea (Shi &Schlegel, 2012). The process of producing green tea preserves many compounds that are relevant to human health, which distinguishes green tea from black and oolong teas (Shi &Schlegel, 2012).

Black tea: Yunnan Province mainly produces black tea, which is also a very well-known and traditional tea drink (Oi et al., 2011). Post-fermented tea is the main classification of Chinese black tea, and it is called black tea because of the dark brown color of the liquid after it has been steeped (Oi et al., 2011). However, there is a big difference between Chinese black tea and foreign black tea, which is an oxidized tea (Oi et al., 2011). Dried green tea leaves are the main raw material for Chinese black tea (Oi et al., 2011).

White tea: The southeast coast of China is the origin of white tea, which is mainly produced here, and it maintains the natural characteristics of white tea with minimal processing (Tan et al., 2017). White tea is made only through withering and drying; it is not fermented during the production process like other teas (Tan et al., 2017). According to the seasonality of growth, white tea is divided into three grades Tan et al., 2017).

Oolong tea: Oolong tea tastes different from green tea black tea, like something in between (Zeng et al., 2020). The special fruity and floral aroma is what makes oolong tea famous (Zeng et al., 2020). Dehydration and bruising are the reasons for the unique manufacturing techniques that give oolong tea a stronger and more refreshing flavor (Zeng et al., 2020).

Yellow tea: Yellow tea is mainly distributed in Sichuan, Anhui, Hunan, Hubei, Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Guizhou provinces in China (Xu et al., 2018). In the middle of the Tang Dynasty from 618 to 907 AD, yellow tea was discovered, and it was also the second tea discovered after green tea (Xu et al., 2018). “Sealed yellowing” is the step in the processing of yellow tea that is different from other teas (Xu et al., 2018). This special step causes a significant change in the composition of yellow tea, resulting in a taste that is different from other teas (Xu et al., 2018).

Dark tea: “The major types of Chinese dark tea are Pu’er tea in Yunnan, Liubao tea in Guangxi, Kangzhuan tea (i.e., Tibetan tea) in Sichuan, Anhua dark tea in Hunan, Qingzhuan tea in Hubei, and Fuzhuan tea in Shannxi (Ye et al., 2020).” Pu-erh tea is the most famous among these types (Ye et al., 2020). As early as the Tang Dynasty black tea was invented and exported in large quantities (Ye et al., 2020).

Interactive activities

Think and discuss the following questions: Do different kinds of tea bring the same benefits to human health? Why or why not? Why do you think different regions grow different kinds of tea?

https://groups.google.com/g/tea-types/c/hz5q9LUykno

Formative assessment

Here is a quiz on the types of tea in China. This quiz is to be completed by the students and it contains multiple choice and short answer questions about the type of tea and will be in a scoring format.

https://forms.gle/MHDoc47YkQhJ7LuXA

References

Jian, L., Xie, L. P., Lee, A. H., & Binns, C. W. (2004). Protective effect of green tea against prostate cancer: a case‐control study in southeast China. International journal of cancer, 108(1), 130-135.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ijc.11550

Liu, T. (2012). Chinese tea. Cambridge University Press.

Oi, Y., Hou, I. C., Fujita, H., & Yazawa, K. (2012). Antiobesity effects of Chinese black tea (pu‐erh tea) extract and gallic acid. Phytotherapy Research, 26(4), 475-481.

https://europepmc.org/article/med/22508359

Shi, Q. Y., & Schlegel, V. (2012). Green tea as an agricultural based health promoting food: the past five to ten years. Agriculture, 2(4), 393-413.

https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/2/4/393

Tan, J., Engelhardt, U. H., Lin, Z., Kaiser, N., & Maiwald, B. (2017). Flavonoids, phenolic acids, alkaloids and theanine in different types of authentic Chinese white tea samples. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 57, 8-15.

htps://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=US201800106123

Xu, J., Wang, M., Zhao, J., Wang, Y. H., Tang, Q., & Khan, I. A. (2018). Yellow tea (Camellia sinensis L.), a promising Chinese tea: Processing, chemical constituents and health benefits. Food Research International, 107, 567-577.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29580521/

Ye, Z., Wang, X., Fu, R., Yan, H., Han, S., Gerelt, K., … & Zhou, Y. (2020). Determination of six groups of mycotoxins in Chinese dark tea and the associated risk assessment. Environmental Pollution, 261, 114180.

https://europepmc.org/article/med/32088438

Zeng, L., Zhou, X., Su, X., & Yang, Z. (2020). Chinese oolong tea: An aromatic beverage produced under multiple stresses. Trends in Food Science & Technology.

https://pubag.nal.usda.gov/catalog/7139593

Brief Commentary

Tea is an important and meaningful part of Chinese tradition and culture. As Chinese society developed, the production of tea has played a role in driving economic development while the consumption of tea has remained a practice of daily life (Jiang, 2021). However, when was tea discovered? How did Chinese tea evolve? Why it is so important in Chinese culture? In this sub-topic, it will focus mainly on talking about the three questions. 

In the end of this sub-topic, both the interactive activity (i.e. online discussion) and the assessment (i.e. online quiz) are provided. 

Learning Outcomes

Individuals will be able to expand their knowledge of Chinese tea culture. 

After learning from the first sub-topic, learners will be able to…

• Identify the origins, history, and evolution of Chinese tea clearly. 
• Explain the importance of tea-drinking in Chinese culture specifically. 

The Origins of Chinese Tea

The origin of the use of tea as a beverage is unclear, although references to tea in Chinese literature can go back approximately 5,000 years (Parkinson, 2019). As a result of the biological, ethnic and cultural diversity of China, the origin of tea is highly diverse as well. Tea has been documented in Chinese ancient literature inconsistently. According to the article, “Insect Tea, A Wonderful Work in the Chinese Tea Culture”, the authors used two examples to explain the inconsistent descriptions of tea in Chinese ancient literature. For example, “it is clearly indicated that tea was a sweet-tasting plant in the ‘Odes’, while tea was indicated as a bitter-tasting plant in the ‘Eyra’” (Xu, Pan, et.al., 2013).

Although there are many Chinese literary writings about tea, it is still hard for historians to exactly pinpoint when it was exactly discovered. From the article, “History of Tea in China & How it Spread Across the World”, the author described that “in 1978, Archeologists surprisingly found tea relics in the Tianluo mountains that were estimated to be 7,000 years old”(2015). Then, after a decade of research, the Archeologists published in 2015 that “these roots are about 6,000 years old” (2015). “This confirmed it must have been the Hemudu culture, flourishing in 7,000 BC and 6,000 BC, that started cultivating and brewing tea”(2015). 

The Evolution of Tea in China

From the web article, “Chinese Tea Culture”, Li clearly describes the history and evolution of tea in China (Li, 1993): 

• According to records of pre-Qin period, in remote times, apart from serving as a drink and being used for medical purposes, tea was also used at sacrificial rites.
• In the royal family of Zhou period, there were people charged with the task of tea-related affairs. 
• No tea was grown in the north in the Han dynasty. it was therefore considered a rarity by the imperial court, the nobility and high officials. in Sichuan province during eastern Han, however, tea began to appear as a commodity in the market.
• Tea trading was on constant rise during the Jin dynasty (256-316) and tea-drinking spread far and wide. 
• Vigorous development of Chinese tea culture was witnessed in Sui-Tang and Song dynasties. Chinese tea began to spread overseas during Sui and Tang dynasties. It spread by sea to Korea and Japan to the east and to the south pacific islands, Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and India to the south. It spread by land to Persia and Arab countries along the Silk Road. 
• Chinese tea did not reach Europe until trade began between the east and west in the 16th century. 

Nowadays, tea is one of the most popular beverages in the whole world. It is ranked at “a level of being the second nonalcoholic drink after that of water (Qin, Pang, et. al., 2013). 

The YouTube video below provides a brief introduction about the history of tea. 

The Importance of Tea in Chinese Culture

In the past several thousand years, “extensive knowledge has been accumulated in China on tea cultivation, production and consumption, which forms the unique Chinese tea culture” (Xu, Pan, et. al., 2013). Chinese tea culture developed rapidly during the Tang dynasty and has infiltrated Chinese society deeply since then (Xu, Pan, et. al., 2013). Additionally, a number of monographs were published during Tang and Song dynasties. One of the most renowned books on tea is Lu Yu’s. As Li stated, “this book makes a comprehensive and systematic summary of the experiences in tea-growing, tea-processing and tea-drinking and therefore it regarded as the classical work on tea” (Li, 1993). Therefore, it exerts tremendous influence on the development of Chinese tea culture. 

Also, tea has an extremely close relationship to Chinese culture, and its study covers a wide field and has very rich content. As Li described in “Chinese Tea Culture”, Chinese tea culture covers almost all realms of life, both physical and spiritual. “Tea culture is a branch of learning that takes as its subject of study the relationship between tea-marketing and tea-drinking on the one hand and the various aspects of political, economic, and cultural life on the other as well as the influence they exert on each other” (Li, 1993). Therefore, tea plays a quite meaningful and important role in Chinese culture and traditions. 

Interactive Activities 

Online Discussion

• Have you heard any stories about Chinese tea or Chinese tea culture? If yes, please share it with you peers. If not, please find one on the web.
• Please click HERE to participate in the online discussion on this subtopic.

Formative Assessment 

Online Quiz

• After learning from this subtopic, please click HERE to complete the online quiz as a formative assessment.
• NOTE: each question ONLY has one correct answer. Instant feedbacks and grade will be given to you after submitting.

References 

Jiang, F. (2021). Chinese Tea, Discover Chinese Tea Culture and History. Retrieved from: https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-tea/

History of Tea in China & How it Spread Across the World (2015). Retrieved from: https://www.teasenz.com/chinese-tea/tea-history.html

Parkinson, R. (2019). Ancient Chinese Tea History and Fascinating Facts. Retrieved from: https://www.thespruceeats.com/origins-of-chinese-tea-694325

Qin, Z., Pang, X., Chen, D., Cheng, H., Hu, X., & Wu, J. (2013). Evaluation of Chinese tea by the electronic nose and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry: Correlation with sensory properties and classification according to grade level. Food Research International, 53(2), 864-874. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2013.02.005

Teng, S. (2017). The History of Tea. TED-Ed. YouTube. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaLvVc1sS20&ab_channel=TED-Ed

Xiusong, L. (1993). Chinese tea culture. Journal of Popular Culture, 27(2), 75-90.

XU, L., PAN, H., LEI, Q., XIAO, W., PENG, Y., & XIAO, P. (2013). Insect tea, a wonderful work in the chinese tea culture: TEA – FROM BUSHES TO MUGS:COMPOSITION, STABILITY AND HEALTH ASPECTS. Food Research International, 53(2), 629-635.

As an asynchronous online project, the main characteristics of technology that our group chose for are free, open, and easy-to-use. The following technology tools are four major tools that we used in this project, including WordPress, Google Group, Google Docs, and Google Forms.

WordPress

Academic blog posts in relation to the four essential questions and different learning outcomes will be all presented on WordPress (this website). As a fully asynchronous online project, WordPress can provide a much more open, accessible, and flexible platform for people to participate in their learning. There are no restrictions on the learning place, pace, and time for learners as well. Also, a variety of multimedia, such as videos, audios, and images, will be embedded in blog posts, based on different topics; therefore, it will be very informative, effective, and attractive. 

Google Groups

Google Groups is designed for learners to discuss questions in relation to our topic asynchronously. By using Google Group, we, as instructors, can ask questions based on different sub-topics and encourage learners to share their ideas, discuss and answer questions, and ask for help. This online tool will not only help learners interact with each other, but also help instructors determine a learner’s participation in his/her online learning. 

Google Docs

Google Docs is used for learners when writing assignments and group projects are asked. It’s a very effective and useful tool for learners to edit and write papers together. This online tool is used for some of our sub-topics as the part of assessment, in which writing assignments are asked by instructors.

Google Forms

Google Forms is used to make online quizzes for our learners by us. The form of the online quizzes in this project is multiple choice question. This online tool is useful and effective in this project as the part of assessment because both instant feedbacks and grades will be given to learners after they submit the quizzes.

This interactive learning resource is intended for individuals who feel interested in Chinese tea, culture, and history. It will contain four main parts: the origins of Chinese tea, Tea’s nutritional value, types of Chinese tea, and Chinese tea ceremony. In this online project, learners need to learn this topic, participate in activities, and interact with materials by themselves individually. The main purpose of this project is to expand learners’ knowledge of Chinese tea culture. It is based on the subject of Asian Studies. 

The Topic of the Resource

Nowadays, tea is one of the most popular beverages in the whole world. The popularity of tea is attributed to its potential health benefits with attractive and pleasant flavour. Based on the different processing methods, tea can be usually classified as green tea, oolong tea, black tea, white tea, yellow tea, and dark tea in China. Also, “tea-tasting was considered a refined cultural activity and an artistic preoccupation for Chinese literati and officialdom. Tea and tea-related activities have penetrated various aspects of social life and take on unique cultural characteristics” (Li, 1993).

The topic of our group’s interactive learning resource is about the basic knowledge of Chinese tea culture. Specifically as discussed throughout this blog, there are four main parts of this topic, including the origins of Chinese tea, tea’s nutritional value, types of Chinese tea, and Chinese tea ceremony. People will learn about Chinese history, culture, traditions, and characteristics from this topic clearly.

Technology Tools

As a fully asynchronous online project, a variety of social media tools will be applied to help you engage in your learning process, interact with the materials, and achieve success in this project. More specific introduction will be shown in “Rationale for Technology Choices“

Textbook & Required Resources

You are NOT required to purchase a textbook for this project. All readings will either be freely and openly available on the web or will be accessible through the University of Victoria library.

References

Xiousong, L. (1993). Chinese tea culture. Journal of Popular Culture, 27(2), 75-90.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0022-3840.1993.00075.x