Kung Fu Cha: Peace and Power in a Cup of Tea by Kenneth Cohen
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Kung Fu Cha: Peace and Power in a Cup of Tea by Kenneth Cohen
A photo essay from the NT Times.
Does anyone here drink Wuyi Yan Cha varieties? Like da hong pao etc.....
If you want to try an amazing tea, look for Qi Lan - although I have no idea about the availability of it outside China
www.jingtea.com does some really good teas in the UK
I just ordered the sample collection (4 different kinds) from the Red Blossom Tea Company.
http://www.redblossomtea.com/tea/pu-erh.html
Unfortunately in the transfer, the formatting is lost. I replaced some of it, but I recommend reading this on the original source - follow the link.
Quote:
Traditional Chinese Medicine: Business Blockbuster or False Fad?
January 8, 2013 By David Friesen
Tong Ren Tang is a household name in China. The pharmacy specializing in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been around since 1669. Legend has it that Tong Ren Tang was set up as the royal pharmacy for the palace of the Qing Dynasty. The dynasty came and went, but Tong Ren Tang withstood the test of time. In fact, today it has spread its wings beyond China to places like the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Australia. By 2015, it aims to open over 100 overseas stores in countries as diverse as the US and Japan. From the claims of healing herbs to pain-reducing acupuncture, TCM is steeped in historical terminology and philosophical musings. Taking a so-called holistic approach to health and wellness, TCM has long been practised in China. Today, as many companies like Tong Ren Tang are discovering, it is also big business, both in China and many Western countries. According to a 2012 report by market research organization IBISWorld, government support and increasing demand in China has driven TCM to expected revenues of $25.7 billion in 2012, up 14.8% from 2011. The industry has grown by 20% each year on average since 2007, and profitability has continued to rise as well. So what accounts for this sudden spurt in TCM’s popularity, and is it sustainable in the long run?
Marketable Medicine
There is no doubt that TCM within China is a hugely profitable business with growing industrial output. According to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, in 2011 the value of the industrial output of TCM reached RMB 418 billion, recording a year-on-year growth of 37.9%. The surprising fact, however, is that TCM is growing at a faster clip in other countries. The National Bureau of Statistics also points out that TCM exports rose in 2011, with exports to the US alone jumping by 66.3% year-on-year. It is not just Western countries that are seeing growth. Africa is now China’s largest market for the export of medical products, both TCM and otherwise, thanks to low cost. In fact, in 2011 TCM was formally introduced into South Africa’s healthcare system. Many of the large Chinese TCM companies have expanded outside of China. Apart from Tong Ren Tang, others like China Health Resource, Inc. have seen record results this year thanks to increased sales of premium TCM herbs such as its Tian Ma brand in Western countries, as well as a growth of low-cost TCM options in Africa and Asia. Much of the success of TCM in Western countries is because it is associated with wellness. It offers an alternative to supposed Western modes of thinking about treating the symptoms of disease as opposed to seeing the human body holistically. This is pushing TCM from the fringes to the mainstream in terms of demand and acceptance. Australians, for example, are spending over AUS$4 billion per year in the complementary and alternative medicine industry, some of which is on TCM. In July this year, the Chinese Medicine National Registration Board began to officially register Chinese Medicine practitioners nationwide in Australia. In fact, TCM marketing has become a business in itself, with a number of companies now dedicated to providing marketing solutions for individual TCM practitioners and TCM companies. “There is potential in all areas of Chinese medicine, from the herbs and acupuncture to health preservation and wellness. The ideas of Chinese medicine can be used as a format for understanding the human body to design wellness plans and treatments,” says Alex Tan, a qualified TCM practitioner and educator from Australia who founded the Straight Bamboo TCM Clinic in Beijing. Tan thinks that aside from his firm belief that TCM really can improve health and wellness, TCM has appeal because of its cost-effectiveness. “TCM (is a) low-technology, low-cost approach. Most of the developing world cannot afford Western medicine purely because of the cost. These countries can use the methodology of Chinese medicine to diagnose and then use local herbs or acupuncture pins which are cheap to treat patients,” says Tan. This is not always the case in developed countries, however. “Due to the National Health Service in the UK, TCM does not enjoy any economic advantage and is seen as quite expensive. A typical consultation with a Chinese doctor in the UK can cost up to £50 before any charges for medicine are added,” says Mike Bastin, Visiting Academic at Tsinghua University and researcher at Nottingham University’s School of Contemporary Chinese Studies. The potential economic benefits of TCM are also attracting large pharmaceutical companies, as they begin to research ways of using TCM. Britain’s biggest drug maker, GlaxoSmithKline, has set up a number of research labs in China that are looking at ways of developing TCM. The company has created a Discovery Performance Unit that will integrate traditional Chinese medicine with modern drug discovery.
Economics over Evidence
Despite the economic success of TCM in recent years,TCM also has its share of problems. Although qualifications and regulations are growing and advocates strongly recommend that those offering such services be fully qualified and appropriately registered, the industry is still fragmented in terms of regulation and quality. For example, the USFDA has struggled to regulate herbal medicines, as it has often seen herbs as ‘not drugs’, thereby leaving them almost completely unregulated. Herbs are classified as dietary supplements, leaving the FDA with no power under federal law to regulate these products in the same way as drugs. This is not to say that the FDA could not approve certain TCM products. In fact, the Dantonic pill by TCM manufacturer Tasly, used to treat angina and heart disease and approved by drug watchdogs in Canada, Russia, the Republic of Korea, Vietnam, Singapore and some African countries, is currently in Phase III trials to become the first USFDA-approved TCM product in the US. Of course, such legitimacy is not always sought, given the lack of regulation of herbal products. However, the European Union (EU) has been stricter. In May 2011, all unauthorized TCM products were pulled from shelves in the EU. This followed a directive in 2004 that gave a seven-year grace period to manufacturers of herbal medicines to register their brands. No Chinese TCM producers were able to obtain a license due to high costs and difficulties meeting the EU’s stringent criteria. This has changed recently however, with SU BioMedicine BV successfully registering the Diao Xin Xue Kang capsules, the first Chinese medicine in the Netherlands this year. Whilst it is clear that herbal TCM has some promise because many herbs do, in fact, have active ingredients, the products approved are so far the exceptions in terms of regulation and stringent testing. Although most practitioners seemingly welcome further research, this belies the fact that extensive research in many areas has already been carried out. Also, in areas where further research is needed to potentially prove efficacy and mechanisms of action for treatments such as herbs or acupuncture, treatment still continues. This is generally a reversal of the usual methodology of science-based medicine, where efficacy and significant understanding is needed before treatment is prescribed. Take acupuncture, for example. The well regarded website Science-Based Medicine gives an excellent overview of the efficacy of acupuncture. In summary, there appears to be no plausible mechanism for acupuncture, and most of the evidence supporting acupuncture, of which there is, in fact, very little if any, is generally not scientifically rigorous. A large majority of acupuncture studies showing any sort of positive effect have come out of China and have not been properly peer-reviewed or shown to be scientifically rigorous. And although major manufacturers do at least have quality controls in place, outside of this there is a worrying lack of quality control and regulation. For example, an Australian-led group of scientists found traces of endangered species, as well as potential toxins and allergens in traditional Chinese medicines that were confiscated from overseas travellers. They performed ‘second generation DNA sequencing’ on 15 samples, and found traces of animals including Asiatic black bear and the saiga antelope. “There’s absolutely no honesty in the labelling of these products. What they declare is completely at odds with what’s in there,” says Mike Bunce, a geneticist at Murdoch University near Perth, Australia, who led the study, in a comment to the journal Nature. These concerns do not appear to be harming the TCM business as of yet though. Marketing that plays to today’s consumers regarding health and wellness, as well as the logical fallacy that just because something is ancient and has a long history means it must work, will continue to attract people to TCM. Combined with consumers’ frustration with what they see as the problems of Western medicine, the rise of TCM is likely to continue. However, without addressing many of these concerns and really putting money into rigorous research, the economics of TCM will surely be overtaken by the weight of evidence in the long-term.
Right now, at home I have some more Red Blossom bought tea from the last time I was in Chinatown (about a month ago)
The clerk said this can be over-brewed, which is good because I have a tendency to do that. It didn't grab me much at first but it's starting to grow on me.Quote:
Organic Bai Mu Dan ⋅ 白牡丹
Our Organic Bai Mu Dan comes from Fuding County, Fujian Province. Its two leaf and a bud combination comes from the Da Bai tea tree, picked in mid-April after the individual tea buds that make up Silver Needle have been gathered.
Once picked, the leaves undergo a gradual "fade", during which time, the leaves are slightly enzymatically oxidized before they are given a final low temperature bake. This classic white tea crafting method enhances the sweetness and mouth feel of this tea, while preserving the natural character of the tea leaves.
Organic Bai Mu Dan brews a light golden infusion with a hint of sweetness reminiscent of dried apricot and almonds.
Here at the office I have some Lao Shan Cha (Lao Mountain Tea). It was gifted to me by a visiting master. Unfortunately, I already tossed the box so I'm just left with the inner foil bag and all that says is Lao Shan Cha, so I can't say much more about it. It's quite good, a hearty green tea that survives my over-brewing quite well. The leaves are dark and tiny, like pencil shavings. I'm really enjoying it and it's lasting a long time as it keeps it's flavor after multiple infusions.
Beijing Zhangyiyuan Tea. A gift from a visiting master.
It's excellent. Very floral.
7.6 mil yuan = $1,241,771.60 USD
Quote:
Qing dynasty tea brick sold for 7.6 million yuan
A Qing dynasty tea brick was sold for a record price of 7.6 million yuan at an auction Hubei province.
The auction winner is the owner of a trading company in Shenzhen. He said the tea brick was worth more than he had paid for and estimates it could have gone for at least eight million yuan.
The tea brick was produced during China's last dynastic period, the Qing (1644-1912), at the Hubei Provincial Zhaoliqiao Tea Factory.
A tea brick is composed of whole or finely ground layers of black tea, green tea, or post-fermented tea leaves that are pressed into a rock solid brick and undergo a period of controlled fermentation.
The rising popularity in green fermented tea bricks has changed the quality of the teas sold.
Dong Junpo, general manager at the Zhaoliqiao Tea Factory, states that poor-quality tea bricks are sold for 40 percent less, a move aimed at capturing a bigger market share.
According to the chairman of a tea procurement company, the majority of consumers do not know to distinguish the different grades of tea, making them victims of the new cheap marketing plan.
A can of Chin Hsuan Oolong Tea from Ten Ren. Some one gave it to Gigi and she passed it along to me as I'm more the tea drinker in the office here. I'm not big on oolongs but this one is okay. It's perky for the winter.
Pu Bao-Chung from Taiwan Choice Best Tea.
A nice hearty green - delicate, aromatic, almost buttery.
I'm pretty boring when it comes to tea drinking, I drink peony white from prince of peace. I think it's pretty good but plain tea leaves are pretty hard to mess up :p
I've gone through a lot of tea since my last post. I've got several open bags at home. I'll list them later as I'm at work now (obviously). Here I'm currently drinking Pearl Green Tea from Prince of Peace, a gift from a visiting master. It's a flavorful tea, almost creamy with the finish - I tend to overbrew it because I like the bitterness (okay, not true, it's because I'm lazy about brewing at work).
Here's what I came here to post:
Quote:
Enjoy a relaxing bowl of tea with these beautiful goldfish-shaped teabags from Taiwan
Philip Kendall 2 days ago
https://sociorocketnewsen.files.word...pg?w=580&h=433
Despite what many Japanese and Americans think, when we Brits envisage having a cup of tea, it’s usually more “in a giant mug with biscuits for dipping and the TV on” than “cucumber sandwiches and sipping from a china cup.”
If we had access to teabags as delicate and beautifully designed as these Goldfish-shaped teabags from Taiwanese company Charm Villa, though, I think even we Brits might be inclined to switch off the TV and make tea-time chill-out time a bit more often.
Spotted by our Japanese sister site Pouch, these ornate teabags are perfect for a nice, relaxing cup of cha while overlooking a Japanese water garden or relaxing in a traditional ryokan.
Unlike the usual square or circular teabags we often throw into our mugs to make a quick brew, Charm Villa’s teabags feature a unique three-dimensional design and an assortment of flaps and fins to make them look exactly like a tiny goldfish peeping over the edge of your cup.
https://sociorocketnewsen.files.word...ng?w=580&h=432
They may start off pure white, but when placed in a cup – or bowl, if you’re feeling particularly whimsical – of hot water, the teabag fish (tea-fish?) will slowly start to change colour, becoming a rich golden-brown. Peer into your cup and you’d swear that there was a real goldfish swimming in it, albeit one that had taken the bait on the end of some indiscriminate fisherman’s line.
https://sociorocketnewsen.files.word...pg?w=580&h=432
It looks like Charm Villa’s products are currently only available to buy within Taiwan, but maybe if enough of us pester them on Facebook they’ll start shipping overseas, so be sure to stop by their page when you have a second.
Photos: Charm Villa, Facebook
▼ Someone get these fish some hot water to swim in!
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I thought I'd keep this thread rolling with an ongoing account of my current teas, but I don't keep up with it for some reason. Fortunately, other factors make this thread resurface occasionally. This time, it's our latest ezine offering: Rebuilding the Northern Shaolin Temple: Part 12: Fan Yi Hui Chan House - Beijing by Gregory Brundage
I read that and got to it by a link pasted on foolbook so it is getting exposure.
Narurally, there was a person with a kung fooey name, making the erudite comment "What is this?!?" Ahahaha!
Greetz gents,
Personally, I switch between a large bing of pu erh that I've had since 2008 (ya I know, it should probably be gone by now...:p) and a good oolong - my current fave is the "Supreme Jin Xuan Milk Oolong" that has a naturally buttery taste to it.
Oolong tea can clear the head and reduce red eyes, but sometimes I find it too "cold" for my digestion and over the course of a day can wind up with a headache or stomach ache, so I tend to drink it only for specific occasions, like when I need to clear my head or if there is a special guest for whom I am making gongfu cha.
Most of the time, I prefer pu erh with a couple of chrysanthemum flowers and a couple of dried rosebuds. Chrysanthemum clears heat from the eyes and the dried rose soothes "liver qi" - aka soothes the mood. Pu erh is versatile and I often add other substances like wu wei zi, the five flavored seed, which nourishes the precious fluids, or chen pi, the dried tangerine peel, which assists in digestion and helps transform phlegm.
I imagine all you tea purists out there are probably rolling your eyes :rolleyes: but tea is not just for straight drinking - it can be incorporated into an herbal formula to yield different results... like Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San - a powder of several herbs including oolong tea to relieve a headache caused by "cold wind invading the channels of the head" :p
...and that's the truth, Ruth!
peace
herb ox
Tomb Raider: "Drink your tea. It tastes very bad but is very good for you"
Of the numerous and equally wonderful reasons for tea are taste, health, pleasure, refreshment, healing, edification, wisdom and folly. ..and the wonderful alchemy of mixing them around
Here, we fix tea often as to whether we think you should be a saint, whether we think you got worms and bad teeth or D - all the above
Attachment 9357
My daily tea setup:
2 tone gaiwan from China - brought back from the mainland by a girlfriend some years back.
The pot in the background is just for doing my pour-offs - I almost never use it for brewing tea, it's just too big! We have 3 of these in our house so I snagged one for my office...
The drinking glass is from one of those yogurts that comes in the kewl glass jar. Love those! They make great makeshift cups for cupping therapy, too:D
Jin Xuan Milk Oolong in the cup ;)
Clearing the head for the afternoon shift. TGIF!
herb ox
Drink Lipton. it is cheaper and usually tastes better than the more expensive stuff I tried. To each his own. I'm fine with the so called low grade powder.
Attachment 9359
My tea set up
Herb Ox. Im not sure if you can tell in the photo you attached. But you have things floating in your cup. Might want to check before you drink that.
Greetings,
I enjoy Tetley Tea. There's something about them tiny little tea leaves.
A long time back there was "Ho Ho" brand Chinese Tea. It was served at Chinese restaurants in NYC. It was really good. It was like orange pekoe tea and it had a beautiful rich flavor. I wish I could find that again. Nothing else could top it except sassafras.
mickey.
Most Chinese restaurants serve Oolong as the house tea. It can range form a green to black tea. I only go to one Chinese place where I live. We have lots. They all suck but this one house. They are actually from Taiwan. And the tea they serve there is the best I ever had. Oolong. And, I bet it is pretty cheap too....
I have to ask him the next time I am there where I can get his tea.
Great people. I love this husband and wife team. Great food. Always glad to see me. The best service and food. On the west coast I hated all the Asian houses too. Everyone I went to I thought sucked. So, I ate Mexican mostly when I went out.
He was a Taiwan Marine too. Great guy! Why we don't have more like him in the world is beyond me but I'm glad I found him 17 years ago.
Attachment 9373
Oh call me when it's over
@boxerbilly - That's right... thanks for noticing. Here's how I check the contents of the cup before I drink:
- Observe the unfurling tea leaves
- Appreciate the aroma
- Examine the color of the infused liquid
- Enjoy the taste
Check my Supreme Mao Xie Oolong before and after hot water...
Attachment 9374
As Neville "Bunny Wailer" Livingston said: "the smell is as good as the taste" :cool:
Believe it or not - this is what tea is supposed to look like - not warehouse floor sweepings placed in a filter bag :eek: I mean, to each is own and we all have our individual preferences... but if you cut open your used tea bag and it looks like a poopy mess, ya gotta wonder - how can we tell what is in it?
IMHO most oolong served at Chinese-American (aka Chop Suey Kitchen, etc) restaurants is the lowest grade available. It is completely lacking in taste and aroma. However, I suppose it is one good way to understand the "terroir" of the local water supply :p
Now if you'll excuse me I need to refill my cup for the second steeping.
Peace
herb ox
LOL. Thank you.
Seems you are very educated with the herbs. I'm no stranger to their usage and study but I do not think as well as you. I know little of Chinese herbs.
Oh, could you recommend a good book on the foods the Chinese use for the different organs, etc. if you know one please.
Would have been better if you wrote warehouse floor droppings. I loved that last post!!!!!
Boba tea ain't real tea. And apparently, it ain't real boba either sometimes.
Quote:
Hospital finds milk tea boba balls in Chinese reporter's stomach actually made of something disgusting
by Danny Kichi on Fri, Oct 23, 2015
http://www.dramafever.com/st/news/im...fe31cd37a9.jpg
What people love most about milk tea boba, otherwise known as bubble tea, are the chewy and sweet tapioca balls sitting at the bottom of the drink. These delicious balls are usually made out of tapioca starch and brown sugar, but as one Chinese reporter recently found out, sometimes they're made out of something else.
A local reporter for Shangdong Television in Qingdao, China got a little thirsty while on the job just a while ago, so he ordered a milk tea boba from a local shop. A few hours after drinking the tea and munching on all the tapioca balls, he fell quite ill, so he went to the hospital for a check-up. After a number of tests, and with no answer as to what was causing his patient's distress, the doctor performed a CT scan and saw some undigested tapioca balls sitting at the bottom of the reporter's stomach. So the doctor extracted the balls and sent them to Qingdao University’s Chemical Experimentation Center, where scientists analyzed them to figure out what exactly these things were made of.
When the scientists reported back to the doctor that the tapioca balls were "highly adhesive," the doctor immediately relayed this information to his patient. And because he was a reporter, the man who had ingested these mysterious materials decided to do some investigating. What he found out while going undercover at the tea shop was something he had trouble digesting — literally. The tapioca balls that he so happily chewed on and swallowed a few weeks earlier were actually produced in a chemical plant and made out of the soles of leather shoes and tires. And yes, the shoes and tires were not new when they were recycled. Gross!
So if you ever go to Qingdao, you might want to make sure that the tapioca balls sitting at the bottom of your tea are actually made of something edible.
Delicious!
http://www.dramafever.com/st/news/im...1f534a107b.jpg
(Source: via)
I drink tea. Not bubble tea, nor anything other than hot water and the tea leaves.
Drink that **** at your own risk.
Which is now a real risk.
But I couldn't resist mentioning this here.
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James Bond stars drink kung fu tea in China
GBTIMES
2015/11/13
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Bond stars Daniel Craig and Léa Seydoux enjoyed kung fu tea in Changsha and attended the Spectre premiere in Beijing earlier this week. (Photo: Zhong Xin, Di Lu, China News Service)
Bond stars Daniel Craig and Léa Seydoux were seen enjoying kung fu tea in Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province on November 11.
The actors and producer Barbara Broccoli arrived to China on Tuesday to promote the latest Bond film Spectre, reported the Chinese language Red Net news.
The trio attended the recording of a popular talk show Tiantian Xiangshang (Day Day Up) during their stay in Changsha.
Craig and Seydoux were amazed and thoroughly impressed after witnessing a traditional kung fu tea ceremony, reported news site Sina Hunan.
Although one would think James Bond doesn't want tea but Mar-tea-ni, (stirred, not shaken) Craig revealed he loves the famous Chinese drink.
"I think this is a very good drink. I am very, very fond of it."
The star then joked about leaving his address to the audience so they could send some Chinese tea to him.
Seydoux, the new Bond girl, also loved the fragrant drink. The French beauty added her favourite alcoholic beverage isn’t French wine but Chinese beer.
"I like Qingdao beer," Seydoux told with a smile.
The actors also tasted Chinese Cassia wine and Seydoux loved it so much she wanted to take a bottle back home.
:) I always have a gallon jug of green tea sitting by the computer, sometimes it has citrus in it or just as often, ginseng. Other than that I drink a cup or two of coffee daily. Craft Beers, occasionally. " Bonding " with green tea can only be good for the business.
I'm constantly going through tea and never remembering to post about it here. Right now I'm drinking some Organic Bai Mu Dan (Silver Peony) white tea from Red Blossom Tea Company, which I picked up a few months ago, last time I was in Chinatown. It's alright - a little too much stem and shake in the mix. It was cheap and I was saving for my Spain trip. At least it's better than Tetley. :rolleyes:
Meanwhile, here's some cool tea news:
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World's Oldest Tea Discovered In An Ancient Chinese Emperor's Tomb
January 26, 20162:14 PM ET
JEREMY CHERFAS
http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2016...d-s600-c85.jpg
Loose-leaf green tea of the modern variety. Archaeologists have discovered ancient tea in the tomb of a Chinese emperor who died in 141 B.C. It's the oldest known physical evidence of tea. But scientists aren't sure if the emperor was drinking tea as we know it or using it as medicine.
iStockphoto
Tea is often referred to one of the world's oldest beverages. But just how old is it?
A Chinese document from 59 B.C. refers to a drink that might be tea, but scholars cannot be certain. Now, a new analysis proves that plant remains found in tombs 2,100 years old – about 100 years before that document – definitely are tea, the oldest physical evidence for the drink. And the buried tea was high-quality stuff, fit for an emperor.
That's no surprise, because one of the tombs, the Han Yangling Mausoleum in Xi'an in western China, was built for the Jing Emperor Liu Qi, who died in 141 B.C. The other tomb is the slightly younger Gurgyam Cemetery (maybe A.D. 200) in Ngari district, western Tibet. In both, archeologists found remains of millets, rice and a kind of spinach. They also found tiny leaf buds that bore an uncanny resemblance to the finest tea.
http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2016...5112-s1400.jpg
The 2,100-year-old tea leaves were found in the tomb of the Jing Emperor Liu Qi, who died in 141 B.C. His portrait hangs in the Han Yangling museum in Xianyang, China.
Brücke-Osteuropa/Wikimedia Commons
While those buds did look like tea, there was a chance they could be some other plant. To confirm their suspicions, the researchers compared the chemistry of the leaves with modern samples of tea. The ancient leaves contained unmistakable traces of caffeine, present in tea and also in a few other plants. The clincher was equally unmistakable traces of theanine, a chemical found only in plants of the tea family, with especially high levels in tea itself. Crystals found on the surface of the leaves also matched crystals on modern tea leaves.
Tea does not grow in the area of the tombs, so the evidence shows not only that it was present and valued enough to be buried with important people, but also that it was being imported to Xi'an at least 141 years B.C., and westwards into Tibet by the second century.
Gurgyam Cemetery also yielded woven silk cloth, metal bowls and a gold mask, further supporting the idea that luxury goods were already moving along early tracks of the Silk Road 2,000 years ago. It was Emperor Jing's son, Emperor Wu, who really promoted the development of trade along what became the Silk Road.
Dorian Fuller, professor of archaeobotany at University College, London, and a member of the research team, says he's pleased that modern science is able to provide details of ancient Chinese culture.
"The identification of the tea found in the emperor's tomb complex gives us a rare glimpse into very ancient traditions which shed light on the origins of one of the world's favorite beverages," he tells us.
Other scholars wonder whether the emperor was drinking tea as we know it, despite the apparent high-quality buds.
James Benn, professor of Buddhism and East Asian religions at McMaster University in Canada and author of the recent book Tea in China: A Religious and Cultural History, agrees that tea was consumed "in some form" 2,100 years ago.
"But," he adds, "I'm not convinced that this is a discovery of 'tea drinking' as it was later understood. It could have been used along with other ingredients in a medicinal soup, for example."
The remains from Gurgyam Cemetery in Tibet may support this view. They contained barley and other plants mixed with the tea. As the researchers write in the online Nature journal Scientific Reports, this offers the intriguing possibility that the plants "were consumed in a form similar to traditionally prepared butter tea, in which tea is mixed with salt, tsampa (roasted barley flour) and/or ginger in the cold mountain areas of central Asia."
No matter how it was being used, this research pushes back the verified history of tea in China and Tibet. Tradition says that tea came to Tibet as part of the Chinese princess Wencheng's dowry on her betrothal to the Tibetan Songtsen Gambo, around 640 A.D. The tea found in Gurgyam Cemetery is some 450 years older than that.
Tea Tuesdays is an occasional series exploring the science, history, culture and economics of this ancient brewed beverage.
Jeremy Cherfas is a biologist and science journalist based in Rome.
This came up on my newsfeed while I was reading news on my phone at lunch, and drinking tea. Spit-take worthy.Quote:
Anyone for a cuppa? Sculpture at a Chinese tea factory is dubbed 'vomiting teapot' after part of it turns bright green from algae
The sculpture is located outside a tea factory in Chongqing, China
Workers at factory say algae has turned the installation bright green
It has since been dubbed 'vomiting teapot' by Chinese internet users
By SOPHIE WILLIAMS FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 12:27 EST, 15 February 2016 | UPDATED: 13:56 EST, 15 February 2016
A decorative giant teapot in a Chinese tea factory has become famous after it was dubbed the 'vomiting teapot' by the public.
The art installation was intended to look like a floating teacup pouring a drink in tribute to China's favourite drink, the People's Daily Online reports.
It was built in 2013 by a tea factory in Chongqing, south west China's Sichuan province.
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Algae: Lichen has grown on a sculpture in Chongqing, causing the water part to turn green
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The sculpture is located outside of a tea factory in Chongqing, south west China's Sichuan province
The stream of water has been turning green for some time giving a murky and filthy effect.
Staff at the tea factory say that the water section of the teapot is around 10 feet long and is made from concrete.
Because of this, it is easily susceptible to algae which has turned the water section of the design bright green.
The hot climate in Chongqing has enabled lichen to grow on the sculpture.
Owners of the tea company have promised to begin maintenance on the artwork to restore it.
Other workers said that the sculpture has been repaired three times already due to the material used for the teapot.
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Impressive piece of work: The artwork was built in 2013 and was supposed to look like a levitating teapot
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Tea is number one: The sculpture was intended to pay homage to China's most popular drink
:eek: That tea looks like it would cause hallucinations.
I wonder what kind of tea they serve at Imperial Afternoon Tea. It's China, after all, where the bar for tea is set high.
Quote:
CHINA’S HIGH-END HOTELS PAY TRIBUTE TO ‘STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS’
BY JESSICA RAPP
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EAST Hotel’s Domain cafe is offering “Yoda Scones” among other Star Wars themed treats as part of their Imperial Afternoon Tea. (Courtesy Photo)
Star Wars hype may have died down (if only slightly) around the globe, but it’s only been less than two weeks since the film Star Wars: The Force Awakens debuted in China, making more than $100 million in ticket sales in the Chinese box office. In order to cash in on the hype, luxury hotels across China are channeling The Force with a host of Star Wars-themed promotions.
Fans of the film in Beijing are gearing up to honor it on January 23 at EAST Hotel’s Xian Bar for the Imperial Star Cruiser party. The celebration is part of the hotel’s month-long series of events dedicated to the film, and the hotel is one of several lifestyle brands joining in on the film’s marketing frenzy.
EAST partnered with Star Wars fan club 501st Legion and thus were allowed to use the names of the characters in their campaign—and they didn’t hold back. Along with the Xian party, which promises people in costume, EAST is offering “Imperial Afternoon Tea” at the hotel’s Domain cafe until the end of this month, featuring “R2D2 Macaroons,” “Chocolate Cherry Wookie Hair Mousse Cakes,” “Light Saber Cookies,” “Yoda Scones,” and “Ham Solo Paninis.” On a more serious note, the hotel, located in the capital’s bustling 798 Art District, is also playing host to a pop-up shop that features Star Wars-inspired art by Beijing-based artist Vincent Rondia.
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Star Wars-inspired artwork by Beijing-based artist Vincent Rondia. (Courtesy Photo)
Darth Vader also popped up at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, which encouraged clients to “clear and calm their mind like a Jedi” with a massage promoted via a photoshopped Twitter ad. The hotel also channeled Star Wars in a ****tail at its M Bar called “Dark Resolution.”
“Many of our colleagues (including myself) are fans of Star Wars and we want to also celebrate it in some small way,” said Director of Communications at Mandarin Oriental HK, Edwina Kluender. “The bar was a positive way to enjoy it with our regular guests. Plus, it was also fun for us to share this small initiative with our fans around the world on social media.”
While the hotels’ efforts weren’t part of official partnerships with Disney, they could reasonably be considered to be part of what Forbes is calling the Disney’s biggest success in the country, following disappointing box office results for China’s leg of the film franchise: “In China, consumers appear to love the licensed products, moderately enjoy the movie, and are ho-hum about the digital games,” it says.
Star Wars licensed products have been prevalent in China’s high-end fashion scene, with independent designers collaborating with Disney as it sought to educate its customers who have little relationship with the movie or sci-fi in general. On the educational end, Disney’s efforts seem to be working in China if EAST Hotel Communications Manager Mina Yan’s take is any representation. “The movies are so popular in both the Chinese and expat community that we don’t need to explain any of the jokes to anyone,” she said.
China’s Star Wars culture extends even further within Beijing’s boutique hotel scene. Hotel Éclat in Beijing’s design-centric Parkview Green shopping center already boasts a deluxe, Darth Vader-themed suite, while The Opposite House in Beijing is gearing up for its annual May the Fourth party. Even after the film has left the box office, The Force is likely to continue to live on in China’s lifestyle industries.
Attachment 9718
2015 Phoenix Oolong - much different than the usual oolong that I am used to. Instead of the tight green rolled leaves, this one is thin dark leaves - looks almost like kukicha but without the stems. The taste is significantly different than a typical oolong, too - a floral sandalwood aroma... taste lacking the vegetal quality usually encountered in high grade oolongs, with more of an almost metallic roasty taste, reminiscent of Tie Guan Yin. Smooth finish. Very nice - picked this one up from Haymun Daluz at Aroma Tea Shop near Clement St. in San Francisco last year, and it's still holding up well.
What next? Panda Express in China? :rolleyes:Quote:
Starbucks wants to start selling its own tea in China by September
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Already scheduled to open up its first coffee shop in Italy, Starbucks has bold ambitions for this year that also include bringing its own branded tea line to China, as well as the UK, France and Germany.
Bloomberg Business reports that the American coffee giant will begin introducing its Teavana products to China by September. While, globally, tea sales amount to more than $100 billion and Starbucks' tea sales rose 17% to nearly $1 billion since last year, bringing Teavana to China is a risky move.
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China has an ancient relationship with the beverage with legends claiming the first brew happened in 2737 B.C. Recently, archaeologists dug up the oldest evidence of its use in the tomb of a Han emperor. In the present day, China is the world's greatest consumer of tea. You can even get tea-flavored toothpaste!
Still, Starbucks already has some business acumen in China, having dealt with expired meat scandals and push-back against Western food companies.
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The 45-year-old company hopes to eventually have more outlets in China than in the US. Chief operating officer, Kevin Johnson, explains his faith in Teavana here:
“It’s very complementary to our coffee business. With Teavana -- similar to what we’ve done with coffee -- we’ve established a very premium brand.”
Starbucks will face plenty of local competition in the form of home-grown drinks like bubble milk tea as well as herbal offerings from outlets like KFC, China's most popular foreign brand.
By Matthew Patel
[Image via Flickr]
Contact the author of this article or email tips@shanghaiist.com with further questions, comments or tips.
By Shanghaiist in News on Mar 24, 2016 8:20 PM
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The secrets behind the perfect brew: Mesmerising photographs reveal the painstaking process of tea making in China
Pictures show farmers around China plucking, heating and drying tea leaves as the spring harvest season begins
Every step of the process is a form of art in the country where people have been drinking the brew for 3,000 years
Tea production takes place in most of the year, but the spring tea is considered the most valuable and desirable
By TRACY YOU FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 12:26 EST, 8 April 2016 | UPDATED: 13:55 EST, 8 April 2016
They say a cup of tea makes everything better, and that's never an overstatement.
The love affair between man and the aromatic beverage has lasted for more than 3,000 years. From planting, picking to brewing, every step of the tea making has grown into a form of art.
A collection of stunning pictures have emerged showing how tea leaves are harvested and processed across China, the birthplace of the popular drink.
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Brew-tea-ful: Tea-harvesting season takes place in China at the end of March and beginning of April. Farmers worked in the fields of Xuan'en County, Hubei Province, on March 31
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Gorgeous: The Wujiatai tea, a famous speciality of Hubei Province, has entered its harvest season in the stunning Xuan'en County
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Let's get the part-tea started: Farmers took part in a tea picking contest in Anshun, Guizhou Province, south-east China on March 29
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Perfect work spot: A worker picked tea leaves in Zhongcunba Village of Xuan'en County, central China's Hubei Province on April 7
The tea-harvesting season begins in China every spring, with many farmers heading out into the fields in China's rural areas to collect leaves for the perfect hot drink.
The peak time for tea-picking period falls at the end of March and the beginning of April when factories operate at full capacity.
Although tea production also takes places in summer and autumn, spring tea is always the highly desirable and pricey among Chinese drinkers, especially the so-called 'first pick' which is available on the market in April.
The Chinese people divide tea into six categories based on processing techniques: green tea, black tea, oolong tea, white tea, dark tea and yellow tea.
Depending on the type of tea, the crops will then go through a variety of treatment, including steaming, withering, heating, rolling, oxidation and drying. In large part of China, all of these steps are still done by human hands, which will make sure the final products carry the best flavour.
In the set of pictures, tea farmers around China can be seen plucking fresh tea leaves in the expansive and rolling plantations.
Most of the tea plantations are situated in eastern and southern part of the country, including Xuan'en County in Hubei Province, which is famous for its green tea, and Jing'an County in Jiangxi Province where quality white tea comes from.
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The pricey pluck: A farmer picked white tea at a tea garden in Jing'an County, east China's Jiangxi Province on March 28. The so-called 'first pick' in spring is considered most desirable and valuable
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A fragrant task: Workers air the newly picked tea leaves in Zhongcunba Village of Xuan'en County, April 7. Xuan'en green tea is said to have been favoured by many Chinese emperors
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Handle with care: Depending on the type of tea, the crops will then go through a variety of treatment. A worker heated tea leaves in a cooking pot in Xuan'en County on April 7
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Fresh tea leaves will undergo a series of treatment, including steaming, withering, heating, rolling, oxidation and drying. In large part of China, all of these steps are still done by human hands
China is known as the first country in the world to cultivate and drink tea leaves. People from southern China, where the plant originated, started enjoying the brew as early as 1122BC, according to historic records.
The world's oldest tea leaves have been discovered buried with royal treasures in the tomb of Jing Emperor Liu Qi, an ancient Chinese emperor who ruled more than 2,150 years ago, in the city of Xi'an, in China's Shaanxi Province, reported People's Daily Online.
It appears Emperor Jing, who was the fourth emperor of the Western Han Dynasty, enjoyed the drink so much he wanted to be buried with a large supply of tea leaves so he could drink it in the afterlife.
Unearthed in the tomb of Jing Emperor Liu Qi, the huge stash of tea buds provides some of the earliest evidence for the ancient Silk Road trade route that grew to stretch across Asia from China to Europe.
I've been really enjoying Daily Mail recently.Quote:
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FORGET ABOUT DIAMOND, HERE COMES THE LIQUID GOLD: A GUIDE TO THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE TEAS
Yellow Gold Tea Buds
At about £62 for 50 grams (25 cups), the leaves of this Chinese tea are painted with non-toxic 24-carat gold. They are harvested on one day a year with special golden scissors, and only from the top part of the tree.
Panda dung tea
Reportedly costing £127 a cup, this tea from China is not actually made with panda poo but grown in ground that is fertilised by the bear's excrement. Pandas only eat wild bambo, of which 30 per cent is absorbed into their body. The rest of the nutrients are in their waste, which, according to connoisseurs, makes the tea taste of bamboo.
Da Honh Pao
The half green-half black Da Honh Pao tea is similar to a heavy Darjeeling. The taste is described as rich and floral and lingers in the mouth several minutes after drinking. The £180 a pot tea is served at Royal China Club's restaurants in London.
Gyokuro
A Japanese green tea made from ungrounded leaves also known as Sencha, the leaves are shaded from the sun before they are harvest. 100g of the super-exclusive tea costs £26.
Tieguanyin
This Chinese tea costs £1,900 per kg. The Oolong tea leaf is robust and can be brewed up to seven times before it loses its flavour. The price is steep because the leaves are kneaded before being put into cloth bags so they make a pitch-perfect sound when they are poured into the cup.
Razzle dazzle: A worker removed impurities from the tea leaves in Xuan'en County on April 7. The region is famous for its green tea
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People from southern China, where the plant originated, started enjoying the brew as early as 1122BC, according to historic records
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Most of China's tea plantations are situated in eastern and southern part of the country. Above picture shows a tea planting garden in Liangwang Township of Rongjiang County, south-west China's Guizhou Province