Chinese Tea Project

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 ~ An Introduction
Tea is a beverage that has existed from centuries. For the Chinese, it is much more than a drink at the table, for it has great cultural value. Some teas include Longjing Tea, Green Tea, and Oolong Tea.

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The Legend and Legacy

Yan Di, a ruler from ancient times, was on a quest to discover herbal medicines. One day, he ingested an herb that poisoned him. A small drop of a water fell from a leaf of a tea tree, and aided Yan Dis recovery. Since then, tea has had a legacy of being and herbal medicine, and the drink received major popularity in the Tang Dynasty.

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Meaning to the People ~ Culture

Chinese tea has great cultural value. In ancient times, it was a herbal medicine. Although this is still true, now it has many other values associated with it. Tea has been integrated into the lives of Chinese people. It is used as a thank you gesture, as well as showing respect. Lifestyles like this date all the way back to the Qing Dynasty, when the emperor thanked his servant with tea.

The Tea Ceremony ~

Another major aspect of tea for the Chinese people, is the ceremony, which dates back to the Song Dynasty. focuses on the quality of the tea produced. The goal is to control five variables, which are: 1. Quality Of The Tea 2. Amount of Tea 3. Temperature Of The Water 4. Brewing Times 5. The Quality and Type Of Teapot

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The Daily Lives of People

Tea is an integral part of the lives of the Chinese. Tea is enjoyed both during and after a meal. Drinking and tasting are vastly different. Drinking tea can be for refreshment as well as for a herbal and tonic effect. Tasting is related to culture as mentioned earlier. In addition tea can be enjoyed at tea houses. Tea can be used for small gestures as well, Such as a thank you.

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Literature
In some cases, tea has become the highlight of some pieces of literature. For Lu Yu, tea helped develop the concept of Cha Ching (). The tea culture was also easily preserved in history because during the numerous dynasties, many people documented the art of the culture. Some writers include Cai Xiang () , Zhu Quan (), and Lu Yianchan ().

http://www.absolutechinatours.com/china-travel/Luyu-Tea.html

Seven Cups Fine Chinese Tea

The first cup kisses away my thirst, and my loneliness is quelled by the second. The third gives insight worthy of ancient scrolls, and the fourth exiles my troubles. My body becomes lighter with the fifth, and the sixth sends word from immortals. But the seventhoh the seventh cup if I drink you, a wind will hurry my wings toward the sacred island. -Lu Tong (trans. Christopher Nelson)

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Chinese Tea vs. Korean Tea The Similarities

Similar to that of Chinese tea, Korean tea also consists of flavors such as Oolong and Green tea (Oolong is known as Oryong in Korean). In addition there is also a tea culture and ceremony in Korea. For Koreans, history of the Korean Tea culture can be traced back to the Koryo Dynasty.

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The Differences
Aside from a distinct historical difference, the two cultures difference in many ways. Historically, itself was actually introduced from China, and later it was discovered that similar tea leaves grew in Korea. One confusing concept is that of green tea in Korea. One popular green tea is known as Sparrow Tongues, due to its delicate flavors and small leaves. Green tea is a common tea in Korean ceremonies. The ceremony itself is completed while garbed in Hanbok.

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Resources and Bibliography

Culture, Daily life and Introduction http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/cuisine_drink/tea/ http://chineseteas101.com/custom.htm http://www.ibiblio.org/chineseculture/contents/food/p-foodc03s03.html http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/cuisine_drink/tea/culture.h tm The Tea Ceremony http://www.thechineseteashop.com/gong-fu-cha.html http://www.teavivre.com/info/gongfu-tea/ http://www.thechineseteashop.com/gong-fu-cha.html Literature Sources http://www.ibiblio.org/chineseculture/contents/food/p-foodc03s05.html#Introduction

Resources and Bibliography (cont.)

Poem Sources http://www.sevencups.com/ Comparison Sources http://www.yekorea.com/menuframe1.html http://www.teance.com/category-s/112.htm http://www.easterntea.com/tea/koreantea.htm Other (Wikipedia was used as a gateway and for certain translations and sources, such as the poem by Lu Tong.) (Images found through Google)