Shou Mein

For many people, nothing beats greeting the morning with a nice cup of tea. Its refreshing, clean taste evokes a feeling of calmness and mindfulness. For more than four millennia, tea has delighted, inspired, and satisfied countless drinkers in all corners of the world. Olivia Yang, the author of The Art of Drinking Tea, said that “the Chinese are, without any doubt, the right people to understand everything about tea.” For thousands of years, the Chinese have practiced and maintained the art of tea cultivation, preparation, and consumption. As tea is deeply ingrained in Chinese culture, it is best to learn about it from them. Keep reading to know more about the utterly rich Chinese tea culture. Traditional Chinese Tea: The Basics There are several main types of Chinese tea, each one with distinct characteristics. Though all tea came from the same plant source - Camellia sinensis - they can be easily referred to as green tea, yellow tea, white tea, oolong tea, black tea, and dark tea. Here’s a brief description of each tea. Green Tea When you hear the word "tea," green tea is probably what first comes to your mind. After all, this is not just the oldest…