Tea Culture

Background information about tea in China:

World Tea News

• China Thirsts for the World’s Tea (Economics)
• The Coronavirus Impact on China’s Tea Harvest
• China Remains the World’s Top Tea Exporter
• China’s Tea Origins: Eastern Belt

Tsiosophy (Primary Source Materials with translations) Tsiosophy is the wisdom of tea, a journal devoted to the history and literature of Camellia sinensis and Chinese poetry. Primary source material (history, literature, reports) in Chinese with translations.  Some include:

• Cha jiu lun㤊䜦䂪 (Discourse Between Tea and Wine, ca 742-760)
• The Censor’s Jar 
• Poem Wang Fuli of the Qing Dynasty
• The Huzhou Lei Tea Jar
• Tea in the Warring States Period
• Tea in the Han Dynasty
• A Little Tea Book
• Chronologies for China, Japan and Korea 

Chazhidao Chinese Tea Traditions School: The Way of Tea Online Course (free) Lessons include main categories (below) and subcategories:

• An insight into the modern Chinese tea tradition. Tea.
• An insight into the modern Chinese tea tradition. Basic brewing techniques and the choice of tea-ware.
• Tea production and brewing history in China
• Modern methods of tea leaf processing in China
• Pin Cha Method of brewing Chinese tea (includes videos)

Examples of some lessons include:

• Types of Chinese tea
• Two Types of pu-er
• Brewing of Chinese Tea
• History of Tea (4 periods)

Database with list of types of tea (includes name, form, type, province, picture w/map)

Tea pot forms:  Includes many different types of tea posts with pictures

Map (map of China with various tea)

Other Resources:

• How important the Tea Was in Ancient China?, China Culture.org
• A tea town infused with prosperity, China Culture.org
• Plantations cultivate poverty alleviation in a Guiangxi village, China Culture.org
• Turning over a new leaf, China Culture.org
• Tea aroma lingers in mountainous village China Culture.org with video
• Cultivating prosperity infused with dedication, China Culture.org
• Chinese Tea: Tea & Health, Tea Tourism, Tea Customs, Tea How-to, Videos, Gallery
• Chinese Tea in World History, Education About Asia
• Tea Culture in China, National Museum of Asian Art

 

Background material about tea in Japan:

World Green Tea Association: Includes varieties of tea, utilization of tea, distribution and consumption, culture, scientific research, natural powers of tea, history, tea cultivation:

• Teach me Tea cha: extensive source of information about tea
• Encyclopedia of O-CHA(tea): includes terms, processing of tea
• Culture and manner: how to prepare Japanese and black tea
• Health Benefits: benefits of different types of tea
• History of Tea in Japan
• Different kinds of tea in Japan (pdf)
• Classification of Tea in the World (pdf)

Ito en:  Largest green tea distributor in Japan https://www.itoen-global.com/

• All about Green Tea
• Varieties of Japanese green tea
• How to prepare the perfect cup of Japanese green tea
• Production of green tea in Japan, tea growing regions
• Major components and health benefits of Japanese green tea
• History of Japanese green tea

Other Resources:

• The New Way of Tea, website including virtual tour
• A Historical Walk through Japanese Tea
• Reviving Japan’s Tea Lands, World Tea News
• The Culture and History of Uji Tea
• Tea Museum Shizuoka
• Japanese Green Tea Cultivation - Green Tea Farm - Green Tea Harvest and Processing (Youtube)
• How Japanese Green Tea is Made  (Youtube)
• A Tea Leaf Growing (Timelapse) (Youtube)
• Tea, Japan-guide.com
• History of Tea, Five College Consortium
• Chanoyu: The Japanese Art of Tea, Asian Art Museum
• What Is Teachable about Japanese Tea Practice?, Education About Asia
• The New Way of Tea, Asia Society/Japan Society (includes virtual tour)

 

Background material about tea in Korea:

• Taste Korea’s Tea History, World Tea News
• The Korean Way of Tea in History and Today (Youtube)
• Tea Culture in Korea (Youtube)
• Visiting a Korean Tea Plantation | Boseong, South Korea (Youtube)
• Premium Tea on the Rise in South Korea

• Tea Museum of Korea

 

Background material about tea in East Asia:

• The history of Tea – Shunan Teng (TED-Ed 4’) – Youtube Link 
• Chinese Green Tea: How it's made, with Master Gu – Youtube Link
• Let's Talk Tea with Steven Owyoung – Youtube Link
• Negotiating Religious and Cultural Diversity in Tang China: An Analysis of the Cha jiu lun 茶酒論 – pdf link

The 4^th International Conference on O-CHA (Tea) Culture and Science (articles):

• Production Technique of Shade Grown High Quality Tea in Japan - Matcha tea cultivation and production – pdf link
• Green tea production technologies in Shizuoka – pdf link
• Tea Production and Tea Products in Japan – pdf link
• A Mechanized Tea Cultivation System in Kagoshima, Japan – pdf link
• Studies on aroma formation mechanisms during tea manufacturing suggest methods not only to improve the quality of made teas, but also to produce new types of teas – pdf link
• Contribution of scientific innovation and environmental friendly strategies on the development of Chinese tea industry – pdf link
• The Korean Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis): RFLP Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Relationship to Japanese Tea – pdf link
• Bactericidal activity of green tea extracts: the importance of catechin containing nano particles – pdf link
• Antimicrobial properties of green tea catechins – link to article
• Tea’s Probiotic and Prebotic Benefits Fit Global Needs, World Tea News

 

Gardens:

Portland Japanese Garden (virtual visit)

Teaching Resources/Lesson Plans:

• Standage, Tom.  A History of the World in Six Glasses. 2006.

• Celadon Wares and Tea Culture, Cleveland Art Museum
• The Way of Tea, Asian Art Museum (video)
• Tea Ritual, San Jose State University
• Steeped in History: The Art of Tea, Fowler Museum at UCLA
• Technology and Tea Culture, National Museum of Asian Art