On February 21, 1972, a cold wind swept across the runway at Beijing Capital Airport as an American presidential aircraft came to a stop.

The eyes of the world were fixed on the aircraft door.

When U.S. President Richard Nixon stepped onto Chinese soil, few could predict how profoundly the following week would reshape global history. The United States and the People's Republic of China had been separated by more than two decades of political isolation, mutual suspicion, and limited communication. To most Americans, China remained a distant and mysterious land. To many Chinese, America seemed equally unfamiliar.

Television cameras captured what would become one of the most iconic images of the twentieth century: Richard Nixon shaking hands with Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai.

That handshake ended more than twenty years of diplomatic estrangement.

It also became one of the defining moments of Cold War history.

Historians would later call Nixon's visit "the week that changed the world." Most discussions focus on diplomacy, strategy, geopolitical realignment, and the long-term impact on international relations. Yet hidden beneath those monumental events was another story, one that rarely appears in history textbooks.

Throughout that remarkable week, one silent participant appeared at nearly every important meeting, banquet, and conversation.

It delivered no speeches.

It signed no agreements.

It occupied no official seat at the negotiating table.

Yet it was always present.

It was tea.

Decades later, many American journalists who accompanied Nixon still recalled how deeply tea seemed woven into daily life in China. Whether in the Great Hall of the People, the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, or beside the tranquil waters of West Lake in Hangzhou, tea was everywhere.

And in its own quiet way, tea became part of one of the most fascinating cultural stories in modern diplomatic history.

From the Boston Tea Party to Beijing Tea Cups

In a curious twist of history, America's relationship with tea stretches back long before Nixon's visit to China.

On the evening of December 16, 1773, the harbor of Boston became the stage for one of the most famous acts of protest in American history. Disguised as Native Americans, a group of colonists boarded British ships and dumped 342 chests of tea into the icy waters below.

The event became known as the Boston Tea Party.

For Americans, it remains one of the defining symbols of resistance against British rule and a major precursor to the American Revolution.

In a sense, tea helped give birth to the United States.

At that moment in history, tea represented protest, rebellion, and political defiance.

Nearly two hundred years later, however, tea would come to symbolize something entirely different.

In 1773, Americans threw tea into the sea.

In 1972, the Chinese served tea to an American president.

History has a remarkable sense of irony.

The same beverage that once fueled conflict would eventually help foster understanding.

The Mysterious China Americans Had Never Seen

Before Nixon's visit, most Americans knew very little about China beyond headlines and political rhetoric.

For more than two decades, there had been virtually no meaningful exchange between the two countries. To many Americans, China remained a largely unknown society hidden behind a political curtain.

When American television networks began broadcasting Nixon's trip, millions of viewers watched with fascination.

They saw Beijing's broad avenues.

They saw the Forbidden City.

They saw the Great Wall stretching across mountain ridges.

They saw the picturesque beauty of Hangzhou's West Lake.

But they also noticed something else.

The Chinese seemed to drink tea constantly.

There was tea during meetings.

Tea during breaks.

Tea at banquets.

Tea during informal conversations.

Even at the highest levels of government, tea appeared far more frequently than coffee.

For Americans raised in a coffee-centered culture, this was both unfamiliar and intriguing.

Many journalists began to realize that tea in China represented far more than a simple beverage.

Kissinger's Unexpected Love Affair with Dragon Well Tea

In fact, the first senior American official to be charmed by Chinese tea was not Nixon, but Henry Kissinger.

In 1971, Kissinger made his famous secret trip to China, laying the groundwork for Nixon's historic visit.

During meetings at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, Premier Zhou Enlai welcomed his American guest according to Chinese tradition, serving him premium Longjing tea, also known as Dragon Well tea.

For Kissinger, who was accustomed to coffee and Western beverages, the experience was entirely new.

The tea was pale and crystal clear.

Its aroma was delicate yet persistent.

Its flavor seemed subtle at first, only revealing its complexity over time.

According to a widely circulated story, Zhou later presented Kissinger with a kilogram of top-grade Longjing tea as a gift.

When Kissinger returned to Washington, however, the tea reportedly attracted considerable attention among colleagues and government officials eager to taste this famous Chinese tea.

Before long, much of the tea had been shared.

When Kissinger returned to China months later, he supposedly joked to Zhou that his precious tea had been "stolen" by friends and colleagues.

Zhou laughed and arranged for more Longjing tea to be sent.

Whether every detail of the story is perfectly accurate or not, it illustrates something important: tea often succeeded where formal diplomacy could not.

It created personal connections.

A Swan Crosses the Pacific

Nixon did not arrive empty-handed.

Among the gifts prepared for the Chinese leadership was a remarkable porcelain sculpture known as The Bird of Peace.

Created by renowned American porcelain artist Edward Marshall Boehm, the sculpture featured a graceful family of swans.

Every feather was sculpted in extraordinary detail.

The piece appeared almost alive.

In Western culture, swans symbolize peace, loyalty, elegance, and harmony.

The choice was deliberate.

The sculpture represented the hope that two nations that had spent decades facing one another across ideological divides could begin building a more cooperative future.

Today, the porcelain swan remains a fascinating reminder of the symbolic role that art and culture can play in diplomacy.

Why Did the Chinese Always Seem to Be Drinking Tea?

As the visit continued, American observers became increasingly curious about China's relationship with tea.

The Chinese appeared to have an occasion for tea at every moment.

Friends drank tea together.

Guests were welcomed with tea.

Business discussions involved tea.

Even reconciliation often happened over tea.

In America, coffee often serves as a social lubricant.

In China, tea occupies an even deeper role.

Tea is not merely a beverage.

It is a language of hospitality.

A symbol of respect.

A means of creating an atmosphere conducive to conversation.

Many visitors discovered that trust was often built not across formal negotiating tables, but during quieter moments shared over cups of tea.

Hangzhou: The City That Captivated an American President

Among all the destinations on Nixon's itinerary, Hangzhou stood out as one of the most memorable.

For centuries, Chinese poets had celebrated Hangzhou as "Heaven on Earth."

For tea lovers, it was the birthplace of China's most famous green tea.

West Lake's beauty made an immediate impression on Nixon and the American delegation.

The calm waters reflected distant hills.

Willow branches swayed gently along the shore.

Mist drifted across the landscape.

Many American journalists were surprised.

They had expected a revolutionary state.

Instead, they found one of the world's most beautiful cultural landscapes.

Premier Zhou Enlai understood the symbolic importance of Hangzhou.

To introduce visitors to China, few places could have been more effective.

The Dish That Surprised Nixon

During a state banquet in Hangzhou, Nixon encountered one of the region's most famous culinary creations: Longjing Shrimp.

The dish combines fresh shrimp with young Dragon Well tea leaves.

For Chinese diners, it is a classic local specialty.

For Nixon, it was something entirely unexpected.

Tea in food?

The idea challenged many Western assumptions.

Until that moment, most Americans thought of tea only as a drink.

Longjing Shrimp revealed another dimension of Chinese tea culture.

Tea could influence cuisine just as deeply as it influenced daily life.

The dish left a lasting impression on many members of the American delegation.

Crystal Glasses and Chinese Tea Cups

The American delegation brought elegant crystal glasses engraved with the presidential seal.

These beautifully crafted objects reflected Western traditions of ceremonial hospitality.

Yet many Americans soon noticed a striking contrast.

The most meaningful conversations often took place not around crystal glasses, but around simple Chinese tea cups.

On one side stood luxury and formality.

On the other stood simplicity and conversation.

Many journalists later recalled the tea cups more vividly than the crystal glasses.

Because what mattered was not the vessel itself, but the human connection it helped create.

"Chairman Mao Has Given You Half of China"

Of all the tea stories associated with Nixon's visit, none has become more famous than the tale of Da Hong Pao.

During a gift exchange, Chairman Mao Zedong presented Nixon with four liang of Da Hong Pao tea, roughly 200 grams.

To American eyes, the gift appeared surprisingly modest.

A president travels halfway around the world and receives only a small package of tea?

Sensing Nixon's confusion, Zhou Enlai smiled and offered an explanation.

"Mr. President," Zhou reportedly said, "Chairman Mao has given you half of China."

Nixon looked puzzled.

Zhou then explained that according to a widely circulated account, the original Da Hong Pao mother bushes produced only about eight liang of tea annually.

By giving away four liang, Mao had effectively given Nixon half of the year's harvest.

In other words, half of his "kingdom."

The room erupted in laughter.

Nixon reportedly appreciated both the gift and the humor behind it.

More than fifty years later, the story remains one of the most beloved legends in Chinese tea history.

Did Nixon Ever Drink the Da Hong Pao?

An intriguing question naturally follows.

Did Nixon ever actually drink the tea?

Unfortunately, history provides no definitive answer.

No official records reveal what ultimately happened to the famous gift.

Was it brewed and enjoyed?

Was it preserved as a diplomatic keepsake?

No one knows for certain.

Many historians believe Nixon likely sampled at least some of it.

After all, he had already developed an interest in Chinese tea during the visit.

Yet whether he drank it or not, he may not have fully understood its cultural significance.

In Chinese culture, the most meaningful gift is not always the most expensive one.

Often, it is the gift that is hardest to part with.

The phrase "half of China" was never really about monetary value.

It was about sincerity.

Can Anyone Drink Nixon's "Half of China" Today?

For tea enthusiasts, another question naturally arises.

Can modern tea drinkers still experience the same Da Hong Pao that Nixon received?

The answer is both yes and no.

The original Da Hong Pao came from a handful of ancient tea bushes growing on the cliffs of Jiulongke in the Wuyi Mountains.

These legendary bushes produced extremely small quantities of tea each year.

Over time, their historical importance became so great that authorities eventually ended commercial harvesting.

In 2006, the final official harvest was completed, and the mother bushes entered permanent protection.

No new tea from the original mother bushes reaches the market today.

In that sense, Nixon's Da Hong Pao belongs to history.

Yet the story does not end there.

Over the decades, growers propagated new tea plants from the original bushes through vegetative cloning.

These descendants preserve many of the characteristics that made Da Hong Pao famous.

Modern Da Hong Pao may not come directly from the legendary mother bushes, but it continues their lineage.

When tea lovers around the world brew a cup today, they are still experiencing a living connection to that remarkable history.

America Discovers Chinese Tea

When Nixon returned home, America experienced a wave of fascination with China.

Bookstores are filled with books about Chinese culture.

Restaurants introduced more Chinese cuisine.

Giant pandas became international celebrities.

And Chinese tea entered American awareness on an unprecedented scale.

For many Americans, Nixon's visit was their first introduction to names like Longjing, Da Hong Pao, and Jasmine tea.

Importers began exploring opportunities to bring Chinese teas into the United States.

Specialty tea merchants started studying Chinese tea traditions.

The foundations of today's American premium tea market were quietly being laid.

A Leaf That Carried a Civilization

Viewed from a Western perspective, one of the most remarkable aspects of Nixon's visit was not a political agreement or a strategic breakthrough.

It was the Chinese relationship with tea.

In much of the West, tea is primarily a commodity.

In China, tea often represents something deeper.

Balance.

Restraint.

Harmony.

Respect.

Tea does not seek attention through intensity.

Instead, it rewards patience and reflection.

Those values are woven into centuries of Chinese culture.

And in 1972, they offered a subtle yet powerful lesson in diplomacy.

On the evening of February 27, 1972, after the Shanghai Communiqué had been finalized, Nixon returned to the presidential suite on the 16th floor of Shanghai's Jin Jiang Hotel. Beyond the windows lay the glittering lights of Shanghai, while below stretched the gardens of one of China's most important state guesthouses. Only hours earlier, he and Premier Zhou Enlai had helped achieve one of the most significant diplomatic breakthroughs of the Cold War. Waiting for him in the quiet of the suite were briefing papers, official documents, and perhaps most fittingly, a freshly prepared cup of Chinese tea.

A Cup of Tea Cannot Change the World—But It Can Change People

Of course, no serious historian would argue that tea alone transformed U.S.-China relations.

The forces behind that historic breakthrough were strategic, political, and global in scale.

Yet history is not made only through treaties and official documents.

It is also shaped by human moments.

A handshake.

A shared laugh.

A porcelain swan.

A crystal glass.

A gift of Dragon Well tea.

Four liang of Da Hong Pao is known as "half of China."

From the Boston Tea Party of 1773 to the tea diplomacy of Beijing in 1972, tea witnessed one of the most remarkable transformations in international relations.

Once, it symbolized protest and division.

Later, it became a bridge of understanding.

Perhaps a single tea leaf cannot change the world.

But it can bring strangers to the same table.

It can encourage conversation.

It can create understanding where none existed before.

And sometimes, history begins with something as simple as a cup of tea.

The reality is far more nuanced.

Factory puerh and boutique puerh represent two different approaches to making and presenting tea. Neither exists to replace the other, and neither can be judged solely by price, rarity, or production scale. Understanding the difference requires looking beyond marketing language and examining the goals behind each model.

Modern puerh tea culture was built largely upon the foundation established by major tea factories. For decades, these factories played a central role in processing tea, developing production standards, and creating many of the products that shaped how consumers understand puerh today. Some of the most influential recipes in the history of puerh tea originated from factory production systems designed to maintain consistency across years and generations.

This idea of consistency is perhaps the defining characteristic of factory puerh.

When people purchase a well-known factory tea, they are often looking for a familiar experience. While each year's harvest naturally reflects slight variations in weather and growing conditions, the overall character of the tea is intended to remain recognizable. Consumers know roughly what to expect from the aroma, texture, structure, and aging potential because the tea follows an established style that has been refined over many years.

Achieving that level of consistency is far more complicated than many people realize. Large factories typically source leaf material from multiple regions and combine different lots through a process known as blending. Outside the tea world, blending is sometimes misunderstood as a way to lower quality. In reality, blending has long been one of the most respected skills in traditional tea production.

A skilled blender understands how different materials complement one another. One region may contribute body and depth, another may provide fragrance, while a third may improve the tea's aging potential. The goal is not to hide imperfections but to create balance. In many cases, a well-executed blend can produce a more complete and harmonious tea than any single source could achieve on its own.

Boutique puerh emerged from a different set of priorities.

As consumers became increasingly interested in terroir, origin, and traceability, demand grew for teas that expressed the unique characteristics of specific mountains, villages, or even individual tea gardens. Rather than pursuing consistency year after year, many boutique producers sought to highlight the differences that make each harvest distinctive.

This approach allows tea drinkers to experience the diversity of Yunnan's tea-growing regions in a more direct way. A tea from one mountain may display intense floral aromatics, while another emphasizes bitterness, minerality, sweetness, or powerful qi. For experienced enthusiasts, exploring these differences can be one of the most fascinating aspects of the puerh journey.

However, uniqueness comes with trade-offs.

A remarkable tea from one harvest may be impossible to reproduce the following year. Weather conditions change. Raw materials vary. Even slight differences in processing can significantly affect the final result. Boutique puerh often embraces this variability as part of its appeal, viewing each production as a snapshot of a particular place and time rather than an attempt to create a permanent house style.

Because of this, discussions about whether factory puerh or boutique puerh is "better" often miss the point.

The two categories are pursuing different objectives.

Factory puerh generally prioritizes consistency, balance, and continuity. Boutique puerh often prioritizes individuality, terroir expression, and exploration. Comparing them directly is similar to comparing a symphony orchestra with a solo performance. Both can be exceptional, but they are designed to deliver different experiences.

There is another misconception, particularly among Western consumers, that deserves attention.

Many people hear the term "factory tea" and immediately associate it with mass-produced industrial products. In other industries, factory production often implies lower quality, heavy automation, and a focus on volume over craftsmanship. Applying that assumption to puerh tea can be misleading.

Puerh remains fundamentally an agricultural product. Regardless of the size of the producer, quality begins with the tea leaves themselves, the growing environment, harvesting standards, and processing decisions. Even large factories continue to rely heavily on traditional methods such as hand-plucking and sun-drying. Production may occur on a larger scale, but scale alone does not determine quality.

In fact, larger factories often possess advantages that smaller producers may struggle to match. Extensive quality control systems, experienced production teams, long-term sourcing relationships, and decades of accumulated expertise all contribute to the consistency of the final product. Standardization in this context is not about making tea generic. Rather, it is about reducing unnecessary variation while preserving a recognizable style.

History provides further evidence that factory tea should not be dismissed as ordinary industrial output. Many of the most celebrated and collectible puerh teas ever produced came from large factories. These teas earned their reputations not because they were rare or exclusive, but because they demonstrated quality, reliability, and the ability to age gracefully over time.

The distinction between factory puerh and boutique puerh is therefore not a simple contrast between industrial and artisanal production. A more accurate way to view it is as a contrast between established blends and individual expressions, between continuity and experimentation, between consistency and uniqueness.

For newcomers, factory teas often provide an excellent foundation for understanding the fundamentals of puerh. They offer reference points that help tea drinkers develop their palate and learn how puerh evolves with age. Once that foundation is established, exploring boutique productions can become even more rewarding because the differences are easier to recognize and appreciate.

Interestingly, many experienced puerh drinkers eventually stop viewing factory and boutique teas as opposing categories. Instead, they enjoy both for different reasons. Some days call for the comfort of a familiar classic. Other days invite the excitement of discovering something entirely new.

In the end, the richness of the puerh world comes not from choosing one side over the other, but from understanding what each approach contributes to the remarkable diversity of this unique tea tradition.

Storage is not a fixed category but a continuous process shaped by climate, handling, and time.

Climatic Differences and General Characteristics

Kunming and Guangdong represent two very different climatic environments.

Kunming is relatively dry and mild, with stable humidity throughout the year. Tea stored in this environment tends to age more slowly and retain more of its original aromatic structure and bitter backbone. The tea often feels clearer in aroma expression, with a more linear structure, especially in the early and mid stages of aging.

Guangdong is warmer and significantly more humid. This accelerates the transformation of puerh tea, allowing it to reach a more integrated and mature profile more quickly. Bitterness softens earlier, texture becomes rounder, and deeper notes such as aged wood, camphor, dried fruit, or mild medicinal sweetness tend to appear sooner.

However, these are only broad tendencies. In real practice, storage conditions vary widely even within the same region.

Practical Storage Experience and Common Misunderstandings

From an operational point of view, Kunming storage is often misunderstood as simply “the drier the better.” In reality, excessive dryness or lack of air exchange can also cause problems. Tea may retain aroma but lose structural depth, resulting in a thin or flat body over time. Proper Kunming storage requires balance rather than extreme dryness.

Guangdong storage, on the other hand, is often misunderstood internationally as being equivalent to heavy or problematic wet storage. In reality, modern Guangdong storage exists on a wide spectrum. When properly managed, it can produce clean, stable aging with good depth and texture. The main issue is not humidity itself, but stagnation caused by poor airflow or excessive storage density. This can lead to a “stuffy” character that requires time and controlled airing to resolve.

In actual practice, storage is rarely static. Many teas move between different environments during their life cycle. It is common to place tea in a more humid environment in the early stage to help it open up, and later transfer it to a drier environment for slower maturation. This staged approach is often more balanced than relying on a single storage condition throughout.

How to Identify Storage Style in Practice

When evaluating storage, aroma alone is not enough. A more reliable assessment comes from observing multiple aspects together.

Kunming-stored teas typically present a clearer and more direct aromatic profile. The liquor is often lighter in color, and the structure feels more linear, with a relatively straightforward progression from initial sip to aftertaste. The overall impression is clarity and separation, with slower integration over time.

Guangdong-stored teas usually show a deeper liquor color and a thicker mouthfeel. The entry is softer and more rounded, and although the aroma may be less high-pitched, it tends to create a stronger coating and persistence in the mouth. The development in the mid and late palate is often more noticeable.

These are tendencies rather than fixed rules, as storage is only one factor among many.

Material, Compression, and Final Structure

It is important to emphasize that storage alone does not determine the final character of a puerh tea. Compression method, raw material quality, and age all play significant roles.

A lightly compressed or finer material tea may retain clarity even under Guangdong storage, while a tightly compressed tea may remain closed even in Kunming conditions. This is why storage labels should always be interpreted together with the tea’s physical structure and origin.

Another often overlooked aspect is the de-storage or airing phase, especially for Guangdong-stored teas. Before entering the market, many teas undergo a period of ventilation and rest to allow accumulated storage notes to dissipate. Without this step, the tea may appear unfinished, which contributes to misunderstandings about southern storage.

Conclusion

Kunming storage and Guangdong storage are not opposing systems but different speed profiles within the same natural aging process. Kunming emphasizes slower structural preservation and clarity, while Guangdong emphasizes faster integration and earlier maturity. Experienced practitioners do not treat either as superior; instead, they adjust storage decisions based on the characteristics of each tea.

Ultimately, a good puerh tea is not defined by the place it was stored, but by whether its evolution over time achieves balance, coherence, and stability. Storage is not a static label but a dynamic process shaped by time, environment, and the material itself.

To answer these questions, Chinese tea cannot be approached purely from a modern marketing perspective. Its naming system was formed long before tea became a standardized consumer product. At its core, Chinese tea naming reflects agricultural knowledge and cultural tradition, rather than a system designed to guide quick purchasing decisions.

The Origins of Chinese Tea Names: A System Older Than Product Branding

The earliest Chinese tea names were not created to distinguish brands, but to identify recognizable teas. Before and during the Tang dynasty, teas were commonly named after places or physical characteristics. In The Classic of Tea (Cha Jing), most recorded tea names directly reference prefectures, counties, or mountains, such as Mengding Tea, Yangxian Tea, or Guzhu Zisun. Their purpose was to communicate origin, not taste.

By the Song dynasty, as tribute tea systems and whisked tea culture flourished, tea names became increasingly aesthetic and symbolic. Names such as Dragon and Phoenix Cake Tea, Snow Bud, or Silver Leaf emphasized appearance, rarity, and cultural refinement. These names were created within a shared cultural context and were never intended to be explanatory for unfamiliar audiences.

Historical records also show that the number of tea names expanded steadily over time. Tang dynasty sources record roughly one hundred identifiable tea names, mostly regional or tribute teas. By the Song dynasty, documented tea names had grown into the several hundreds. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, as loose-leaf tea replaced compressed cakes and regional production diversified, the number of identifiable tea names exceeded one thousand. In modern times, especially within systems such as Pu-erh tea, hundreds of additional names emerged based on mountains, villages, and micro-regions. This complexity was not artificially created; it is the natural result of centuries of agricultural practice.

Five Major Naming Logics in Modern Chinese Tea

Despite its apparent complexity, most Chinese tea names follow a limited number of underlying logics. Understanding these categories is far more useful than memorizing individual names.

First, origin-based names. This is the most fundamental naming method in Chinese tea. Examples include Longjing, Pu-erh, Anxi Tieguanyin, Yiwu, Ban Zhang, and Bingdao. These names do not promise a specific flavor; instead, they point to a place whose natural environment and processing traditions have been validated over time.

Second, names based on natural imagery or leaf appearance. Examples include Silver Needle, Bi Luo Chun, Sparrow’s Tongue, and Mao Feng. These names describe the appearance of the dry leaf or buds, not the final taste in the cup.

Third, process- or technique-based names. Terms such as Dancong, Yan Cha (rock tea), Sheng Pu-erh, Shu Pu-erh, sun-dried green, or steamed green describe cultivation methods or processing choices. These names function as technical language within the Chinese tea system and require background knowledge to interpret accurately.

Fourth, names derived from religion, history, or legend. Famous examples include Tieguanyin, Da Hong Pao, and Junshan Silver Needle. These names do not describe flavor, but rather cultural lineage, historical prestige, or symbolic meaning.

Fifth, composite names that combine multiple layers of information. A name such as “2021 Yiwu Zhengshan Ancient Tree Sheng Pu-erh” simultaneously communicates year, region, mountain system, tree age concept, and processing style. In China, this is considered transparent information; for Western consumers, it often appears overwhelming.

Why the Same Tea Name Can Taste Completely Different

One of the most important concepts for Western drinkers to understand is that in Chinese tea, the same name does not imply the same taste. A tea name functions more like a coordinate range than a fixed recipe.

Variation begins at the micro-regional level. Even within the same named origin, differences in village location, altitude, slope orientation, soil composition, sunlight, and fog can significantly affect aroma and structure. In Chinese tea culture, such variation is expected and often valued.

Harvest timing is another major factor. Tea picked before Qingming, after rain, in spring, summer, or autumn can express dramatically different characteristics, even when coming from the same garden.

Tea cultivar and tree age also play a critical role. Under a single tea name, different cultivars may be used, such as traditional Longjing population varieties versus Longjing No.43, or plantation-grown versus ancient-tree material in Pu-erh tea. These differences strongly influence body, bitterness, and aftertaste.

Equally important is the tea maker. Chinese tea is not fully industrialized; decisions made during fixation, rolling, oxidation, and roasting depend heavily on experience. As a result, “who made the tea” can matter as much as “what the tea is called.”

Finally, time itself can be a variable. For teas such as Pu-erh or aged white tea, storage conditions and aging continuously reshape aroma and structure. Even teas with identical names and origins can evolve very differently.

Chinese Tea Names Are Not Standardized Product Names

To truly understand Chinese tea naming, one key distinction must be made: Chinese tea names are not equivalent to standardized product names in Western food and beverage systems. In Western markets, a product name usually implies consistency, reproducibility, and predictable flavor. Stability is part of perceived quality.

Chinese tea developed in a very different context. Traditional tea production prioritized adaptation to place, season, and human judgment. Tea names were never designed to guarantee identical outcomes, but to indicate a recognized tradition of origin and craft. A Chinese tea name is therefore closer to a shared cultural language than to a precise flavor specification.

This explains why discussions of authenticity in Chinese tea focus on origin, processing approach, and stylistic lineage rather than conformity to a single taste profile. For Western drinkers, understanding this difference helps reset expectations: variation does not equal poor quality, and exploration is part of the experience.

How Dragon Tea House Organizes Tea Names

At Dragon Tea House, our classification philosophy follows this traditional logic while remaining accessible. We begin with tea types — green, white, oolong, black, and dark tea — as the primary entry point, helping drinkers understand broad processing styles and general character. Within certain categories, especially oolong tea, we further organize by core production regions such as Wuyi rock teas, Anxi oolongs, and Phoenix Dancong, because the regional environment plays a defining role in these styles.

Only after tea type and region do we present specific traditional tea names. This structure helps avoid treating tea names as standardized products and instead frames them as gateways into established traditions. Within the same tea name, we often offer multiple grades, styles, or vintages, allowing meaningful comparison under comparable conditions. We believe that comparison, rather than simplification, is the most natural way to understand Chinese tea.

Chinese tea names are not instruction manuals; they are maps. They do not walk the path for you, but they show where the path begins.

The brand is renowned for its extensive range of matcha grades and exceptional quality. These grades are classified based on harvesting methods, grinding techniques, and flavor profiles, making them suitable for different purposes such as tea ceremonies, baking, or daily consumption. The key factors in determining matcha quality include sweetness, bitterness, color, and aroma. Higher-grade matcha undergoes a more complex cultivation and processing journey, resulting in a smoother, richer, and more refined taste. Lower-grade matcha, on the other hand, has a fresher, slightly bitter flavor, making it more approachable for casual consumption.

Three Categories of Marukyu Koyamaen Matcha

Marukyu Koyamaen categorizes its matcha into three series: Traditional Tea Ceremony Matcha, Standard Tea Ceremony Matcha, and Food-Grade Matcha. the Traditional Tea Ceremony Matcha series, due to its high price and limited supply, is generally only suitable for experienced matcha enthusiasts or professional users. As a result, the article will not provide further details on this product series. Currently, the brand offers a lot of different grades, with professional evaluators assigning names based on an overall assessment of sweetness, bitterness, color, and aroma.

Matcha can be harvested either by hand-picking or machine-picking. The highest-grade tea ceremony matcha is made from hand-picked first flush tea leaves, whereas food-grade matcha is derived from a blend of first and second flush tea leaves harvested by machines. These different blends create various types of matcha suited for distinct applications.

1. Standard Tea Ceremony Matcha

All matcha in the Standard Tea Ceremony Matcha category is suitable for chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony). The vibrant green color is a key indicator of quality, influenced by traditional "honzu" shading techniques, where rice straw is used to cover tea fields, enhancing chlorophyll content and imparting a unique "shaded aroma."

Matcha is further divided into Koicha (thick tea) and Usucha (thin tea). Koicha requires higher-quality matcha and is primarily enjoyed in tea ceremonies, rarely used in baking. Koicha is prepared using 4g of matcha with 60ml of water, creating a thick, paste-like consistency. Usucha, on the other hand, uses 2g of matcha with 60ml of water, producing a lighter tea with more foam and a brighter green hue than Koicha.

Currently, 11 matcha grades are available in this category, with higher-ranked matcha commanding significantly higher prices.

Koicha Grades:

1. Tenju
   
   

It belongs to the category of koicha and possesses an exceptionally delicate natural sweetness and deep, rich flavor, making it a truly divine delicacy. This handcrafted matcha has been awarded at national tea exhibitions. It features a unique aroma derived from its shade-grown cultivation method and offers an unparalleled smooth and rounded taste. Highly recommended for preparing koicha, allowing one to fully savor its premium qualities. The matcha is intensely fragrant with a rich umami taste, delivering a refreshing yet full-bodied flavor, with a lingering tea aroma and a long-lasting sweet aftertaste.

2. Kiwami Choan
   
   

It belongs to the category of koicha. In 2022, this matcha won the Gold Award in the matcha category at "THE LEAFIES 2022", organized by the UK-based UK TEA ACADEMY. The moment it enters your mouth and is swallowed, you can immediately sense its refreshing green characteristics, followed by a lasting sweetness, a smooth and rich flavor that brings a sense of satisfaction, joy, and even happiness.

3. Choan
   
   

It belongs to the category of koicha and has a unique, elegant aroma. Its vibrant green color and sweet fragrance make it truly exceptional.

4. Eiju
   
   

Eiju Matcha is a highly enjoyable koicha with a refreshing aroma and a light yet rich flavor. Brew it a little stronger and savor the experience.

5. Unkaku
   
   

A mid-tier matcha in a series of koicha products, this high-quality matcha is widely popular and recommended for Japanese matcha enthusiasts. Unkaku offers a rich, mellow sweetness with a slightly more intense aroma than Kinrin. Its initial sweetness is followed by a deep, creamy umami flavor—perfect for those who enjoy a bold matcha experience.

6. Kinrin
   
   

Fresh, mellow, and rich. It can be enjoyed both as a light tea or a strong brew. Its sweetness and bitterness achieve a harmonious balance.

Usucha Grades:

1. Wako
   
   

Wako is known for its fresh aroma, refreshing aftertaste, elegant flavor, and smooth drinkability. It is the highest-grade matcha in the Marukyu Koyamaen thin tea series and is often featured in major Japanese tea ceremonies. Recommended by Japanese tea ceremony enthusiasts, it boasts a vibrant green color, a rich tea fragrance, minimal bitterness, and a smooth, mellow taste with a lingering sweetness after drinking. It pairs well with both Japanese and Western desserts.

2. Yugen
   
   

An entry-level tea ceremony matcha with mild bitterness and sweetness.Suitable for drinking and premium low-temperature baking.

3. Chigi no Shiro
   
   

Its characteristic is a refreshing aroma and a balanced flavor that falls between astringency and umami. It is recommended for brewing as a thin tea. With low astringency and high freshness, it has a unique seaweed-like taste that is rich and intense.

4. Isuzu
   
   

It is a mid-range thin tea from Koyamaen, with a unique and rich flavor. Its color is deep green, making it the most beautiful in appearance. It is sufficient for daily consumption.
Flavor: Low bitterness, with a stronger seaweed taste.
Primarily for drinking, but also suitable for high-end low-temperature baking (cream cheese, ice cream, mousse, etc.).

5. Aoarashi
   
   

It is the practice matcha used in Japanese tea ceremonies. A common item in tea ceremony courses, it has a sweet aroma and a rich flavor, neither too bitter nor too sweet, with a hint of seaweed. Aoarashi is also the lowest-grade thin tea in Marukyu Koyamaen’s "matcha for tea ceremonies," but it is still noticeably superior to "matcha for culinary use."

Flavor: A rich, sweet taste, sweeter than Wakatake but less bitter than Isuzu.
Primarily for drinking, but also suitable for high-end low-temperature baking (cream cheese, ice cream, mousse, etc.).

2. Food-Grade Matcha

Marukyu Koyamaen offers eight food-grade matcha varieties, which are not intended for direct drinking but rather for baking, confectionery, and beverage applications. These matcha powders are designed to interact with sugar, dairy, and fats to bring out optimal flavors. Lower-grade matcha with stronger bitterness balances well with sweeter recipes, while premium matcha flavors may be overshadowed when mixed with milk.

Food-Grade Matcha Rankings:

1. Wakatake
   
   

The matcha has a vibrant green color, rich and full-bodied, with a strong umami flavor. Produced in Uji, Kyoto, this matcha's color, taste, and aroma are comparable to that of matcha used for drinking. The umami and bitterness are well balanced, and when used in larger amounts, the original flavor of matcha is prominently expressed. Among the Koyamaen matcha series, this is the best matcha powder for baking desserts, highly praised for its use in high-end ice cream, whipped cream, cake dough, and other premium products. Wakatake is a highly popular and widely used main product.

Flavor: A perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness, with color, aroma, and flavor similar to matcha used in tea ceremonies.
Usage: High-temperature and medium-low temperature baking (Swiss rolls, ice cream, cakes, cookies, etc.).

2. Tomotake
   
   

It has a harmonious fresh green color, rich and full-bodied, with a strong umami flavor. It is used in a variety of high-end products, such as premium ice cream, whipped cream, and cake batter.

3. Midorigi
   
   

This Uji matcha from Kyoto Prefecture has a vibrant color, with a subtle balance of bitterness and umami. It is widely used in Japan and is commonly used to make ice cream. It is also often used in both Japanese and Western desserts.

4. Byakuren
   
   

This matcha from Kyoto Prefecture has a refreshing taste, blending bitterness and aroma. Despite its vibrant color, it is widely used in dairy products like ice cream and in Japanese and Western desserts that require a firm texture. It is a stable product within the affordable Marukyu Koyamaen matcha powder range.

5. Rindo
   
   

It is a popular Uji matcha with good astringency and a balanced aroma. It is widely used in ice cream and baked goods.

6. Suisen
   
   

It has a slightly bitter taste, but also a strong green flavor with a balance of bitterness and sweetness. It is used in frozen desserts, baked goods, and bread dough.

7. Ayame
   
   

It has a refreshing aroma and a strong bitter taste. The grassy flavor is prominent, and the aftertaste is not as noticeable as higher-grade matcha. It is typically used in frozen desserts, baked goods, and bread dough. Although it doesn't have a strong aftertaste, it performs well in high-temperature baking.
Flavor: Fresh aroma with a noticeable bitterness.
Usage: High-temperature baking (cakes, bread, cookies, etc.).

8. Towa
   
   

It is the lowest-grade item in the Koyamaen range, originally created for practice at Japanese confectionery schools. It has always been popular among Japanese candy wholesalers in Tokyo. Due to its strong bitterness and astringency, it is often used as an ingredient in both Japanese and Western pastries.

3. How to Choose the Right Matcha?

Price does not always determine suitability. Choosing the right matcha depends on its intended use.

• For drinking, choose at least Standard Tea Ceremony Matcha to avoid excessive bitterness.
• For baking, matcha like Wakatake (for mid-temperature baking) or Ayame (for high-temperature baking) offers the best balance of flavor and cost.
• For matcha lattes, use food-grade matcha with stronger bitterness to maintain balance when mixed with milk and sugar.

4. How to Store Matcha?

Matcha should be kept away from high temperatures, humidity, light, and surrounding odors. Generally, it can be stored in a refrigerator or a cool place. After opening, remember to tighten the easy-open can and seal the zipper bag. Bagged matcha is less suitable for long-term storage than canned matcha, so be sure to put it into an airtight container after opening. If you want to store it for a long time, you can put it in the freezer, but when you take it out for use, please wait until it reaches room temperature before opening it to avoid condensation and making the matcha damp.

In any case, we recommend that you use it as soon as possible after opening and enjoy the flavor of matcha while it is fresh.

01. The Gold Rush to China

In 1648, the French and Swedish coalition defeated the Holy Roman Empire and signed the Treaty of Westphalia. Through the victory of this war, Sweden became the military hegemon of the Baltic Sea. At that time, the port of Gothenburg, Sweden's second largest city, became an important trade center in Europe. It allows the Swedish fleet to set sail from Gothenburg, sail straight to the Atlantic Ocean, and reach all parts of the world.

In the early 18th century, Europe was swept by a wave of China fever. For European merchants who have almost spread their footprints all over the world through the trade of the Age of Discovery, the ancient and mysterious China, which is said to be full of gold, has become a "treasure land" in their hearts.

Whether it is light and bright silk, ingenious porcelain, or sweet and delicious tea, in that era, they were regarded as symbols of status by Europeans. Under the trend of official monopoly on trade with China by European countries. More merchants targeted Sweden, which was still mainly engaged in agricultural production at the time and urgently needed to open up overseas trade markets, so they set extremely low tariffs.

Foreign merchants, led by Scotsman Colin Campbell, actively lobbied the Swedish government to issue a charter to establish the Swedish East India Company, which was exclusively engaged in trade with China. However, at that time, to reach China, thousands of miles away from Sweden, one had to cross the Atlantic Ocean, then go around the Cape of Good Hope, and finally pass through the Indian Ocean. In that era when modern shipbuilding technology had not yet been invented and only wooden sailing ships could be used as ocean-going transportation, it was extremely dangerous.

But this could not stop the Swedes who were fanatical about wealth and profit. As the saying goes, if there are no conditions, they must create them - they want to build stronger, larger and faster ocean-going ships. After obtaining the license, Campbell could not wait to build large merchant ships. With the support of the government, he quickly raised funds. On the other hand, the large influx of immigrants brought by territorial expansion also brought skilled craftsmen, technicians and inventors to Sweden, which greatly promoted the development of Sweden's shipbuilding industry.

Under the favorable environment of time, place and people, in 1738, in just 18 months, the most luxurious merchant ship in Sweden and even in the world at that time, the Gothenburg, was officially born! The ship is more than 50 meters long, 47 meters above the water, with 18 sails covering a total area of 1,900 square meters, a displacement of 1,300 tons, more than 140 crew members on board, and equipped with 30 cannons.

In January 1739, the "Gothenburg" began to sail to distant China, starting its legendary journey, and also officially connected the history of China and Sweden for the first time.

02. The Gothenburg Sets Sail

The Gothenburg, which traveled between China and Sweden, became the first envoy of trade and cultural exchange between the two countries. After going through risks, the Gothenburg finally arrived in China smoothly in June 1740. At that time, China was in the era of seclusion. Guangzhou stood out with its unique status of "one port for trade". Western merchants were only allowed to trade in the Thirteen Factories, which was very restricted. But this did not stop the enthusiasm of the merchants. They bought back porcelain, tea, silk and other goods that were most popular in Europe at that time in large quantities as much as possible. 

The Gothenburg stayed in China for a total of 3 months, until the cabin was gradually filled up and there was no place to put the goods before returning. In order to save space, the sailors could only sleep on the deck. However, all these hardships were worth it. With just one return voyage, the value of the goods brought back was equivalent to Sweden's annual GDP at that time. Driven by foreign trade, the entire Gothenburg was prosperous for a while.

03. History covered with the sinking of the Gothenburg

In January 1745, the "Gothenburg", which had completed its third journey, set off from Guangzhou to return home. However, this time, it became the "death journey" of the Gothenburg.

On September 12, the port of Gothenburg was surrounded by citizens who welcomed the return of the Gothenburg. Unlike this era, at that time, whenever a ship from the ocean returned, it was as grand as a festival for the citizens of Gothenburg.

When the ship was loaded with 700 tons of Chinese tea, porcelain, and silk, and sailed to the sea about 900 meters away from the port of Gothenburg, the crew who had been away from their hometown for 30 months could see the land of their hometown with their naked eyes, and even saw the villagers waving to greet them. However, at this time, an accident happened-the hull suddenly lost control and the bow touched the reef. Although the crew tried their best to save it, they still couldn't stop the world's most luxurious merchant ship from going to destruction.

Fortunately, because the accident site was close to the sea, there were no casualties in the accident. At the same time, after timely salvage, a quarter of the cargo was finally saved, and this quarter of the cargo alone was enough to pay for all the costs of this journey and there was still a surplus. The huge profits brought by the Gothenburg are evident.

There was no accident in the voyage for many years, so why did it sink right at the doorstep? There have been many speculations about the cause of the sinking of the Gothenburg. Some people insist that the accident was caused by defects in the hull design and excessive loading of cargo. There are also conspiracy theories that the company wanted to defraud insurance premiums before the merchant ship was scrapped, or that the captain deliberately sank the ship because of a dispute over interests.

But no matter what the truth is, it has been sealed with the wreckage of the Gothenburg and has been sleeping on the seabed ever since. By the end of the 18th century, as Europe's understanding of China increased, the "China fever" gradually faded. And as European powers rose one after another, Sweden was further marginalized. The story of the Gothenburg was gradually forgotten until it was rediscovered more than two hundred years later.

04. Tea in the Gothenburg Shipwreck

At that time, the ship was fully loaded with 700 tons of goods from China and returned to Sweden. These goods included about 370 tons of tea, about 100 tons of porcelain, and silk, rattan and other commodities. We can't help but wonder, what kind of magical existence is the tea that once occupied half of the Gothenburg's entire ship cargo?

During the salvage of the Gothenburg, in addition to a large number of blue and white porcelain, the most exciting thing was that a box of 50 kilograms of tea was completely out of the water. This is a box of Wuyi tea exported from Guangzhou that year. Because these teas were pressed and sealed during the production and processing, and the local seawater had a low salt content, the tea sank to the bottom of the sea and was covered by the seabed mud and sand, and was not oxidized. 

These teas that have been soaked in seawater for 240 years still have color and taste.

In the first half of the 18th century, the European country that imported the most tea was Britain, followed by other countries such as the Netherlands and Sweden. From 1722 to 1745, the proportion of Fujian Wuyi black tea in the total tea purchased by Britain each year was about 40% on average. The whole box of tea salvaged from the Gothenburg was Wuyi tea produced in the Wuyi Mountain area of Chong'an County, Fujian.

In fact, European merchants only distinguished between black tea and green tea, but in the accounts of the British East India Company in 1740, tea was subdivided into Wuyi, Gongxi, Xiaozhong, Songluo, etc. These different tea names should be named by the Chinese, and European merchants recorded them according to the Chinese names when registering accounts. According to the cargo list of the Gothenburg when it was loaded in Guangzhou at that time, the tea loaded on the Gothenburg was also subdivided into tea varieties, with 2,500 boxes of Bohea tea, including more than 500 boxes of Congou, 148 boxes of Souchoun, 10 boxes of Bing, and 10 boxes of other teas packaged in 780 small packages. Bohea, also known as Wuyi tea, is a type of black tea. It is a relatively common tea and is the most exported tea from Guangzhou Port. Congou, also known as Gongfu tea, is the most precious type of Wuyi tea. Souchoun, also known as Xiaozhong, is a type of black tea. Different from the previous three types of black tea, the last type, Bing, is a green tea produced in Anhui.

The detailed classification of tea varieties reflects the development of Guangzhou's export tea trade on the one hand, and the keen business sense of Guangzhou tea merchants on the other. The variety of tea varieties is mainly related to the fermentation and baking methods of tea.

05. Tea trade between China and Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries

In the early 17th century, the Dutch brought Chinese tea to Europe, and this magical oriental leaf gradually became a fashionable drink that swept Europe. When tea first entered Europe, the best-selling goods on foreign merchant ships should have been Chinese silk fabrics. However, due to the Qing government's restrictions on the export of raw silk and silk fabrics, coupled with the rise and development of the silk industry in Europe, the export volume of such goods dropped sharply, and eventually gave way to tea. With the increasing love of tea in European society, especially in Britain, the large amount of tea brought back by their East India Company and private merchants every year was far from meeting domestic demand, and due to the high taxes levied by Britain on imported tea, the price of tea remained high all the way, and ordinary people could not afford it at all. Therefore, smuggling tea to Britain became a profit channel for the East India Company of other countries. It can be seen from this that the large amount of tea purchased by the Swedish Gothenburg from the Guangzhou port at that time, in addition to partially meeting domestic consumption, the rest should also be resold to other countries to make a profit.

The fresh tea leaves picked must go through the processes of picking, frying and roasting to make raw tea, and this process needs to be completed in a very short time. At that time, tea farmers mostly made raw tea in a family workshop mode, so in many cases, the whole family had to go out together. Tea picking is usually done by women and children in the family. The subsequent processes such as tea frying, tea screening and boxing are undertaken by young and middle-aged men. Every tea season, tea vendors employed by tea houses will go directly to the tea-producing areas to purchase raw tea from tea farmers, and then bring it back to the tea house for fine processing. Then it will be transported to Guangzhou by tea merchants and finally sold to merchants. 

Foreign merchants can only buy the tea they like after selecting and placing orders through merchants. In addition to being processed locally in the tea-producing area of Chong'an, a considerable part of the Wuyi tea on the Gothenburg was produced in Wuyi Mountain. After a short period of sun drying, it was directly transported to Guangzhou for subsequent deep processing. Some Wuyi tea that has been processed in the place of origin will also be finally packaged in Guangzhou. Therefore, foreign merchants call Wuyi tea "Guangzhou Wuyi Tea".

Tea received a warm response in Europe, and the journey to China was long and full of obstacles. Europeans even considered transplanting tea trees to Europe. Among them, Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus once tried this experiment in person. Initially, their experimental team thought of asking ocean-going merchant ships to bring them tea tree seeds, but during the voyage, the ship encountered a storm and the tea tree seeds were lost. In 1763, the merchant ship brought them another tea tree, but this time it was not properly preserved and was bitten by rats during the sea transportation. Although the plan to cultivate tea trees encountered difficulties continuously, Linnaeus's idea was never dispelled. Until later, he got some tea tree seeds and successfully grew tea trees. However, the steps of processing tea stumped him again, and tea was ultimately not produced. In any case, this also shows that after tea was marketed in Europe, as a new beverage, it had a huge impact on European social life.

06. The Rebirth of the Gothenburg

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, it has maintained a friendly and mutually supportive relationship with Sweden. Sweden is also the first Western country to formally establish diplomatic relations with China. In the 1980s, the archaeological excavation of the Gothenburg was fully launched, and this merchant ship that once carried Chinese historical relics also attracted great attention from the Chinese side.

The excavation lasted for nearly 10 years. As the wreckage of the Gothenburg and the porcelain, silk, tea and other goods on the ship were salvaged one after another, the Swedish government decided to build a replica of the Gothenburg based on the "Gothenburg" as a prototype, and return to Guangzhou, China along the route of the ancestors to promote Sweden, develop friendly economic and trade relations between Sweden and China, and promote international exchanges. However, if only modern technology is used to build a new modern giant ship, the original meaning and connotation of this project will obviously be obscured.

Therefore, the basic concept of the Swedish side to rebuild the Gothenburg is: to use traditional methods and construction materials to be as close to the prototype as possible. Although this idea is beautiful and bold, when it comes to the specific construction problem, its complexity and difficulty are extraordinary, and it is considered an almost impossible task.

The lack of original drawings, lack of old materials, and the loss of old construction techniques made it much more difficult for technicians to restore an 18th-century sailing ship 1:1 than to build a modern 10,000-ton ship. At the same time, considering that the Gothenburg's re-departure is mainly for economic and cultural exchanges between China and Sweden, it is not necessary to risk life and death to trade like the merchants and in those days. Therefore, the manufacturer finally decided to use a combination of ancient and modern methods to restore the original appearance of the ancient ship as much as possible on the basis of ensuring that the ship meets modern navigation safety standards.

In 1994, the design draft of the wooden ship finally came out, and with the help of volunteers and sponsors, the shipyard used to build the new Gothenburg was also built from the empty mud. In June 1995, the keel of the Gothenburg antique ship was laid, and the Gothenburg New World Shipyard held a grand ceremony in traditional style. King Carl XVI of Sweden became the guardian of this project, which was enough to show the importance of the Swedish side. This huge project seems to have no profit prospects, but with China's growing international influence, unlike the journey that was purely for trade profits more than 200 years ago. Today, Swedes value the far-reaching significance and long-term benefits behind this project. China also attaches great importance to it, believing that this is an opportunity to promote relations between the two countries, and has paid full attention to and reported on the reconstruction project.

For the technicians, without the original drawings, they measured and inferred based on the hull remains, and combined with the logs and materials related to navigation at that time for reference. If the old materials and construction techniques at that time were not clear, they would refer to the physical objects and materials left behind. Experiment with various materials and techniques, and repeatedly study and compare. The hull was finally determined to be built with wood. About 70% is oak and 25% is pine. The ship frame is made of densely pressed pine boards to maintain hardness. The keel, stern, platform and other wooden parts are made of oak, and the deck and mast are made of pine. The ship is in accordance with relevant regulations and tries to hide modern power equipment in invisible places. It will only be used in critical situations to maintain the original appearance of the ancient ship.

The entire manufacturing process was more difficult than expected. It took 4,000 skilled craftsmen ten years to finally rebuild the Gothenburg replica of the antique merchant ship "New Gothenburg".

07. New Gothenburg sets sail again

On October 2, 2005, tens of thousands of Gothenburg citizens gathered at the port to witness the new Gothenburg's re-departure and re-take the "Maritime Silk Road". Hundreds of speedboats driven by citizens surrounded the New Gothenburg and sent it off all the way, creating a spectacular scene. On board, in addition to the captain, crew members and other professionals, more volunteers also spontaneously joined this journey to witness and experience this journey across time and space.

On July 18, 2006, the New Gothenburg sailed along the ancient route to Guangzhou, China, the birthplace of the ancient Maritime Silk Road. King Carl XVI of Sweden and the Queen boarded the Gothenburg and attended the ceremony in person. The Chinese side also held a grand welcome ceremony.

On June 9, 2007, after nearly two years of travel, the New Gothenburg successfully arrived in Gothenburg. The jubilant crowd on the dock and the crew on the "Gothenburg" waved their arms and cheered in response. Completed the unfinished mission of that year.

With the development of history, nowadays, this route spanning thousands of miles no longer has to face the difficulties and obstacles of an unknown journey, and no longer has to let the crew members risk their lives to trade. It has been given more symbolic meanings and serves as a witness to the friendship and mutual assistance between China and Sweden in this era. After nearly 300 years of time and space, a legendary story of an ancient ship came to an end here. But what followed was a new journey at the other end. The resumption of the "Gothenburg" replica ship and its success not only led people to pursue the long history of friendship between China and Sweden, but also opened a new journey of cultural exchanges and friendship between China and Europe.

Yunnan Province: The Birthplace of Tea

Yunnan Province, located in the southwestern part of China, is often referred to as the "cradle of tea." It is home to some of the oldest tea trees in the world, some of which are believed to be over a thousand years old. The province is renowned for producing a wide variety of teas, most famously Pu-erh, but also black teas like Dianhong and green teas. The rich biodiversity, favorable climate, and varied topography of Yunnan make it an ideal location for growing high-quality tea. The region's cool temperatures, mist-covered mountains, and mineral-rich soils give Yunnan teas a distinct depth and complexity.

The introduction of oolong tea to Yunnan is relatively recent compared to its long history of other tea types. Traditionally, oolong teas are linked to Fujian province, particularly the famous Wuyi Mountain region, and Taiwan, where the craftsmanship of oolong tea reached its peak. However, the rich tea culture of Yunnan and its unique environment led to the adaptation of oolong tea production in the region. This move to produce oolong in Yunnan was spurred by the growing demand for diverse tea experiences and the desire to experiment with Yunnan's indigenous tea varieties.

Oolong Tea: A Brief Overview

To understand the significance of Yunnan oolong tea, it is essential to grasp the fundamentals of oolong tea itself. Oolong, known in Chinese as "青茶" (qingcha), is semi-oxidized tea, lying between green tea (which is unoxidized) and black tea (which is fully oxidized). The production process of oolong tea is labor-intensive and involves several complex steps, including withering, bruising, oxidation, fixing, rolling, and drying.

The oxidation process is crucial in determining the flavor profile of oolong tea. Oolong teas can range from lightly oxidized (closer to green tea) to heavily oxidized (closer to black tea), which results in a wide array of tastes, from floral and vegetal to fruity and roasted. Additionally, oolong teas are often characterized by their distinctive aromas and lingering aftertaste, known as the "hui gan" or returning sweetness.

Yunnan oolong teas follow this traditional oolong-making process but with a Yunnan twist. The combination of Yunnan’s unique tea plants, climate, and production techniques results in a tea that offers a new interpretation of what oolong tea can be.

The Tea Plant: Yunnan's Indigenous Varieties

One of the key differences between Yunnan oolong and other oolongs lies in the tea plants used. While traditional oolong teas are often made from the Camellia sinensis var. sinensis species, which is smaller-leafed and more commonly grown in Fujian and Taiwan, Yunnan oolong is often made from the large-leafed variety known as Camellia sinensis var. assamica. This large-leafed variety, indigenous to Yunnan, is the same one used in the production of Pu-erh tea.

The Camellia sinensis var. assamica leaves are known for their robustness and their ability to develop complex flavors over time. When processed into oolong tea, the large leaves of Yunnan's tea plants bring a richness and depth that is distinct from the smaller-leafed varieties used in Fujian and Taiwan. The resulting tea tends to be more full-bodied, with a thicker mouthfeel and a more pronounced sweetness.

Flavor Profile of Yunnan Oolong Tea

Yunnan oolong teas have a unique flavor profile that reflects both the semi-oxidized nature of oolong tea and the distinctive characteristics of Yunnan's terroir. The flavor can vary depending on the specific tea garden, elevation, and level of oxidation, but certain traits are commonly associated with Yunnan oolongs.

1. Full-Bodied and Rich: Yunnan oolong teas tend to be fuller in body compared to their counterparts from Fujian or Taiwan. This can be attributed to the large-leaf variety of tea plants used and the mineral-rich soils of Yunnan’s tea-growing regions. The tea often has a thicker, more robust texture, making it feel almost creamy or smooth on the palate.
2. Sweet and Mellow: Yunnan oolong teas often have a natural sweetness that lingers on the palate. This sweetness can range from fruity notes, like apricot or peach, to a more honeyed or caramel-like quality. The sweetness is usually balanced by a subtle astringency, which gives the tea complexity without overpowering the drinker.
3. Floral and Earthy Aromas: The aroma of Yunnan oolong tea is one of its most captivating features. Depending on the oxidation level, the tea can have floral notes reminiscent of orchids or gardenias, coupled with earthy undertones typical of teas grown in Yunnan’s ancient tea forests. Some Yunnan oolongs even exhibit a slight smokiness, a nod to the region’s tradition of Pu-erh production.
4. Long-Lasting Aftertaste (Hui Gan): Like many high-quality oolong teas, Yunnan oolong leaves a long-lasting aftertaste, known as "hui gan," which translates to "returning sweetness." This sensation lingers in the mouth long after the tea is swallowed, providing a refreshing and satisfying experience.

Health Benefits

Oolong tea, including Yunnan oolong, is known for its numerous health benefits. It is rich in antioxidants, such as polyphenols, which help neutralize harmful free radicals in the body. These antioxidants are thought to contribute to heart health by reducing cholesterol levels and improving circulation. Oolong tea is also known to aid digestion, making it a popular choice to accompany rich or fatty foods.

The caffeine content in oolong tea is moderate, falling between that of green and black teas. This makes it a great option for those seeking a gentle energy boost without the jitters associated with stronger caffeinated beverages.

Additionally, oolong tea is believed to promote weight loss by increasing metabolism and aiding in fat oxidation. Regular consumption of oolong tea can also improve skin health, thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties.

Conclusion

Yunnan oolong tea represents a unique fusion of tradition and innovation in the world of tea. By combining the centuries-old tea-making techniques of oolong with the rich biodiversity and terroir of Yunnan, this tea offers a fresh perspective on oolong tea. Its complex flavors, aromatic depth, and health benefits make it a delightful option for tea enthusiasts seeking a distinctive and memorable tea experience. Whether enjoyed as a daily beverage or savored in special tea sessions, Yunnan oolong stands as a testament to the endless diversity and creativity within China’s tea culture.

Easy transport

In the beginning, the tea was pressed because most of the tea from Yunnan was transported to Tibet and other places through the ancient tea-horse road in ancient times. In order to transport more tea leaves conveniently and to solve the transportation loss caused by long-distance travel, there are shapes such as bricks, cakes, and Tuo. Loose tea takes up a lot of space during transportation and storage. While the tea leaves are easy to crush, the quantity that can be transported is also greatly reduced compared to compressed tea. If the tea is pressed, it is more convenient for trade and transportation.

Of course, compared with ancient times, the road traffic has been greatly improved. Even in a place with many mountains like Yunnan province, tea is no longer compressed just for the convenience of transportation.

Advantages in late aging

The most important feature of Pu-erh tea is that it gets better and better with age. What causes this advantage of Pu'er tea? The compaction process is the key.

On the one hand, compressed tea preserves the color, aroma and taste of leaves better than loose tea. Compared with loose tea, the contact area between compressed tea and oxygen and light is much smaller, so that the oxidation rate of polyphenols, ketones, and chlorophyll in tea is much slower, and the tea quality can be better preserved.

On the other hand, compression creates a superior post-fermentation. The steaming during the process of pressing loose tea into cake tea has greatly increased the number of small microorganisms, creating a superior environment for the fermentation of small microorganisms. At the same time, after the tea leaves are pressed and formed, the interior is in an anoxic state, which is just conducive to the occurrence of anaerobic fermentation. Because only with the participation of anaerobic flora, Pu'er tea can produce its unique derivative substances, and these derivative substances are factors that produce health care functions for the human body. The prerequisite for the survival and work of anaerobic flora is anaerobic conditions.

Therefore, the post-fermentation of Pu'er tea basically relies on the method of pressing and forming. If Pu-erh tea is fermented before it is compacted and solidified, the main force of its fermentation is the microbial aerobic flora, and after it is compacted and solidified, the baton is handed over to the microbial anaerobic flora. With the participation of anaerobic flora, as the time of aging of pressed tea becomes longer and longer, the tea cake will produce a unique aroma in the process of continuous natural transformation, and the inner quality will continue to transform. 

Therefore, the aged Pu-erh teas handed down from history are basically formed in the form of cakes, bricks, tuos, etc., and loose teas are rarely seen. Because loose-shaped tea only has an aerobic fermentation process and lacks anaerobic fermentation procedures, it will inevitably cause subsequent changes to show a tendency of carbonization, which is not conducive to long-term storage.

For the Chinese people, who are obsessed with meaning in everything, Pu-erh pressed tea is mostly in two shapes of "square" and "round", which cleverly embodies the philosophical thought of " the dome-like heaven embraces the vast earth" in traditional Chinese culture. The "round" cake tea is the pictogram of "heaven" where the universe nurtures the world, and the "square" brick tea is the pictogram of "earth" that carries all things.

After tea was discovered by Chinese ancestors, tea has generally gone through three stages: medicine, food and beverage. The way of drinking tea has also undergone the development and evolution process from eating tea to cooking tea and finally to brewing tea. Tea was chewed as raw food in the Shennong era (4094 BC - 3574 BC) , raw boiled soup in the Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC–256 BC), boiled tea in the Sui (581–618) and Tang Dynasties (618–907), ordered tea in the Song Dynasty (960-1276), and brewed tea in the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) Dynasties. The three stages can also be called: the classical school, the romantic school and the natural school.

The earliest way for the ancients to drink tea was to chew raw food, which is really "eating tea". After that, they started to cook soup with fire, just like people cook vegetable soup today. At that time, people only drank tea as a soup, or consumed it as a dish. It was not until Lu Yu wrote the masterpiece "The Classic of Tea" in the Tang Dynasty that he elevated the style of tea to an independent drink and became an art of living. In general, in the history of Chinese tea culture, there have been four major changes in tea drinking methods:

The first phase: The decoction method

When the ancestors of the Chinese were still in the primitive tribe period, they found that tea could not only dispel heat and quench thirst, but also stimulate the spirit and cure various diseases. Tea began to be separated from food. Decoction of tea to cure diseases is the first stage of drinking tea. At this stage, tea is medicine. At that time, the production of tea was small, and it was often used as a sacrificial product.

The second phase: The porridge method

From the pre-Qin period (221 BC) to the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 CE), tea changed from medicine to beverage. The drinking method at that time was just as Guo Pu said in the annotation of "Erya": tea "can be boiled and made into a soup". That is to say, when making tea, it is necessary to add corn and seasonings to make porridge. 

In the Tang Dynasty, this method of cooking was often used. Most of the ethnic minorities in remote areas of China accepted the habit of drinking tea in the Tang Dynasty, so they are still accustomed to adding other foods to the tea soup.

The third phase: The grinding and brewing method

The Three Kingdoms era (220–280) has already appeared, and it became popular in the Tang Dynasty and flourished in the Song Dynasty. Before the middle of the Tang Dynasty, Lu Yu had clearly opposed adding other spices to tea, emphasizing that tea should be tasted in its original flavor. It shows that the way of drinking tea was also in the process of change. Purely brewed with tea leaves, it was called "Qing Ming" by the Tang people. After drinking the clear tea, then chewing the tea leaves and savoring the taste, you can get great enjoyment.

Tang Dynasty cooking method

The Tang people directly put the tea in the kettle to decoct, and watch its shape changes by Zhucha, Jiufei and Yuhua three steps. The first step is to roast the tea before making the tea. After the tea cake is cooled, grind it into powder. The second step is to make tea, that is, when the water is boiled to the "second boil", use bamboo mackerel to stir the tea powder in the boiling water. The third step is to drink tea and pour tea, which is to scoop the tea soup into a bowl.

Before making tea, first crush the tea leaves, put the seasoning in after boiling the water, and then sprinkle the tea powder into the pot. When drinking, drink the tea residue and tea soup together while it is hot, which is called "eating tea". Tang people used to add seasonings to the tea soup, such as salt, onion, ginger or orange peel, etc. Lu Yu strongly opposed this way, adding a little salt to taste at most. Since then, people began to promote the original flavor of tea soup, which laid the foundation for the rise of tea ceremony.

Song Dynasty Diancha Method

Diancha means whisking. It emphasized the degree of water boiling, which was called "waiting for soup". It is the most difficult to wait for the soup. If it is not boiled enough the foam will float, and if it is over boiled, the tea powder will sink. Only by mastering the boiling procedure can the color, aroma and taste of the tea be brewed. When whisking tea in the Song Dynasty, a soup bottle with a round belly and a slender neck is often used. Because it is difficult to identify the degree of boiling water with the eyes, only the sound can be used to judge.

In the Song Dynasty, to make the tea, firstly, a cake tea was ground into fine powder, and the tea powder was divided into several bowls with a small spoon. Then brew with boiling water. In order to fully dissolve the tea powder, stir quickly with a whisk, stirring while brewing, so that the tea powder and the water are fully mixed, and a large amount of white tea foam appears in the tea cup. If the color of the tea foam is milky white, the "Tang Hua" on the surface of the tea soup can coagulate the inner wall of the cup for a long time, it is called as a good cup of tea. This not only tests the tea skills, but also tests the intentions of the tea people. The matcha ceremony in Japan is learned from this, and its origin is here.

The way of drinking tea in the Song Dynasty rose to the height of aesthetics and reached the extreme. They decorated tea cakes with patterns of dragon and phoenix, which are very delicate and called "Dragon and Phoenix Tea Cake".

The fourth phase: the whole leaf brewing method

The tea-drinking fashion developed to the Ming Dynasty, and an epoch-making change took place. The Hongwu Emperor, the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty felt that making Dragon and Phoenix Tea Cakes was a waste of money and time, so he issued an edict: "Stop making cakes, only loose tea can be produced". Nowadays, teas such as yellow tea, dark tea, white tea, black tea, and oolong tea that we are familiar with has gradually appeared after the policy.

From then on, people do not have to press tea into cakes and then grind them into powder, but brew loose tea directly in pots or cups. This way of drinking tea makes the use of tea simple and convenient.

Emperor Hongwu's vigorous promotion of loose tea led to the diversification of tea types. Before the Ming Dynasty, there was only green tea, and later other types of tea appeared. People in the Ming Dynasty believed that this method of drinking was "very simple, full of interesting tastes, and it can be said to have the true taste of tea". The method of brewing tea in the Ming Dynasty has also continued to this day. The tea is brewed without any seasoning, and the original taste and true taste of the tea are appreciated. At the same time, the tea utensils and methods used have also been simplified, which is more conducive to the spread of tea culture.

In the Qing Dynasty, teas such as black tea, white tea, dark tea, yellow tea and oolong tea appeared successively. Gaiwan was a popular tea set at that time. Theoretically, all teas can be brewed in a gaiwan, and it is nothing more than adjusting the three factors of tea amount, brewing time and water temperature. 

But in fact, there are also regional differences. Generally speaking, the northern regions of China (from the court to the folk) are mostly used to make green tea and jasmine tea. In the south of the Yangtze River, purple clay (Zisha) teapots are often used. Tibetan area is popular to drink milk tea made from black tea. In Chaoshan area, Gongfu tea is popular to make oolong tea. The currently widely popular Gongfu tea was officially formed in Guangdong, Fujian and Taiwan at that time. Oolong tea is brewed in a small teapot. The main steps are: warming the pot, pouring the tea, washing the tea, pouring the pot, warming the cup, pouring the tea, and tasting the tea, etc.

When tea was first discovered, people regarded it as medicine. During the emperor's time, people used it as a thirst-quenching drink. Nowadays, people regard tea as a culture to drink and understand. When tea entered ordinary people's homes, the pace of external communication also changed. The arrival of the industrial revolution has brought the whole world to modernization, with improved production technology, emancipation of mind, and prosperous trade. Tea, which has developed almost to maturity, has been involved in the torrent of history and spread all over the world.

The British developed it into afternoon tea. Japan developed the Japanese tea ceremony. Sri Lanka, India, Kenya and other countries have planted black tea. Tea has spread all over the world, taking root and sprouting everywhere, changing and progressing according to local conditions, and entering the lives of local people.

Nowadays, with the global trade, tea has changed into different shapes and circulated around the world. The development and changes of tea are like tree rings, recording the historical features of different dynasties. The humanistic feelings behind tea are so wonderful and moving, which is what distinguishes tea from other drinks.

It has long been known to tea lovers that you should drink fresh green tea. Mingqian tea is the best in Longjing. Mingqian tea, as the name suggests, is the tea that was picked before the Qingming festival. During this period, the growth of tea trees is slow, the number of germinations of the tea leaves is not much, and even fewer can reach the picking standard, so people often say Mingqian tea is as precious as gold. 

The picking and making of Mingqian Longjing tea have excellent timing. It is well known that Longjing tea is picked sooner rather than later. The picking of Mingqian Longjing tea is before the Qingming festival. At this time, the Longjing tea trees grow slowly due to the lower temperature and have experienced the accumulation of nutrients throughout the winter, so that the leaves with rich mineral content are harvested. 

Longjing's picking is not arbitrary. Before the Qingming Festival, the temperature is still relatively low, and the number of tea trees to germinate is also limited. The slow growth of tea trees will lead to a low germination rate. Generally, one bud and two leaves or one bud and three leaves are picked. And there should be no tea stems mixed into the tea. There are also very strict requirements for the methods used when picking. A skilled tea picker needs six days to pick the fresh tea leaves that can make a pound of Mingqian tea. In addition, factors such as weather, sunlight temperature, etc. must be considered. 

As far as the roasting time is concerned, a pound of Mingqian Longjing tea takes six to seven hours to make. There are many ways to pan-fire Longjing tea, and you can only fry a small amount at a time. The shape of Longjing tea is flat and smooth, like the tongue of a bird. According to legend, after Emperor Qianlong went down to Longjing to drink tea, he picked a few fresh buds and wrapped them in a book. After returning to Beijing, Emperor Qianlong suddenly remembered the fragrance of Longjing tea, so he ordered a tribute to the flattened Longjing tea that he had packed in a book. Tea farmers didn't know what to do for a while. Later, when they had an idea, they pressed the tea leaves against the wall of the pan while frying, and pressed them while pan-firing, and processed them into tea with a flat shape to meet the emperor's requirements. This method has been handed down to this day and has become a unique technique for making Longjing tea. Although Ming Dynasty can be machine-made, most of it is made by hand still. The cost of hand-made tea is much higher, people will spare no expense to buy handmade Mingqian Longjing with better quality. 

Whether tea tastes good or not has a lot to do with its composition. It is estimated that the amino acid content of Mingqian tea is higher than that of tea picked later, and the bitterness and astringency, that is, the content of tea polyphenols, is relatively low, which ensures that the tea tastes fragrant. The taste is mellow, and the price will naturally be higher. Many people are most worried about pesticide residues in tea. Mingqian tea basically does not need to worry about this problem, because it is difficult for any pests to withstand the cold of winter, so tea trees in early spring do not need to be sprayed with pesticides. In this way, the quality of Mingqian tea is the best. 

When a thing is rare, it becomes precious, which is why the price of Minqian Longjing is high. In fact, when buying tea, as long as the tea matches your own habits, it is the best tea for you! Mingqian Longjing may not be the best for everyone, because Mingqian Longjing is more tender, so the taste is light. The tea picked in the later stage has a stronger taste. For tea lovers who like a stronger taste, the later Longjing is undoubtedly more suitable. Our suggestion is that when purchasing Longjing tea, do not blindly pursue Mingqian tea, but choose the one that suits you.