Shen Nong, an early Chinese emperor, is credited with being the first to use tea in China more than 2,000 years ago. 

Legend has it that Shen Nong was boiling water under a tree to make an herb prescription. A few leaves fell into the water just when he was ready to add medicinal herbs. The water turned light yellow and Shen Nong tested the brew. Although a bit bitter, it quenched his thirst and had a slight pleasing fragrance. Shen Nong identified the leaves as tea leaves and affirmed the medicinal value of tea.

It is a Chinese custom to serve guests tea.  However, people in east Guangdong and south Fujian have a special way of preparing tea, which they call "gongfu tea."

The porcelain tea sets for making gongfu tea are very small. The teapot itself is about the size of a fist and the white, transparent teacups are as small as tiny liqueur glasses. A small water kettle is used to boil water on a stove and there is a porcelain base for holding the tea sets. Before making the tea, the teapot is cleaned with boiled water to get rid of remaining tea flavor and make better tea with a warm pot. Then a big handful of tea leaves are put into the teapot.

After the water is boiled, the kettle is lifted high to pour the hot water into the teapot. It is continually poured even to overflowing to get rid of impure materials and foam and to make mellow tea. 

The tea settles for a minute and is then poured in a circular motion into each cup so that the color and consistency in all cups is the same. When the tea is ready, the teacups are presented to guests and elders with both hands. 

Wulong (black dragon) tea is the best variety for making gongfu tea. Wulong tea is as mellow as black tea, as refreshing and as sweet as green tea, with the same lingering aftertaste. It is also believed to have many medicinal properties to prevent and cure illnesses, prolong life and prevent arteriosclerosis and cancer.

In the 21st century, we rely more on prescription medications than tea for healing, but tea remains a popular beverage. We have wonderful tea sets in variety of provincial styles and sizes in our 38,000 sq. ft. showroom, including special sets for gongfu tea. There is sure to be one that suits your taste for home or office use.

Tea-Cha

Of the 3 major beverages of the world tea, coffee and cocoa, -tea is consumed by the largest number of people.
China is the homeland of tea and that China has tea shrubs as early as 5 to 6 thousands years ago. At present, more than forty countries in the world grow tea with Asian countries producing 90% of the world's total output.

Categories of Tea:

Green Tea: Green Tea is the variety which keeps the original color of the tea leaves without fermentation during processing. This category consists mainly of Longjing tea of Zhejiang Province, Maofeng of Huangshan Mountain in Anhui Province and Biluochun produced in Jiangsu.

Black Tea: Black tea known as "red tea" ( hong cha ) in China is the category which is fermented before baking. The best brands of black tea are Qihong of Anhui, Dianhong of Yunnan, Suhong of Jiangsu, Chuanhong of Sichuan and Huhong of Hunan. 

Wulong Tea: This represents a variety half way between the green and the black teas, being made after partial fermentation. It is a specialty from the provinces on China's southeast coast: Fujian, Guangdong and Taiwan. 

Compressed Tea: This is the kind of tea which is compressed and hardened into a certain shape. It is good for transport and storage. 

Scented Tea: This kind of tea is made by mixing fragrant flowers in the tea leaves in the course of processing. Jasmine tea is a well known favorite with the northerners of China.

The Perfect Brew

It soothes the soul after a rough day. It warms the heart during a chat with a close friend. It wards off colds with its natural herbs. What is this wonderful magic potion? It's tea — the second most consumed beverage in the world after water.

There's nothing like sipping hot tea and smelling your favorite aroma — whether it be jasmine, peach, lemon, cinnamon, Darjeeling, mint, mango, Earl Grey or English Breakfast, to name a few. A lot of tea is consumed in the United Kingdom, especially between 3 and 5 p.m. when afternoon tea is popular. Steaming "cuppas" in fine porcelain are usually served with chocolate-dipped biscuits, slices of fruit cake, lemon curd tarts and scones spread with strawberry jam and topped with clotted cream.

However, China is the true homeland of the tea plant (camellia sinensis), where it has been cultivated for more than 3,000 years. While not indigenous to China, the tea plant, which is chiefly grown in Fukien, Chekiang and Kuangtung, is said to have been imported by an ascetic from northern India, and was in general use as a national beverage in the ninth century. Tea was first introduced into Europe toward the close of the 16th century by the Dutch. In fact, the word “tea” is said to be derived from the Fukienese pronunciation “ta.”

All types of tea — oolong, black, green — come from the same plant, although the processing differs. The cost of a pound of tea can range from 10 cents to $3,000.
America's first three millionaires, John Jacob Astor, Thomas H. Perkins and Stephen Girard, made their fortunes in the China trade, largely because of tea. New York importer Thomas Sullivan invented the first tea bag in 1908.

And the tea trade continues to boom today in the United States. After reaching the $1 billion mark in 1990, tea sales soared to more than $4.5 billion in 1996. Much of the tea industry's success has to do with the increased sales of ready-to-drink iced teas and specialty teas, some of which sell for thousands of dollars a pound.

The current "tea renaissance" has been credited to new studies linking tea with cancer prevention, as well as its gentle effects on the aging body compared to coffee. In essence, tea makes one feel relaxed, not jittery like java.

It often has been said that the only way to make a perfect cup of tea is to brew it in the right teapot. True tea drinkers swear by this tea tip: Always heat the teapot with boiling water, swish it around, then pour it out. Now add tea and boiling water, and let it steep for a few minutes. 

Are you craving a cup, but don't have a good teapot? Man-U Imports features many beautiful teapots in all shapes and sizes.