CHP-148-The History of Tea Part 9
The China History Podcast
In this penultimate episode of the China History Podcast History of Tea series Laszlo finishes off the story of Robert Fortune and introduces Sir Robert J. Lipton. This CHP long history of Chinese tea started off slow and in this Part 9 fizzles out altogether. Laszlo also introduces a little overview of Pu-erh Tea as an extra bonus.
TERMS FROM THIS EPISODE
Wuyi Mountains 武夷山 The fabled Wuyi Mountains of northern Fujian
Shen Nong 神农 Second of the Three Soveriegns, discoverer of tea and author of the Bencaojing (see below)
Tu 荼 This is what tea used to be called before it became cha 茶
zhenzhu naicha 珍珠奶茶 Boba Milk Tea
Bencaojing 本草经 the Classic of Herbal Medicine (attributed to Shen Nong)
Wang Bao王褒 Western Han individual involved in a contract for a servant
Emperor Xuan宣帝 Han Emperor Xuan
Wu Lizhen吴理真 Buddhist Monk credited with the cultivation of tea on Mengding Shan
Mengding shan 蒙顶山 Mountain in Sichuan where tea cultivation began in China
The Shuowen Jiezi 说文解字 Han Dynasty dictionary
Ming 茗 Another name for Tea
Er Ya 尔雅 The first dictionary in China
Guang Ya 广雅 An updated version of the Er Ya
Ba Shu 巴蜀 巴蜀 Ancient state from the Shu Kingdom
Chengdu cai 成都菜 Chengdu style cuisine
Shu Feng Yuan 蜀风园 The Chengdu joint in Rowland Heights preferred by Laszlo
gongcha 贡茶tribute tea
Sui 隋朝 The Sui Dynasty
Tang 唐朝 The Tang Dyansty
Lu Yu 陆羽 Patron Saint of Tea, prominently featured in History of Tea Part 3
Biancha 边茶 Border tea….tea that was specially processed and packaged for the border peoples of China
chama gudao 茶马古道 the ancient Tea-Horse Road
Chan Buddhism 禪 Zen Buddhism
Lu Tong 卢仝The great poet and bon vivant
Qi Wan Shi 七碗诗 Lu Tong’s poem Seven Bowls of Tea
Jian ware 建窑 Jian ware
xing ware 邢窑 Xing ware from Hebei
qīngbái 清白 Unique white porcelain of the Song
chaju 茶具 Tea ware
Song 宋朝 The Song Dynasty
Diancha 点茶 To whisk powdered tea
Doucha 斗茶 A tea contest
Charen 茶人 A “tea person”, someone in love with or expert in tea
Cai Xiang 蔡襄 Great calligrapher and tea expert from the Northern Song
Cha Lu 茶录the Record of Tea
Su Shi 苏轼 Famous official, man of letters and all around Hometown Hero of Hangzhou
Su Dongpo 苏东坡 Su Shi’s other name
Dongpo Rou 东坡肉 The dish attributed to Su Dongpo. A tasty Hangzhou specialty
K.S. Lo 罗桂祥 Dr. K.S. Lo (1910-1995) Vitasoy Founder and passionate Yixing pottery and ceramics collector.
Ming 明朝 Ming Dynasty
Zhu Yuanzhang 朱元璋 the Hongwu Emperor 洪武帝
Zhu Quan 朱权Son of Hongwu Emperor, writer of the Cha Pu (different from the Cai Xiang Cha Pu)
Jingdezhen 景德镇 Famous historic city in Jiangxi famous for everything produced from their kilns
Yixing 宜兴 City along Tai Hu in Jiangsu famous for their teapots
Pu Erh 普洱茶 Pu-er tea (written Pu-Er and with an h on the end.)
Oolong 乌龙茶 Oolong tea
cha dashi 茶大师 A Tea master
dìjíshìi 地级市 A Prefectural level city….has more authority than other cities their size.
Xishuangbanna 西双版纳 City in southern Yunnan
Simao 思茅 Temporary name for Pu’er. Now a district of Pu’er City
zisha 紫砂 Purple clay, main ingredient of Yixing teapots
Qingming Holiday 清明节 also known as Grave-Sweeping Festival, Usually falls on April 4 or 5
Shanzhai 山寨 a metaphor for a low-end copy-cat products and factories that produces fakes
qi zi bing cha 七子饼茶 Seven Sons Tea Cake
cha dao 茶刀 A tea knife
Yìwǔ 易武 City in Yunnan
Yìwū 义乌 City in central Zhejiang, renowned as the center of China’s merchandise wholesale trade
Wuliang 无量山 Mountain area in Yunnan for famous for their Pu-er Tea
Ailao 哀牢山 Mountain area in Yunnan for famous for their Pu-er Tea
Daxue Mountains 大雪山 Mountain area in Yunnan for famous for their Pu-er Tea
Tedian 特点 special point…outstanding characteristic
Sheng Pu’er 生普洱 Raw Pu-er tea that has not ripened yet
Shou Pu’er 熟普洱 Ripe Pu-er tea that has aged naturally over time or spec up through the Wo Dui process.
Wodui 渥堆 A process of speeding up the ripening of raw maocha.
cha nong茶农 A tea farmer
sha qing 杀青 To “kill green”. Heat the tea leaves to deactivate the enzymes
rounian 揉捻 The “rolling” of the tea leaves.
Maocha 毛茶 Pu-er tea in its raw state. Can be packed at once for sheng pu-er or wòduīprocessed to speed up the ripening.
Kunming Cha Chang 昆明茶厂 the Kunming Tea Factory
Bingcha 饼茶 A tea cake
Tuocha沱茶 Bird nest shaped cakes of Pu-er tea in all kinds of sizes.
hē xibeifēng 喝西北风 To east dust. To “drink the northwest wind”
gushu 古树 ancient tree
baojianpin 保健品 Health products
Babelcap: A Chinese Tea Lexicon http://babelcarp.org/babelcarp/
Sarah Rose’s book: For all the Tea in China
THE SPIRIT OF TEA, a book and traveling exhibition by tea lover and photographer Matthew London.
This here’s the link: http://www.spiritoftea.net/CHPto signup for your chance to win a signed print.
Robert Fortune’s Two books:
Three Years' Wanderings in the Northern Provinces of China
A Journey to the Tea Countries of China