Chinese tea sets: Preserving the Essence of Chinese Teas

China has been exporting tea to 90% of the world’s market. Chinese teas are known for their superior quality especially when it comes to taste, texture, and flavour. Among the most commonly consumed beverages, tea ranks first amongst others. Chinese teas are best served with Chinese tea sets since they create a synergistic effect that enhances the experience.

People from different countries name their teas in different ways. In Russia, tea is called “cha’i”, it is pronounced as “chaye” in their local tongue. China and the Philippines have more or less the same local name for tea. In China, it’s called “cha” and “tsa-a” in the Philippines. They may not have the same spelling, but they do sound the same when spoken out loud.

It was only after the 17th and 18th century that Americans and Europeans were able to appreciate tea. Japan started its passion for tea after the 6th century. People around the world started enjoying their teas sometime in their lives, but there is no question that the passion for tea started in China, specifically a small town called Yixing.

Teas can be classified in different ways, but the commonly used classification is on how they are made.

1. Green tea: Green teas are known to be the variety that keeps its natural color during the brewing process. There are a number of green tea leaves that you can find in the market, but the most common are: Biluochun tea of the Jiangsu province, Longjing tea of Zhejiang, and Maofeng from the mountains of Anhui.

2. Black tea: Black tea or “red tea” is the only type of tea that is fermented before it is baked. The tea leaves that work best with this class of teas are: Qihong of Anhui, Dianhong of Yunnan, and Suhong of Jiangsu.

3. Wulong tea: Wulong teas are popular in the south-eastern parts of China that includes Taiwan, Guandong, and Fujian. Wulong tea is simply a mixture of black tea and green tea.

4. Compressed tea: Compressed tea or “brick tea” is a variety of black tea that is compressed into a certain shaped to be stored and transported commercially to a large number of consumers. Brick teas are made in Hunan, Hubei, Yunnan, and Sichuan provinces.

5. Scented tea: Scented teas are popular because of their unique aroma. Jasmine and magnolia are the most commonly infused aromas since they create a calming scent and an exotic flavour.

Teas are best served with tea sets since they preserve the natural flavor of tea. Tea sets are high quality, durable set of dishes that are used for afternoon tea or a formal tea party. Most of these tea sets are made of porcelain, bone china, or silver.

In China, the most popular type of tea set is made of Yixing clay. Historically, teas were believed to be brewed from these Yixing clay pots and are served to the guests after it has been cooled enough to drink. The Yixing tea set is named after a town in the eastern province of Jiangsu, China.

To assess the quality of these clay pots, we will have to look for a number of indicators. When tapping the body of the pot with another pot, a distinct sound should be heard. A good quality clay pot should have a metallic like sound.

Another way to assess the quality of a clay pot is to fill the pot with water while placing the lead on. A positive index that we are looking for is smooth free flowing water coming out from the pot. These attributes are commonly found in most Chinese tea sets.

Yixing pots are unique among all the other Chinese tea sets since it has the ability to enhance the natural flavour of tea, as it is used over a period of time. This is made possible by brewing tea inside the pot and allowing the tea to coat the insides of the pot. Washing the pot with soap will take away the coat, therefore, it is advisable to use warm water instead. Yixing is popular among tea aficionados because of this unique ability.

Tea has become a lifestyle for a lot of people. Teas have different flavours and aromas to match the needs of every individual. Chinese tea sets are ideally used for Chinese teas since they complete the experience of oriental tea drinking. Yixing is most probably the best tea set for Chinese teas since it does not only enhances the flavour, but more importantly, enhances the essence of the tea.

S. Cheng is a lifestyle magazine editor based in Beijing, China. She has a fascination for Chinese Tea Sets and many other oriental style of living. Check out her site about the Chinese Tea Sets here.