Compared to other varieties of tea leaves, black tea emerged relatively late. There are two different legendary versions about the origin of black tea. Since they are legends, their authenticity need not be scrutinized; reading them is merely for entertainment.

One version claims that Lapsang Souchong is the ancestor of black tea, thus the creation of Lapsang Souchong marks the birth of black tea. Legend has it that during wartime, a troop stationed at a tea farm in Xingcun. It was tea-picking season, and the soldiers, seeing the tea leaves spread all over the ground, used them as bedding and slept on them overnight. After the soldiers left, the tea farmers returned to find that the tea leaves had fermented and turned black due to pressure and prolonged storage. With no other choice, the farmers pan-fried and dried the leaves over pine wood. Unexpectedly, this tea with a unique aroma became quite popular, thus giving rise to Lapsang Souchong black tea.

Another version tells of a large ship fully loaded with tea that set sail from a port in Fujian to England. During the voyage, it encountered a storm and lost its way, taking a year and a half to finally reach the English port. When the British merchants opened the crates, they discovered that the originally greenish-black tea leaves had turned red and emitted an unusual sweet fragrance. After brewing, the typically green tea liquor had transformed into a golden yellow color, resembling the champagne consumed by royalty. It was highly favored by the British royal family, who specifically ordered this tea with its golden, champagne-like liquor to be supplied as an annual tribute.

We cannot verify the truth of these legends, but one thing is certain: the most fundamental principle of black tea production is fermentation. As for the true origin of black tea, let historians verify that.