Tea, as one of the plants that changed the world, once sparked two major wars: the Opium War and the American War of Independence. It originated in China, conquered Europe, and influenced the world.

Foreign teas mainly fall into three categories:

One category is East Asian teas, such as Japanese matcha and steamed green tea, Korean barley tea, etc.;

Another category is black tea from India, Sri Lanka, and Kenya;

The third category is European teas, mainly tea bags and fruit-flavored herbal teas.

 

 

India is a major producer of black tea in the world. Among them, Darjeeling black tea is known as the "Champagne of black teas" for its unique and elegant aroma. Its liquor is bright orange-gold (with a golden rim), with a rich muscat grape fragrance, pure flavor, and a lingering sweetness. Assam black tea has a reddish-brown liquor with a mixed aroma of roses and malt, and a strong, full-bodied taste.

 

 

Indians usually put black tea, milk, and sugar into a pot, add water, and boil. After boiling, they filter out the tea leaves and pour the thick, coffee-like liquid into a cup. Some add ginger slices, cinnamon, cardamom, betel nut, fennel, cloves, etc., after boiling the black tea to enhance the aroma. This kind of milk tea is also called "spiced tea." There is also a uniquely consumed Masala tea, which is drunk by pouring the tea onto a plate and licking it with the tongue, hence it is also called "lick tea."

 

 

In Malaysia, the traditional drink is "pulled tea," with ingredients similar to milk tea. After the tea master prepares the mixture, he pours the tea back and forth between two cups like a magician. Because the two cups are far apart, it looks as though the white tea is being stretched, which is very interesting and hence called pulled tea.

 

 

Yerba mate is an indispensable drink in the lives of South Americans. South Americans call it "fairy herb" and consider it a "mysterious gift from God." It contains up to 196 types of active nutrients and is one of the most nutritious plants in the world.

 

 

The traditional way locals drink tea is quite unique. A family or a group of friends sit together around a gourd-shaped cup filled with yerba mate, with a bombilla (metal straw) inserted. People take turns sipping the tea through the straw while chatting. When the water is nearly finished, they add more hot water and continue sipping until the gathering ends.

 

 

Japanese matcha and the Japanese tea ceremony have now become national treasures of Japan. Although Chinese tea ceremony (matcha) has a history of over a thousand years, since the Ming Dynasty, brewing tea became popular, and Chinese matcha ceremony was gradually lost. However, the Japanese envoy Eisai brought it back to Japan after studying in China, where matcha was preserved, inherited, and developed. The tea used in the Japanese tea ceremony "matcha" is powdered tea leaves.

 

 

Matcha is different from ordinary Japanese green tea. It is made through a special process. First, when the tea plant has just sprouted new leaves, the tender leaves are picked and steamed to dry. Then, the stems are removed, and the leaves are ground into powder to become matcha.

 

 

In Britain, there is even a popular saying: "When the clock strikes four, everything in the world stops for tea." Princess Catherine of Braganza brought Chinese black tea, which had already been introduced to Portugal, to England when she married King Charles II. Subsequently, tea became a national drink in England, and Catherine was known as the "Tea-drinking Queen." Britons have the conventional habit of having afternoon tea around 4 PM daily, and no matter how busy they are, they put down their work and take a break in the tearoom at that time.

 

 

Winston Churchill regarded granting workers the right to a tea break during work as part of social reform. This tradition continues today, with people from all walks of life enjoying a statutory 15-minute tea break daily. Britons like to drink tea with milk and blended tea. In the UK, when making milk tea, you should first pour milk into the cup and then add tea. If you want to add sugar, it should be added last. Reversing the order is considered ill-mannered.

 

 

Americans prefer tea that is simple and quick to prepare. They like to drink iced black tea with lemon. The brewed tea is poured into a glass filled with ice cubes, then honey and a few slices of fresh lemon are added. Due to the fast pace of life in the U.S., people find it tedious to boil water, brew tea, and wait for it to cool. Therefore, bagged iced tea, instant tea, and canned tea are very popular.

 

 

Tea has spread across the entire world, and each region's tea-drinking customs and cultures have their own vivid characteristics. Tea in different regions is endowed with different cultural connotations, blending the spiritual essence of East and West.