What many of us know about Chinese tea fits in the small teapot served to us at our nearby Chinese restaurant. But, as many of us can surmise, this hardly encapsulates the variety of Chinese tea. In fact, Chinese tea includes a bold and flavorful variety of many different combinations of tea – the history of which extends to nearly 4,000 years ago. Often used primarily for medicinal purposes, Chinese tea has a long and complex history of experimentally combining herbs to find the balance that would yield a cure. As the centuries passed, the drinking of Chinese tea became more for enjoyment purposes and less for medicinal purposes.

In these early days, Chinese tea was the beverage around which centered much of the culture’s social rituals. Today, Chinese tea is enjoyed all over the world for the same reasons it was so enjoyed in China all those years ago and still today – the unique depth of flavor. When referring to Chinese tea, eight different classifications are often cited: black tea, green tea, white tea, yellow tea, red tea, compressed tea, flowered tea – such as jasmine, and oolong tea. Within these classifications are literally thousands of different types.

The advantages of drinking Chinese tea go beyond the flavor; Chinese tea has been shown to have significant health benefits including the lowering of blood pressure and increased immunity. Chinese tea is sold loosely or in processed packets depending on the level of convenience required. Chinese tea can be found in most stores around the world. For a more comprehensive selection you are best to visit an Asian market where you’ll find the greatest variety of Chinese tea.