EASC Resources

Background information about tea in China:

World Tea News  https://worldteanews.com/

• China Thirsts for the World’s Tea (Economics): Link to article
• The Coronavirus Impact on China’s Tea Harvest: Link to article
• China Remains the World’s Top Tea Exporter: Link to article
• “China’s Tea Origins: Eastern Belt”: Link to article

 Tsiosophy https://www.tsiosophy.com/ (Primary Source Materials with translations)

Tsiosophy is the wisdom of tea, a journal devoted to the history and literature of Camellia sinensis and Chinese poetry. Primary source material (history, poems, essays in Chinese with translations.  Some include:

• • Cha jiu lun㤊䜦䂪 (Discourse Between Tea and Wine, ca 742-760) Primary text with translation link
  • The Censor’s Jar  Primary text with translation link
  • Inscription for the Gentleman of Principle (Sheng Yong of the Ming dynasty) Primary text with translation link
  • Three Encomia on the Ten Perfections of Tea (Wen Zhengming of the Ming dynasty) – Primary text with translation link
  • Liu Yuxi of the Tang dynasty – Primary text with translation link
  • Song of Tasting Tea at West Mountain Temple – Primary text with translation link
  • A Place for Tea (Li Rihua of the Ming dynasty) – Primary text with translation link
  • Poem Wang Fuli of the Qing Dynasty Primary text with translation link
  • The Autobiography of Imperial Instructor Lu Primary text with translation link
  • The Huzhou Lei Tea Jar – Description link
  • Chronologies for China, Japan and Korea – link

Chazhidao Chinese Tea Traditions School: The Way of Tea Online Course (free) https://chazhidao.org/en

Lessons include main categories (below) and subcategories:

• • An insight into the modern Chinese tea tradition. Tea.
  • An insight into the modern Chinese tea tradition. Basic brewing techniques and the choice of tea-ware.
  • Tea production and brewing history in China
  • Modern methods of tea leaf processing in China
  • Pin Cha Method of brewing Chinese tea (includes videos)

Examples of some lessons include:

• • Types of Chinese tea: https://chazhidao.org/en/first-circle/types-chinese-tea
  • Two Types of pu-er: https://chazhidao.org/en/first-circle/two-types-puer
  • Four types of Oolong: https://chazhidao.org/en/first-circle/four-types-oolong
  • The degree of fermentation of the tea leaf: https://chazhidao.org/en/first-circle/degree-fermentation-tea-leaf
  • Brewing of Chinese Tea: https://chazhidao.org/en/second-circle/brewing-chinese-tea-weigh-and-temperature
  • Tea-ware for Chinese Brewing: https://chazhidao.org/en/second-circle/tea-ware-chinese-brewing-choice

Database with list of types of tea (includes name, form, type, province, picture w/map): https://chazhidao.org/en/tea

Tea pot forms: https://chazhidao.org/en/teapot-forms Includes many different types of tea posts with pictures

ChinaCulture.org

• How important the Tea Was in Ancient China? (China Culture.org)
• A tea town infused with prosperity (China Daily)
• Plantations cultivate poverty alleviation in a Guiangxi village (China Daily)
• Turning over a new leaf (China Daily)
• Tea aroma lingers in mountainous village (China Daily) with video
• Cultivating prosperity infused with dedication (China Daily)

Other sites:

• Chinese tea: https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-tea/
• Highlights, About Tea, Tea & Health, Tea Tourism, Tea Customs, Tea How-to, Video, Gallery Includes history of tea: http://www.china.org.cn/learning_chinese/Chinese_tea/2011-07/15/content_22999489.htm
• 7 Types of Tea in China: https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-tea/tea-classification.htm
• China’s Top Tea Culture Cities: https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/top-tea-cities.htm

Background material about tea in Japan:

World Green Tea Association:

• “How tea came to Japan”  http://www.o-cha.net/english/teacha/history/howteacame.html
  • Includes varieties of tea, utilization of tea, distribution and consumption, culture, scientific research, natural powers of tea, history, tea cultivation

Japan Tea Export Council:

Japanese Tea Education database: http://www.nihon-cha.or.jp/export/nihoncha_db/

Images of 17 categories and 100 subcategories. Some of the categories include

• • Japanese tea cultivation, Japanese tea manufacturing machine
  • Japanese tea producing regions, Japanese tea types
  • Japanese tea cultivars (place of breeding), Tea competitions
  • Ecological features and parts of tea plants cultivated in Japan
  • Japanese tea history and culture, Domestic trade of Japanese tea
  • Products containing Japanese tea, Japanese tea in daily life
  • Japanese tea cooking, Serving Japanese tea
  • Sado (tea ceremony), Vintage tea advertisements
  • Components and benefits of Japanese tea

Example – picture of pruning tea in fall http://nihon-cha.or.jp/dbpath/detail.action?c1=1&c2=7&no=20&row=2

 Ito en:  Largest green tea distributor in Japan https://www.itoen-global.com/

• All about Green Tea: Background information on Japanese green tea https://www.itoen-global.com/allabout_greentea/index.html
• Varieties of Green Tea, How to prepare the perfect cup of green tea, production of green tea in Japan, tea growing regions, major components and health benefits of green tea

Japan Monthly Web Magazine:

•  A Walk Through the History of Japanese Tea in Kyoto’s Minamiyamashiro Region – Link

World Tea News:  https://worldteanews.com/

• Reviving Japan’s Tea Lands: Link to article
• “Tea’s Probiotic and Prebotic Benefits Fit Global Needs”: Link to article

O-Cha Net:  

• “How tea came to Japan”  Link to article
• Tea Cultivation: Link to article

Other Sites:

• The Culture and History of Uji Tea – Link
• Tea Museum Shizuoka: https://tea-museum.jp/index_en.html
• Japanese Green Tea Cultivation – Green Tea Farm – Green Tea Harvest and Processing – youtube Link
• How Japanese Green Tea is Made – Youtube link
• A Tea Leaf Growing (45”) – Youtube Link
• The Green Tea Harvest in Japan: Link

 

Background material about tea in Korea:

• The World of Korea Tea: https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/FO/FO_EN_6_3_3.jsp
  • Korean Green Tea (Nokcha): Link
• “Taste Korea’s Tea History”: https://worldteanews.com/tea-business-resources/taste-koreas-tea-history
• The Korean Way of Tea in History and Today (Lecturer: Brother Anthony) Youtube Link Record of Korean Tea (30’)
• Tea Culture in Korea – Youtube link
• Visiting a Korean Tea Plantation | Boseong, South Korea – Youtube link
• Premium Tea on the Rise in South Korea: https://stir-tea-coffee.com/features/premium-tea-on-the-rise-in-south-korea/
• (World Tea News) “Taste Korea’s Tea History”: Link to article

 

Background material about tea in East Asia:

• The history of Tea – Shunan Teng (TED-Ed 4’) – Youtube Link
• Chinese Green Tea: How it’s made, with Master Gu – Youtube Link
• Let’s Talk Tea with Steven Owyoung – Youtube Link
• Negotiating Religious and Cultural Diversity in Tang China: An Analysis of the Cha jiu lun 茶酒論 – pdf link

The 4^th International Conference on O-CHA (Tea) Culture and Science (articles):

• Production Technique of Shade Grown High Quality Tea in Japan – Matcha tea cultivation and production – pdf link
• Green tea production technologies in Shizuoka – pdf link
• Tea Production and Tea Products in Japan – pdf link
• A Mechanized Tea Cultivation System in Kagoshima, Japan – pdf link
• Studies on aroma formation mechanisms during tea manufacturing suggest methods not only to improve the quality of made teas, but also to produce new types of teas – pdf link
• Contribution of scientific innovation and environmental friendly strategies on the development of Chinese tea industry – pdf link
• The Korean Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis): RFLP Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Relationship to Japanese Tea – pdf link
• Bactericidal activity of green tea extracts: the importance of catechin containing nano particles – pdf link
• Antimicrobial properties of green tea catechins – link to article

 

Other Resources: