Types Of Black Tea And The History Of Its Origin

History of Black Tea
China is the birthplace of tea. Tea planting started from the 4th century A.D., and till the 7th century A.D., it has already become the Chinese' daily beverage. However, it was very precious at that time, and Chinese drink green tea as a medicine then. Black tea hasn't appeared yet until the Ming Dynasty in China-around the year 1400 A.D.Legend has it that black tea was discovered in the Wuyi Mountains of China, one of the most famous tea-producing regions in the country. The story goes that during a tea-picking season, an army from the north marched through the region and decided to spend the night at a tea factory. The soldiers slept on freshly picked tea leaves all night. The following day, after the army had left, the fresh tea leaves had turned black. Afraid that the tea would spoil, the farm owner rolled the leaves and dried them over a pine wood fire. To his surprise, the processed tea turned dark and emitted a unique pine-smoked aroma. This accidental discovery showed that fermenting and roasting tea leaves could create a brand-new flavor. Since it couldn't be sold locally, the farm owner brought the tea to other markets and surprisingly received a great reception there. The next year, merchants paid a high price for purchasing this tea, and with that, the world's first black tea, Lapsang Souchong, was born. Ever since then, black teas were produced, and an independent black tea processing technique came into being.

In the early 16th century (1506), Portugal invaded China and thus learned about tea culture, marking the beginning of tea trade with the West. By 1601, the Dutch had established trade with China, and the Dutch East India Company was established in 1602. In 1606, a Dutch merchant ship carried tea from Java to Macau and thence to Europe in 1609. This marked the earliest record of tea being transported to Europe, officially presenting Chinese tea to the Western world. During the 17th and early 18th centuries, tea became the Dutch East India Company's main commodity.

In 1662, an almost romantic tale with black tea occurred at an English royal wedding. When the Portuguese Princess Catherine married the English King Charles II, black tea formed part of her dowry and was introduced into Buckingham Palace. Guests at the wedding feast were surprised to find that most of the high-stemmed glasses Catherine was raising were not filled with wine but with a mysterious, then little-known Chinese beverage called black tea. The princess's love for black tea gave her the nickname "Tea Queen" among the nobility. Since then, black tea has gradually blended into British society and become a fashion and etiquette symbol.

Soon after, there emerged a tradition of afternoon tea in England. Finally, countries like India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Kenya started learning how to process black tea leaves from China. Black tea still spread all over the world. Today, black tea, together with cocoa and coffee, is one of the "world's three major beverages.

Famous Chinese Types Of Black Tea 

Conclusion
Chinese black tea originated during the Ming Dynasty when the fermentation process was discovered by accident, leading to the creation of Lapsang Souchong. During the 17th century, black tea had entered Europe through trade and became a symbol of nobility, especially cherished by the British royal family. Thus, afternoon tea came into being, and black tea techniques reached out to India, Sri Lanka, Africa, and so on, producing various types of black tea such as Assam Black Tea, Darjeeling Black Tea, Ceylon Black Tea, and Kenyan Black Tea. Today, black tea, along with coffee and cocoa, is one of the world's three major beverages.