In Britain during the 17th and 18th centuries tea was largely limited to royal houses. But the liquid made from the camellia sinensis bush has always been consumed by everyone in China. Whether as a quick pick me up or as part of an elaborate ritual, tea drinking is an indelible part of Chinese life.
Tea comes in three primary 'colors': green, oolong and black (though white tea exists, too). But the different shades are not the result of using different varieties. They stem from the amount of oxidation the leaf undergoes before being further processed.
