Tibetan Tea

From there he was transported to neighbouring Tibet by caravans. Historically, it has also been referred to as Wu Cha (乌茶), Bian Cha ( 边茶), Da Cha (大茶) or Ya Cha (雅茶), and belongs to a group of teas called Hei Cha (黑茶) - dark teas. The Ya-an area is considered to be the first place in the world where systematic cultivation of tea trees occurred. A mention in the Huayang Chronicle (华阳国志) is even considered the first written record of tea ever. It reads roughly as follows: "In the ancient kingdoms of Shu and Ba (present-day Sichuan) there are tea gardens. These states used tea to pay tribute to Zhou Wuwang, emperor of the Zhou Dynasty (1045-256 BC)." 

The way of tea and horses

During the Tang and Song dynasties, the old trade route from Sichuan to Tibet became an important trade channel and an important tool for strengthening the empire's power and influence in the remote areas around the border. Horse-drawn caravans transported tea produced in Guizhou and Yunnan provinces, among others, to Sichuan and then on to Tibet, Mongolia and Russia. Ya'an was a central point on the tea and horse route. It concentrated and organized the supply of raw tea from Luzhou, Yibin, Guanxian, Chongqing and other places in Sichuan and parts of Yunnan. From there, tea was supplied to Tibetan minorities and exchanged for horses, which the empire used in its military campaigns. Between 15,000 and 20,000 horses were traded annually in Ya'an. From historical records in the book" History of Min - Chronicles of Food and Goods" we learn that "a good quality Tibetan war horse costs 40 jin tea (20 kg), an average one 30 jin and a low quality horse 20 jin tea...". Mostly during the Tang Dynasty, this trade took on unprecedented proportions in Ya'an. This led to the creation of what we know today as the "Southern Silk Road". This was the southern section of the route that started from Ya'an in Sichuan and headed for Tibet.

Tibetan legends

Of course, there are also many legends about the discovery of the miraculous effects of Tibetan tea. Here are two of them. According to the first, Songtsen Gampo, a Tibetan king from the Tang Dynasty, was ill for a long time. One day he was resting by the window when he saw a bird flying towards him with a twig in its beak. The bird flew up to him and handed him the twig with green leaves. The king ordered the palace servants to boil the twig in water. After drinking this drink, he miraculously recovered. The king then sent messengers to look for the same plant and eventually found a tea plant in Han County (present-day Sichuan).

Another story tells of the Chinese princess Wencheng of the Tang dynasty who married into Tibet. She brought three treasures as dowry: tea, silk and ink. Since then, tea has been an integral part of Tibet's unique culture.

Cultivation and production

The tea trees from which Tibetan tea is harvested grow in the mountainous regions of western Sichuan at altitudes of over 1 000 metres. Growing at higher altitudes gives the tea its unique character. Mature leaves are harvested, often including a bud and several leaves (up to five). As with other teas, there is not as much attention paid to the content of the tea buds. The resulting tea often contains a high proportion of tea twigs and even red moss, with which the twigs and leaves are covered. This is the source of the tea's higher nutritional value, which is valued mainly in Tibet. Often a different type of tea is produced for export and another for domestic consumption.

The tea leaves are heated on hot pans after plucking. This slows down or stops the oxidative enzymatic processes. Similar to puerh or green tea. In doing so, the tea leaves should be shaken and spread out on a cooler pad to prevent them from steaming or burning. The leaves are then manually or mechanically rolled, so the cellular structure of the leaf is disturbed and many chemical transformations occur. This is followed by a complicated process of controlled anaerobic fermentation where the leaves are bought, moistened and heated. For 30 days, covered with tarpaulins, they are left to undergo the complex fermentation process. They are regularly checked and re-purchased to prevent unwanted processes and the spread of mould. The flakes are then dried and pressed. The tea is not sold immediately but is left to mature for some time. At least half a year, ideally several years. The tea continues to undergo very slow post-fermentation processes. The flavour mellows and deepens. Higher humidity and temperature are therefore suitable for storage.

Tibetan tea

The average altitude of the Tibetan plateau is around 4000 m. Most of the year is very cold and dry. Few plants survive in such conditions. The normal diet of the Tibetans consists mainly of beef and mutton, cheese, ghee and mountain barley. Most of these foods are hard to digest, high in fat and low in fibre. However, the population rarely suffers from digestive problems, obesity or high blood pressure. Local doctors attribute this to the consistent drinking of Tibetan dark tea. It is usually mixed with yak butter and milk and served lightly salted. Large Chinese thermoses full of hot tea can be found in every mountain household and are constantly replenished.