Tea culture is defined by the way tea is made and consumed, by the way the people interact with tea, and by the aesthetics surrounding tea drinking

Tea originated in China. But, when Tea was introduced into different countries, Tea was formed in different cultures.

China: the homeland of tea
China is the earliest country in the world to have planted tea and the original homeland of tea culture. Thanks to different geographic climates, Chinese people have developed different varieties of tea with unique flavors.

How do Chinese people prepare and serve tea?
Gongfu Cha (or Gongfu tea ceremony), means "making tea with skill." It is a popular method of preparing and presenting tea in China. It makes use of pretty Yixing tea set to prepare and serve the beverage. Essentially, water quality and temperature are the two most important aspects that have to be considered while brewing tea. The procedure is mostly applicable to Oolong teas.

The custom of tea-drinking spread from China to other countries through cultural exchanges via the ancient "Tea Horse Road" (Southern Silk Road) and other trade channels.

The matcha ceremony in Japan
Tea was brought to Japan from China during the ninth century by a traveling Buddhist monk and was later firmly integrated into the Japanese culture.

But what's a Japanese tea ceremony like?
The Japanese tea ceremony is often known as matcha. In Japan, serving tea is not only an art but also a spiritual discipline. As an art, the tea ceremony is an occasion to appreciate the simplicity of the tea room's design, the feel of the tea bowl in the hand, and the company of friends. As a discipline, aesthetic contemplation of floral arrangement, ceramics and calligraphy are essential.

Tibet: butter tea in a bowl
Butter, milk, and salt are added to brewed tea and churned to form a hot drink called Po cha (bod ja, where bod means Tibetan and ja tea) in Tibet, Bhutan, and Nepal. The concoction is sometimes called cha su mar, mainly in Kham, or Eastern Tibet. Traditionally, the drink is made with a domestic brick tea and yak's milk, then mixed in a churn for several minutes. Using a generic black tea, milk and butter, and shaking or blending work well too, although the unique taste of yak milk is difficult to replicate. 

There are two main teas that go with the tea culture. The teas are butter tea and sweet milk tea. These two teas are only found in Tibet. Other teas that the Tibetans enjoy are boiled black teas. There are many tea shops in Tibet selling these teas, which travelers often take for their main hydration source

Vietnam tea
Tea culture within Vietnam is very old and is home to some of the oldest living tea plants. Prior to French colonization, tea was primarily produced for personal and local-market consumption. The first tea plantation was established in 1890 within the Phu Tho province and was very successful. During the twentieth century, Vietnam saw a surge of tea production and began exporting tea around the world. As of 2015, a study conducted by the United Nations concluded that Vietnam was the fifth largest exporter of tea in the world.In the same year, it was estimated that 80% of the total yield was dedicated to foreign markets.

The word in the Vietnamese language is trà (pronounced [t͡ɕaː˨˩] or [ʈaː˨˩]) or chè (pronounced [t͡ɕɛ˨˩] or [cɛ˨˩]). It is served unsweetened and unaccompanied by milk, cream, or lemon.

Traditionally tea is frequently consumed as green tea (trà xanh). Variants of black tea (chè tàu) is also widely used although frequently scented with Jasminum sambac blossoms (chè nhài, trà lài). Huế is renowned for its tea scented with Nelumbo nucifera stamens (trà sen).

Chai: the way Indians drink tea
India is one of the largest tea producers in the world. It learned the art of tea-drinking from Tibet centuries ago. Tea is so popular in India that 70 percent of the tea it produces is consumed by its own people.

What are the features of Indian chai?
The name "chai" is the Hindi word for tea; it means a mix of spices blended into a tea-like beverage. The traditional ingredients of a spiced tea usually include black tea mixed with strong spices like cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. As tea is India's most popular drink, you may find lots of roadside chai stalls serving hot chai with spices, sugar and milk.

The Turkish tea culture
Tea was brought to Turkey from China as early as the 19th century. It is now the most commonly consumed hot drink, despite the country's long history of drinking coffee.

How is Turkish tea served?
Turkish tea is traditionally offered in small tulip-shaped glasses which are usually held by the rim, in order to save the fingertips from being burned, since it is served boiling hot. Most often, salty or sweet biscuits called kurabiye are served with tea.  

Originating from China, tea has spread beyond Asian countries to the rest of the world. The classic afternoon tea in Britain, mint tea in Morocco, Zavarka in Russia, or Yerba mate in South America, all offer a special experience.

Compiled and penned by Crocus Media