茶文化 Tea

是的，我爱喝茶。
Yes, I prefer tea.

大多数中国人都喜欢喝茶，中国人是世界上最早饮用茶的人。
Most Chinese people like tea and Chinese people are the first people in the world who have tea.

茶在中国有记载的历史已经有三千多年了。
And we have a recorded history of tea of three thousand years.

大约一千两百年以前，有一个叫陆羽的人，专门写了一本《茶经》。
And one thousand and two hundred years ago, a man named Lu Yu wrote a book which is called “Cha Jing”, means the bible of tea.

这是世界上第一本关于茶的书。
And this is the very first book on tea in the world.

这本书详细介绍了茶的起源，采茶、制茶的工具，茶的种类和鉴定，煮茶、饮茶的器皿，饮茶风俗的历史演变，茶叶的产地和品质等等。
The book offered a detailed explanation of the original tea, tools for picking and manufacturing tea, types and verification of tea, tea wares for brewing and drinking, history and method of tea drinking, as well as tea producing districts and their rankings.

中国的茶文化非常复杂，比茶本身还要复杂。
China now boosts a sophisticated tea culture, which goes far beyond tea itself.

茶的种类很多。
Tea comes in various types.

现在最常见的分类是按照茶的加工方法来分。
It is most commonly classified according to its processing method.

经过全发酵的茶是红茶，但是西方人却把它叫做black tea（黑茶）
Fully fermented tea is called red tea, although it is known as black tea among westerners.

不经过发酵的，仍保持原色的是绿茶。
Unfermented tea is called green tea and the leaves remain all of green.

半发酵的是乌龙茶。
Half fermented tea is called Wulong tea.

把花瓣同茶叶混合在一起薰制的茶叫花茶、
And the scented tea, which smells like flowers, is made by mixing green tea with flower petals through an elaborate process.

以绿茶为例，沏茶用的水最佳温度是摄氏八十度左右。
Take green tea for instance, the ideal temperature of the water should be around 80 degree Celsius.

如果水温过高，茶中的营养物质就会被破坏，茶水也很难喝。
If the water is too hot, nutrients in the tea will be destroyed and the tea will taste badly.

相反如果水温不够，茶叶泡不开，茶中的营养物质解析不出来，就喝不到茶的香味。
On the other hand, if the water is tempered, the tea leaves wouldn’t open up and you will miss brisk flavor.

此外，水的来源也非常重要，泉水、河水、湖水、井水等等，不同的水质都会影响茶的口感。
In addition, water is another important element. Water from springs, rivers, lakes and wells will result in different flavors.

中国人喝茶习惯要喝热的。
Chinese people are most accustomed to drinking hot tea.

一些专家认为，茶凉了以后，不但茶的精华消失了，而且对人的身体也不利。
Many tea experts say that once tea cools off, its nutrients disappear and it’s no longer good for your health.

因此如果你到中国朋友家做客，他们一定会用热茶来招待你。
So when you go visit a Chinese friend’s house, you will most likely to see a cup of hot tea.

而且在聊天的过程中，他们还会不断地为你喝空了的杯子添热水。
And you will find when you stay in talk, your friend will continuously add hot water to your emptying cup of tea.

或者把凉了的茶倒掉，再为你加上新的热茶。
Or else, they will just throw up the cold tea and give you some new tea.

说起倒茶，中国有句俗话，叫做“酒满茶半”，意思是倒酒时要把杯子倒满，而倒茶时不要倒太满。
Talking about adding water to the tea cup, we have a saying in Chinese which is “Jiu Man Cha Ban”: Liquor or wine full, full cup. Tea half, half cup.

两种方式都表示好意。
Well, they mean something good.

酒倒满杯表示全心全意。
For liquor, full cup symbolizes whole heartiness, very sincere.

茶倒半杯表示虚心诚恳。
For tea, half, it means modest.

我们给朋友倒茶和倒酒时，礼节是不同的。
So we have different ways of giving water to the cup of tea or giving one a liquor to friends.

茶
tea

红茶
black tea

绿茶
green tea