The wide variation of Chinese tea available in the local supermarkets and even in dining places today have made it quite a wonder what this drink is and where it has originated. Although most people have some amounts of idea about the good things that this beverage bring, not all are knowledgeable about its significance in the Chinese culture.

This drink basically started out in China and is a significant aspect of every Chinese' typical day. Chinese people drink tea all throughout the day especially during meal time. They consider this beverage as an ideal element for maintaining good health and at the same, a good tool for developing social relations.

Its long history goes back to sometime in the 2737BCE when the Chinese emperor Shennong was boiling water, and a Camellia sinensis leaf fell into it. This started the use of tea for medical purposes. Eventually, its importance in the lives of the Chinese people made it one of their seven basic needs hand in hand with rice, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, oil and firewood.

With the different kinds of tea presented to consumers nowadays, it is just understandable for most people to get all confused about the origin of each Chinese tea they get to encounter everywhere. In reality, all forms of tea comes from one source, which is the Camilla Sinensis tree. Hundreds of variations have been found, but they can fall into four main categories.

White tea is known to be the most healthy of the group. This is made using immature tea leaves which are picked right after the buds have completely opened. Green tea, on the other hand, is more preferred because of its all-natural green color, which people tend to associate with being the most authentic form. The main reason why this is able to maintain its color is because it is not fermented at all.

Another option comes in the form of black or red tea. The darker color is due to the fermentation processes that this variation has to go through. Last in the line is oolong tea, which is fermented partially. They come in black-green hues.

Scented teas are also available for those who gets turned on by the smell. These are mixed with various flowers and petals and are usually using either green or oolong tea.

Basically, there is only one kind of tea. All the differences that exist between the large selection of Chinese tea sold in the market today can be traced back to the processes the tea leaves have to go through before one gets to enjoy its flavor in preferred beverage forms.