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Black tea history: which is the first kind of black tea in the world? Which kind of black tea was introduced into the western world?

Published: 2026-05-14 Author: World Gafei

Last Updated: 2026/05/14, In the early days of tea, the production of tea was very simple, picking, drying and / or roasting it. But in the Ming Dynasty, it was noticed that tea could actually wither and oxidize. This made the taste of the tea more intense, and the black tea was discovered. No one knows for sure who first discovered black tea. With many discoveries.

In the early days of tea, the production of tea was very simple, picking, drying and / or roasting it. But in the Ming Dynasty, it was noticed that tea could actually wither and oxidize. This made the taste of the tea more intense, and the black tea was discovered. No one knows for sure who first discovered black tea. Like many discoveries, it often happens by accident. According to legend, farmers in Wuyi Mountain picked these leaves when a group of soldiers entered the village and had no time to deal with them. The next day, the tea withered. In order to save the harvest, people roasted leaves with pine. The villagers were surprised by the results, and the demand for this new type of tea began to grow exponentially. The type of black tea in early China, so where did black tea come from? Black tea was first found in Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province. Today, black tea from this area is called "Zhengshan race" or "Zhengshan race". This kind of tea contains small leaves and buds. Its color tends to be black, but sometimes it can contain some golden buds. The premium version mostly contains golden buds, which are called Jin Junmei. Before the discovery of black tea, there was mainly a trade of Pu'er tea for horses along the ancient tea-horse road. Pu'er tea spread to Xizang and the surrounding areas. Later, it was the Japanese who were interested in Chinese green tea. However, after the emergence of black tea, tea really became popular all over the world.

In the 16th century, the Portuguese, led by the Dutch Jan Huygenn van Linscherten (Jan Huyghen van Linschoten), first introduced tea to the West from 1563 to 1611. It can improve attention and health. First of all, the royal family likes it, then the aristocracy, then the public. In the 17th century, the demand for tea boomed, and the Dutch East India Company led the trade. However, when the British East India Company successfully copied China and began to produce tea in India, they soon dominated the tea trade. When the tea bag was developed, as the tea became easier to make, this further stimulated the growth of demand. Global tea brands such as Lipton are beginning to emerge. These global brands slowly began to manage, grow and prepare their own teas in their place of origin, eroding the dominance of the British East India Company. Nowadays, with the increasing popularity of handmade tea, small producers are making a comeback.

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