Abstract
This paper explores tea dissemination to the UK and the evolution of tea categorisation, with a particular focus on black tea.
Black tea, unlike other tea types, was developed primarily for export. Despite the long history of tea in China, black tea (Hong Cha) was developed during the late Ming dynasty (1568). At that time, it was not popular in the production area and instead was sold to European traders.
While early classification systems of tea originated from China, the cultural gap, developing market, and the lack of a formally translated categorisation led the Europeans to experiment and create their own grading system. European nations developed their own categorisation system for trade.
The Literature featured in this paper includes examining early Chinese methods of classification, the influence of Lu Yu’s The Classic of Tea, and the development of Western classifications, which includes John Ovington’s Essay upon the Nature and Qualities of Tea, the scientific codification of tea types in the modern era from scientists such as Chen Chuan, and finally, the 2023 Classification of Tea types from the International Organisation of Standardisation (ISO).
Today, there is still a divide in ‘East’ and ‘West’ grading systems.
West: a ‘Pekoe’ grading system shared between European, American, Indian, African, and other Southeast Asian Countries.
East: Notably divided into Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese Systems, which typically follow either a numerical order (1 being the best) or a specific name for harvest time.
This paper explores how the dissemination of tea from China to the UK motivated the transformation of black tea from a culturally embedded Chinese product into a globally traded commodity, and how this journey led to the development of Western classification systems shaped by trade, scientific inquiry, and cultural adaptation.
Keywords: Tea History; Tea Categorisation; Black Tea; ISO Standardization; British Tea
A Timeline for the Key Moments in Tea Categorisation:
760 CE – Lu Yu writes The Classic of Tea, the earliest systematic classification of tea, based on geography, leaf shape, and preparation methods. No mention of black tea.
1107 CE – Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty composes the Grand Treatise on Tea, detailing tea selection, preparation, and appraisal methods. He also introduces criteria for tea competitions, emphasizing the importance of tea quality and presentation.
1568 – Lapsang Souchong, the ancestor of black tea, was accidentally created in Tongmu Village, Wuyi Mountains, during the late Ming Dynasty.
1604 – Dutch East India Company introduces Lapsang Souchong to Europe for the first time, selling it primarily for medicinal use.
1607 – Dutch East India Company purchases Wuyi tea (likely Lapsang Souchong) from Macau and re-exports it to Europe via Java.
1610 – First recorded large-scale commercial tea import into Europe by the Dutch, marking the beginning of sustained trade.1658 – First English newspaper advertisement for tea by Thomas Garway, referring to it only as “That excellent Chinese drink.”
1660 – Samuel Pepys records drinking tea for the first time, knowing little about it other than its Chinese origin.
1699 – John Ovington publishes Essay upon the Nature and Qualities of Tea, categorising tea into Bohea, Singlo, and Bing/Imperial Tea based on appearance and flavor.
1720s – English traders begin offering distinct varieties like pekoe and souchong, marking a growing awareness of tea differentiation.
1797 – Encyclopedia Britannica lists eight kinds of tea, including three green teas (Imperial, Hyson, Singlo) and five Boheas (Souchong, Camho, Congou, Pekoe, Bohea), reflecting expanding categorisation in the West.
Early 1800s – Bohea became the most commonly consumed tea in Britain, shifting from a prestigious elite tea to a popular staple.
1820s – Discovery of indigenous tea in Assam, India, by Robert and Charles Bruce, leading to black tea cultivation outside China.
1830s – China formalises classification based on processing: green, yellow, white, oolong, black (hong cha), and dark teas.
1876 – Keemun black tea was developed in China using Lapsang Souchong processing methods, expanding the category of Chinese black teas.
20th century – Professor Chen Chuan codifies the six-type Chinese tea classification system, now widely accepted worldwide.
2023 - The International Organisation for Standards (ISO) sought to standardise tea categorisation; the latest paper was published in 2023.
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