cha (ชา, 茶)

Thai-Chinese. ‘Tea’. Name of a small tree of which its dried leaves are soaked in hot water to make the beverage tea. Green and black tea both come from the same plant, i.e. Camellia sinensis (fig.), yet there are two main varieties, namely Camellia sinensis var. sinensis, used for green and white teas, and Camellia sinensis var. assamica, used for black and pu-erh teas. Though both teas come from the same plant, they differ in their processing. Both teas start with hand-picking the top two leaves and a bud. For green tea, the leaves are withered, quickly steamed or pan-fired to prevent oxidation, rolled, and then dried, resulting in a light, delicate flavor and a green or yellowish-green color. Black tea leaves are withered, rolled to promote full oxidation, then dried, giving a robust flavor and a deep reddish-brown color. Green tea is rich in catechin antioxidants, while black tea contains theaflavins and thearubigins, each offering unique health benefits. The standard practice for picking high-quality tea involves selecting the top two leaves and a bud to ensure optimal flavor and quality. However, in some cases, especially for premium teas, only the buds are harvested. These buds are typically more tender and contain concentrated flavors and nutrients, often resulting in a more delicate and refined tea. Tea can be cultivated in humid warm to hot climate, and in subtropical countries usually at a height of 1,000-2,000 meters. In the hills and mountains of northern Thailand, conditions for cultivating tea (fig.) are especially suitable. In the province of Chiang Rai the area around Doi Mae Salong (1,350 meters) has many tea plantations (fig.), as well as factories and teashops, and also in Ban Rak Thai, in Mae Hong Son, tea is cultivated. Both places are founded by the Chinese Kuomintang. In tea plantations in China, sometimes goats are released to help get rid of weeds, as goats do not eat tea leaves and will hence pick out all other weeds. Massive tea plantations are found in Nuwara Eliya, an area in the central highlands of Sri Lanka (map - fig.) and in the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia. In Bangkok's Chinatown several teashops and teahouses (fig.) can be found, often serving their clientele from large copper kettles, though at home it is typically served into small cups, that are part of a set called chut nahm cha (ชุดน้ำชา - fig.). Certain tea sets also come with a small cylindrical smelling cup, which captures the aroma (fig.). It is filled up first and from it the tea is then poured into the drinking cup. Immediately after pouring out the tea, the fragrance smelling cup, which in Chinese is called pin ming bei (品茗杯 - fig.), is held to the nostrils in order to sniff up the aroma of the brewed tea. In China, tea is a symbol for friendship and camaraderie (fig.), and Chinese people always use tea to welcome guests in their home, filling a cup of tea for only seven-tenths of its capacity, believing that the other thirty percent will be filled with friendship and affection, in line with Confucius' wisdom: ‘behave toward everyone as if receiving a great guest’. The English word ‘tea’ allegedly derives from the Hokkien language spoken in the Chinese precinct of Fujian, where the locals called it ‘thee’. Early Dutch traders, who exported the dried leaves to Europe, also called it ‘thee’, from where it spread and became known by this name. Having the same pronunciation as the Dutch letter ‘t’, the word ‘thee’ translated into English as ‘tea’ (t), hence its etymology. In Thai and Chinese, it is called ‘cha’, a word that possibly comes from ancient Central Chinese, where it was earlier called ‘sha’, a word meaning ‘to look for’ or ‘to check’ and may be referring to the early beginning when people still had to look for the leaves in the forest, or it may refer to the tea-pickers, who have to look for the best leaves among those of lesser quality (fig.). This then later changed into ‘cha’. The Chinese character for ‘tea’ originated in the Tang Dynasty and initially did not have its own distinct character. Its popularity eventually led to the creation of a dedicated character. This character is composed of several pen strokes: the ‘grass’ radical (艹) on top, often resembling two crosses (++) and symbolizing tea leaves; the middle part features the radical for ‘man’ (人), and the lower part includes the radical for ‘tree’ (木), where the top part of the radical resembles an upward arrow representing the tree's top, and the middle part represents its trunk. Together, these three radicals—grass, man, and tree—symbolize the harmony between humanity and nature. In Diyu, the Chinese realm of the dead, a drink known as the Five-flavoured Tea of Forgetfulness is given to the souls, in order to cause permanent amnesia, ensuring that the souls, who are ready to be reincarnated, do not remember their previous lives or atonement in hell. The invention of tea is ascribed to the Chinese deity Shen Nong, god of agriculture and founder of Chinese herbal medicine (fig.). In Myanmar, tea leaves are not only consumed as a drink, but also eaten as a salty and oily snack, which is referred to as laat hpaat, i.e. tea leaf salad (fig.), a delicacy of pickled tea leaves mixed with other ingredients, usually served in a special lacquerware tea leaf salad bowl called laat hpaat khwat. The bowl consists of a footed platter, that can be closed off with a lid, and which is divided in different compartments (fig.), similar to a Japanese bento. Typically, the tea leaf salad is placed in a rounded section in the centre, which is surrounded by 5 fan-shaped segments, that contain other munchies, such as fried garlic, shredded ginger, peanuts, sesame seeds, broad beans, etc. The father of modern tea outside of China is Robert Fortune, a Scottish botanist, plant hunter, and traveler, who played a significant role in the history of tea. In the mid-19th century, he embarked on a journey commissioned by the British East India Company to China, where he successfully obtained tea plants, seeds, and knowledge of tea production methods. His mission was to break China's monopoly on tea and establish tea cultivation in British-controlled India. During his expeditions between 1848 and 1851, Robert Fortune disguised himself as a Chinese merchant to explore regions of China that were closed to foreigners at the time. He managed to smuggle tea plants and seeds out of China, which were then cultivated in British colonies such as Darjeeling and Assam in India. This initiative was instrumental in establishing tea plantations outside of China and significantly impacting the global tea industry. See also Camellia, tea ceremony, Lu Yu, Cha Ma Dao, and coffee, Cup of Confucius, CHINESE CHARACTER FORMATION & ETYMOLOGY, and TRAVEL PICTURES (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5). 回