The History of Blooming Flowering Tea

The history of blooming tea is somewhat clouded inflowering tea is at least hundreds of years old. Chinese
mystery, but what we do know is that it comes to usliterary references in texts and pictures depict type of
from the mountainous southern region of China in theflower tea bloom, which supports the claim that at
Yunnan province. Yunnan province is said to be theleast the concept of shaping tea leaves into artful
birthplace of tea, which according to botanical scientistsforms is hundreds of years old. The art of crafting
is in its modern form a hybridization of species thatdisplay teas is a documented fact going back to the
were present in the 19th and 20th centuries. Artisansmid 10th century C.E., where display tea was used in
high in the Yunnan Mountains are responsible forChinese royal courts for its visual appeal and never
producing much of the flowing tea bundles packagedenjoyed as an actual beverage, but this documentation
for markets around the world, although others outsidedoes not include mention of flowering tea.
the regions have begun replicating the craftsmanshipTo be certain, many of the tea blooms available today
to introduce the delicacy to a wider audience.are very recent creations. Artisans today labor to
In China where tea is part of an ancient history of ritualproduce the most elegant blooming flowering teas and
and reverence, blooming tea is called Gong Yi Huaare only limited only by their creativity and patience in
Cha, quite literally translated to "art flower tea" or alsocrafting beautiful works of liquid art. Artisans in Yunnan
known as "flowering tea". There is no actual writtenprovince still hand make wonderful blooming tea
record documenting the advent of flowering teabundles that when steeped in hot water slowly unfurl
blooms in Chinese history, so many tea aficionadosto produce an exquisite experience, equal parts visual,
claim that blooming tea is a fairly recent inventionaromatic, and flavor. It's thanks to them that the rest of
created only in the mid-1980's. Historians claim therethe world is able to enjoy and experience these
literary proof does exist to back up the claim thatwonderful works of artistic delicacy.