Many tea enthusiasts often say, “Tea is good as it is.” This perspective explains why Chinese tea staunchly resists the addition of milk and sugar.
For those who appreciate tea, there’s only one type of tea, and that is Chinese tea. Everything else is just a beverage. When people in China talk about tea, they all know what it is. Even popular choices like black tea with sugar and milk, favored by many foreigners, aren’t considered “tea” by Chinese standards; they are simply beverages.
When we occasionally encounter teas of less than desirable quality, we don’t attempt to improve their taste by adding milk or sugar; instead, we set them aside or even discard them.
The Chinese collective unconsciousness about tea has a long history. During the Ming Dynasty, loose-leaf tea became popular, which is quite similar to the modern way of brewing tea. At that time, tea enthusiasts composed poems and praises, all celebrating “real tea that enlivens the spirit.” Reading between the lines, they were subtly suggesting that the tea of the past was not genuine, and teas from beyond their borders were even less authentic.
In the context of that era, the category of non-authentic teas included the Tang and Song Dynasty’s powdered and whisked teas, not to mention the pre-Six Dynasties period, which featured spiced teas similar to India’s masala chai, as well as the butter tea consumed in Tibet. On a side note, the Mongolian grasslands, which were historical adversaries of China, were strictly forbidden from supplying tea by the Ming government.
We can offer some explanations: Firstly, Central China was an agrarian society with limited dairy products. Secondly, white sugar was not mass-produced in China until the mid-Ming Dynasty. By this time, the development of Chinese tea, from the technology of fixing the green to the prevalence of Yixing teapots, as well as the philosophy of tea appreciation, had matured. There was no room for sugar and milk.
This explanation seems to apply to the early influence of Chinese tea on Japan and Korea, where they also preferred unadulterated tea.
However, I prefer to understand this resistance as stemming from the influence of Chinese culture on the concept of tea. This influence extends to the Japanese and Korean tea traditions, which have also been deeply influenced by Chinese Confucianism.
Different countries have their own tea-drinking customs, and since China is the birthplace of tea, it has always promoted the idea of drinking tea for its true flavor, without any additives. As a result, most Chinese people prefer to savor the genuine taste of tea and appreciate its diverse nuances. This approach to tea encourages contemplation and insights, allowing people to ponder various aspects of life. It’s a philosophy that some individuals find enlightening in their tea-drinking experience.
In contrast, in many foreign countries, the common practice is to add milk and sugar to tea. This preference is often influenced by local dietary habits and cultural traditions. In these places, black tea, which has a warm nature and a smoother taste, is well-suited for blending with milk and sugar. The addition of milk and sugar enhances the flavor and makes it more palatable for those accustomed to these additives.
In conclusion, the cultural and historical roots of China’s tea tradition, its preference for pure and unadulterated tea, have played a significant role in why Chinese tea typically resists the addition of milk and sugar. While this preference may not be universal, as it varies across countries and cultures, it underscores the unique and deep-seated relationship between Chinese culture and tea. Tea, to many in China, is an experience that is best appreciated in its unaltered form, allowing its inherent flavors and aromas to shine.
