Across China's vast provinces, you’ll find tea prepared in ways that might surprise you: boiled in salty brine, infused with jasmine blossoms, steeped with dried ginger, or even mingled with onions.
Some of these methods evolved for practical reasons—preserving tea, adding medicinal properties, or simply enhancing flavour. Others became deeply embedded in local identity.
Yet, if one man had his way, none of these creative concoctions would have existed...
(Ooh, the mystery, the intrigue!)
Lu Yu: The Purist Philosopher of Tea
Lu Yu, often called the 'Sage of Tea,' was a Tang Dynasty scholar, philosopher, and the author of The Classic of Tea (Cha Jing)—the first and most influential treatise on tea. His work laid the foundation for tea culture in China and beyond, prescribing everything from how water should be sourced (preferably from a slow-moving mountain stream) to the ideal temperature for brewing.
But while Lu Yu was a visionary, he was also an unyielding purist.
To him, tea was sacred, a near-spiritual experience meant to be enjoyed in its purest form. 'Tea is like water meeting truth,' he wrote. 'Why dilute honesty with embellishments?'
If he were alive today, he might shudder at bubble tea, grimace at sugary milk tea, and faint at the thought of pumpkin spice lattes. And yet, for all his wisdom, China did not always agree with him.
Regional Tea Twists: The Art of Experimentation
While Lu Yu saw tea as a conversation with the mountains, others saw it as a way to really let their creativity shine. Each region developed its own interpretation, adding ingredients that fit their environment, culture, and needs. Tbh, it's pretty cool.
☲ Sichuan Province: Salt & Butter Tea
Forget sugar—Sichuan’s traditional salty tea is brewed with brine and sometimes mixed with yak butter, creating a thick, warming drink. It’s an acquired taste, but essential in the cold, high-altitude areas where it provides much-needed energy and warmth.
☲ Yunnan Province: Floral Pu-erh
In the land of ancient tea trees, Yunnan’s famous Pu-erh tea is often steeped with dried flowers, adding a fragrant, slightly sweet note. The pairing of aged, earthy tea with delicate petals creates a drink that’s as much about aroma as it is about taste.
☲ Fujian Province: Jasmine-Infused Elegance
Fujian is home to some of the most delicate teas in the world, including white tea and oolong. Here, tea masters lay fresh jasmine flowers over dried tea leaves, allowing the scent to infuse naturally overnight. The result? A floral, intoxicating brew that’s become one of China’s most famous exports.
☲ Zhejiang Province: Ginger Tea for the Soul
A province known for its green tea, Zhejiang also has a tradition of adding ginger to tea, especially in colder months. Beyond its comforting warmth, ginger is believed to aid digestion and boost immunity—making it a go-to drink for both health and flavor.
☲ Hunan Province: The Onion Conundrum
Perhaps the most shocking of all, Hunan takes the tea experiment to another level by brewing it with onions and ginger. While it might sound like something from a medieval apothecary, locals swear by its medicinal properties. A cure for colds? Maybe. A delight for the senses? I'll leave that one up to you, dearest Tea on Tea reader.
Lu Yu’s Disapproval (and Secret Love of Tea Drama)
Of course, Lu Yu would have none of this. The man who believed tea should be enjoyed without distractions would have found onion tea downright offensive.
'Tea is a conversation with the mountains,' he wrote, 'and mountains do not speak of onions.'
And yet, despite his disapproval, his book—The Classic of Tea—became the foundation upon which all (yes, all) tea culture was built. Even those who defied his purist ideals still owed him their knowledge, their techniques, and their understanding of what makes tea special.
Would he have ever approved of Sichuan’s salty tea? Or Zhejiang’s ginger infusion? Probably not. But perhaps, in some quiet moment, even the Sage of Tea might have sipped a flower-infused brew and thought, 'ngl, this ain't too bad.'
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