The Study of Tea in China
In China, prestigious Agricultural Universities have separate Tea Departments. The study of Tea is taken seriously. The plant is studied in all its forms - the various cultivars, how it is grown, harvested, manufactured and its numerous properties. Tests are conducted for polyphenols, caffeine, moisture, beneficial properties and other aspects. Large tea companies housed Tea Museums and well-equipped laboratories. We were fortunate to have visited the Hunan Agricultural University and were given a detailed tour of the Tea Department. Various labs held the latest versions of testing equipment and it is common for Quality Control department of tea companies to be led by graduates from these prestigious universities. The general classification of tea originating from the camellia sinensis plant genus is dissected in detail into multiple tea cultivars with each examined in detail. One wall of illustrations captured this in detail. Tea Museums exhibited both the general origin and history of tea as well as specific types. At Hunan Tea, each class of tea was explained in detail with beautiful depictions of the history of tea as well as the various methods of manufacture. The Museum has been open about a year and serves the company well.