Gong Mei

When you think about teas, you may imagine green (or even dark) leaves – but that is not the case with white tea. Cultivated in the early days before the leaves are fully opened, white tea buds are still covered by fine white hairs, which is why it is named “white tea”. During processing, this type of tea is the least processed tea. It is not oxidized nor rolled, creating a very pure and delicate type of tea. You might be wondering now, why did white tea come into existence in the first place? What does white tea taste like? Are there many types of white tea, and what are the differences? Does white tea contain any caffeine? And is white tea healthy for our body? Read on to learn more about this unique yet delicate type of tea. The history of white tea The history of white tea goes back almost 1,500 years ago to the Tang Dynasty era (618-907 CE) in Fujian Province, the birthplace of Silver Needle (Baihao Yinzhen) white tea. In that era, white tea was a special kind of tea picked in early spring – the perfect time to get the silver needles. Those young…