外国人最想和你聊的文化话题：茶

　Realize Tea Culture　认识茶文化

     1　世界各地茶文化
     Tea culture is defined by the way tea is made and consumed; by the way the people interact with tea, and by the aesthetics surrounding tea drinking.
     Tea is commonly consumed at social events, and many cultures have created intricate formal ceremonies for these events. Western examples of these are afternoon tea and the tea party. In the east, tea ceremonies differ among countries, Japan's complex, formal and serene one being the most known. Other examples are the Korean tea ceremony or some traditional ways of brewing tea in Chinese tea culture. In Tibet, tea is commonly brewed with salt and butter. Tea also plays an important role in some countries.
     The British Empire spread its own interpretation of tea to its dominions and colonies including regions that today comprise the states of India, Hong Kong, and Pakistan which had existing tea customs, as well as, regions such as East Africa (modern day Kenya. Tanzania, and Uganda), which did not have existing tea customs.
     While France is well-known for its coffee drinking, afternoon tea has long been a social habit of the upper middle class, famously illustrated, for example, by Marcel Proust's novels. Mariage Frères is a famous high-end tea shop from Paris, active since 1854.
     While Germany is a mainly coffee drinking country, the region of East Friesland is noted for its consumption of tea and its tea culture. Strong Assam tea is served whenever there are visitors to an East Frisian home or other gathering, as well as with breakfast, mid-afternoon, and mid-evening.
     Different regions also favor different varieties of tea, black, green, or oolong, and use different flavourings, such as milk, sugar or herbs. The temperature and strength of the tea likewise varies widely.
     2　茶叶种类的表达方式
     （1）Six basic kinds of tea 六大基本茶类
     China has the largest and complete teas in the world. In the long history of tea development, there was created varieties of teas. With the advances of tea scientific knowledge and the innovative of craft, there are many hundreds of teas. Teas can be classified into different kinds according to their wide variety of flavors, scents, and intensity levels. So it is hard to have a standard to classification about it. Teas picked in different seasons, may cater to their different moods. There are generally six basic kinds of tea, and in each kind, there is a variety of different tea.
     Green tea　　　　　　　绿茶
     Black tea　　　　　　　红茶
     Dark tea　　　　　　　 黑茶
     Oolong tea　　　　　　 乌龙茶
     White tea　　　　　　　白茶
     Yellow tea　　　　　　 黄茶
     （2）Processed tea　　 再加工茶
     Green brick tea　　　　紧压茶
     Scented tea　　　　　　花茶
     中国的茶叶品种是非常多的，几乎世界上所有的茶种类中国都有。茶的名称也非常得多。不同种类的茶叶，命名的方法五花八门，有的根据形状不同而命名，如形似瓜子片并名，如形似瓜子片的安徽"六安瓜片"。有的结合产地的山川名胜命名，如"西湖龙井"。有的根据采摘时间和季节而命名，如"明前茶"、"雨前茶"、"春茶"等。每一类茶都有许多不同的茶，如绿茶就有：西湖龙井；惠明茶；洞庭碧螺春；顾渚紫茶；午子仙毫；黄山毛峰；云雾毛尖；曾侯银剑；信阳毛尖；宝洪茶；上饶白眉；径山茶等许许多多的茶。
Part 2　Key words ＆ Sentences　关键词语全知道
     A Famous Anglo-American writer Henry James once said, "There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
     一位著名的英裔美国作家Henry James 曾经说过："一生中只有几个小时能比喝下午茶还要高兴。"
     The British are the second largest per capita tea consumers in the world, with each person consuming on average 2.1 kg per year.
     英国是世界上人均消费茶的第二大国，人均每年消费2.1千克。
     In fact, afternoon tea is more than just a drink-sometimes it's a complete meal.
     事实上，下午茶对于英国人来说，远远不止是一种饮品，有时候那便是一顿完整的餐饭。
     Because of the climate and the Germanic origins of many of its early people, the UK has been a traditionally beer drinking rather than a wine drinking country. Over Britain as a whole, however, the traditional drink is tea.
     由于气候和日耳曼起源，英国人在传统上一直是喝啤酒，而不是葡萄酒的饮用国。然而从总体而言，英国的传统饮品却是茶。
     The custom of taking afternoon tea is believed to have been first introduced in England in 1840 by Anna, the Seventh Duchess of Bedford.
     一般认为，英国下午茶的传统是维多利亚女王时代1840年时由第7代贝德芙公爵夫人安娜女士所开创的。
     The occasion became more and more elaborate with the use of elegant tea ware, lace and embroidered table linen, bone chellona tea services, cake stands, tea canisters and blending bowls.
     下午茶变得更为精致。典雅的茶壶，蕾丝或绣花台布，骨瓷杯，饼架，茶罐均为下午茶加多了一份雅致。
     In American, tea is usually black tea served with milk (never cream) and sometimes with sugar.
     在美国，人们通常喝红茶加上牛奶（或奶昔），有时候也加糖。
     Tea is one of the greatest cultural treasures of Chinese civilization.
     茶是中华文明最宝贵的文化财富之一。
     Regions famous for Chinese tea in the south have produced much of the world's tea.
     因中国茶叶而闻名的中国南部生产出了世界上大部分的茶叶。
     Tea remained in Chinese hands for centuries, before foreign explorers brought this to an enthusiastic public in Europe and other places.
     早在外国探险家把茶带给欧洲和其他地方热情的民众之前，茶已在中国流传了几个世纪。
     China for centuries has been acting as the first nation of tea because of its outstanding products. Today, Chinese tea must compete against foreign teas from many other places in the world.
     中国几个世纪以来因其优质的茶产品一直扮演着世界第一茶叶大国的角色。现在中国的茶叶必须和来自世界其他地区的茶叶竞争。
     Rituals have even appeared in the preparing and drinking of tea.
     在中国，在泡茶和品茶的过程中出现了茶道。
     This tea culture places emphasis on the taste and color of the tea as well as on the presentation of the tea set.
     这种茶文化注重茶的味与色以及茶具的摆放。
     The Chinese people, in their drinking of tea, place much significance on the act of "savoring". "Savoring tea" is not only a way to discern good tea from mediocre tea, but also how people take delight in their reverie and in tea-drinking itself.
     中国人饮茶， 注重一个"品"字。"品茶"不但是鉴别茶的优劣，也带有神思遐想和领略饮茶情趣之意。
     Buildings, gardens, ornaments and tea sets are the elements that form the ambience for savoring tea.
     品茶的环境一般由建筑物、园林、摆设、茶具等因素组成。
     A tranquil, refreshing, comfortable and neat locale is certainly desirable for drinking tea.
     饮茶要求安静、清新、舒适、干净。
     China is a country with a time-honored civilization and a land of ceremony and decorum. Whenever guests visit, it is necessary to make and serve tea to them.
     中国是文明古国，礼仪之邦，很重礼节。凡来了客人，沏茶、敬茶的礼仪是必不可少的。
     In the course of serving tea, the host should take careful note of how much water is remaining in the cups and in the kettle. Usually, if the tea is made in a teacup, boiling water should be added after half of the cup has been consumed; and thus the cup is kept filled so that the tea retains the same bouquet and remains pleasantly warm throughout the entire course of tea-drinking.
     主人在陪伴客人饮茶时，要注意客人杯、壶中的茶水残留量。一般用茶杯泡茶，如已喝去一半，就要添加开水，随喝随添，使茶水浓度基本保持前后一致，水温适宜。
     Snacks, sweets and other dishes may be served at tea time to complement the fragrance of the tea and to allay one's hunger.
     在饮茶时也可适当佐以茶食、糖果、菜肴等，达到调节口味和点心之功效。
     Green tea is the predominant tea beverage consumed throughout Japan today. There are many kinds available.
     日式煎茶占全部制茶量的8成，是日本国内生产量最多，也是最受欢迎的绿茶之一。
     While France is well-known for its coffee drinking, afternoon tea has long been a social habit of the upper middle class.
     法国，以喝咖啡闻名，然而下午茶作为中上阶层的社会习惯由来已久。