The Legacy of Yunnan Gongfu Black Tea: Born from the Shadows of WWII
Discover the remarkable story of Yunnan Gongfu Black Tea (Dian Hong), born during the turmoil of World War II. From a wartime necessity to one of China's most iconic exports,...
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The Origin of Cha Dao, or the Tao of Tea
The earliest occurrence of the word of "Cha Dao", or the Tao of Tea, can be traced back to the literature of Jiao Ran's poem regarding the benefit of drinking tea. Starting...
"Mud in Mud, Rock in Rock" - The flesh and bone of Yixing Zisha purple clay
Zisha teapots are unique to Chinese tea culture. The clay is very special, only present in Yixing. Their process of crafting teapots is unique, different than anywhere else in the world....
Why Quality Water Is Important for Your Brew - The Wonderful Duet of Tea and Water
A famous tea scholar from Ming dynasty once wrote in his book, “that beautiful tea’s inner aroma is stimulated by water. No water, no tao of tea”. Water bears tea,...
What You Need to Know About Da Hong Pao
Fifty-one years ago, on Feb. 21st, 1972, history took a major turn. Chinese Chairman Mao gave the visiting President Richard Nixon of the United States, a welcome gift, a thoughtfully...
Do you really know your Dragon Well? An Emperor's Tale...
The origins of Dragon Well begin in West Lake, located in modern Huangzhou City. Here, it is said that about three hundred years ago, the emperor of Qing dynasty, Qian...
“Three Thousand Weak Waters, Only One Scoop” – Yixing Teapot Shi Piao
Yixing teapots are unique to Chinese gongfu tea culture and are only produced in Yixing city of Jiangshu province. This particular teapot style originated during the Ming dynasty by the...
Beyond the Tea Sourcing Trips – Why Terroir Matters, An Interview with Victoria Wu (Part 2)
- Continued from Part 1 Derek: You said that you wanted to be able to provide your teas are of the highest quality. Is this why you decided that you...
Beyond the Tea Sourcing Trips – An Interview with Victoria Wu (Part1)
One of our tea enthusiasts at Meimei Fine Teas, Derek Elliott, arranged a phone interview with Victoria to discuss her tea sourcing trips and learn more about them. Where do...
A Brief History of the World’s Oldest Tea: White Tea
White tea is renowned for being the least processed kind of tea, even less so than green tea. Crafting a white tea usually involves just a few simple steps —...
Meet the Legendary “Mother of All Teas”
Nestled more than 2200m high in the mountains of the Fengqing region of Yunnan province is a small village by the name of Jin Xiou. But in spite of its...
What is Teng Tiao Cha (“Rattan” or “Vine” Tea), and What Makes It So Unique?
Last week, we introduced you to Mengku pu’erh, discussing the important characteristics typical of Mengku teas. There is, however, an outlier to this group, a puerh so unique that it...
Pu’erh You Should Know: A Brief Introduction to Mengku Pu’erh
Mengku is one of the four major pu’erh production areas in Yunnan province, and though its fame skyrocketed in the early aughts with some excellent marketing by Shuangjiang Mengku,...
Bai Ji Guan: One of the Four Famous Wuyi Rock Oolongs and Why You’ve Never Heard Of It
Of the four great tea bushes of Wuyishan (四大名丛), arguably none is more precious than Bai Ji Guan (白鸡冠), and yet, strangely enough, there is a good chance that you...
A Brief History of Tea: How Curiosity Accidentally Created the Drink that Conquered the World
According to the Tea Association of the USA, tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, second only to water. Able to be consumed at nearly...
Family, Friends, and Community: The Importance of the Chinese Lunar New Year and What it Means for You
Last week, the world came together and celebrated the Chinese Lunar New Year, a weeklong celebration that is the most important holiday of the year. Drawing from China’s lengthy and...
Four Reasons We Love Yixing Teapots
As we discussed last week, there are a lot of reasons to love Jian Shui teapots, and while they can be the more economical option, Yixing still holds a very...
Say Hello to Jian Shui Zi Tao Purple Clay Teapots!
Ever wonder what a Jian Shui Purple Clay teapot is? Ever wonder how Zi Tao pottery differs from Yixing? Do you know which is best for you? If these...
Mooncakes and Tea: Why We Love the Mid-autumn Moon Festival (and So Should You!)
Perhaps you’ve seen it before? The streets are filled with people dancing to sets of drums, donning elaborate dragon costumes amidst enormous paper lanterns.If you look even closer,...
What Goes Into a Good Jasmine Tea?
It isn’t easy to find a good Jasmine tea. As a tea buyer, we have to think about the base for the tea, the quality of the flowers, and the...
The Story of Keemun Black Tea: How the World’s Most Famous Black Tea Came to Be
In 1875, a retired civil servant named Yu Gan Chen returned home to Qimen County after spending some of his professional life in the Wuyi Mountains in Fujian. At the...
What is Gong Fu Style Tea and Why is it Special?
There are many enthusiastic tea drinkers who are already familiar with the term gong fu, believing that it denotes a form of tea preparation. This is somewhat true, and we’ve...
A Hidden Treasure in Plain Sight: The Allure of Anji Bai Cha
In the northwestern region of Zhejiang Province of China lies Anji County, home to Anji Bai Cha, one of the most sought-after teas in the world. This tea, however, is...
The Legend of Longjing Dragon Well Green Tea
Located in Zhejiang Province in China, within Hangzhou City, lies a village nestled at the base of Wengjia Mountain known as Long Jing. The name of this village literally translates...
Why You Need At Least One Jun Teacup In Your Collection
The Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD) in China was home to a cultural renaissance, a period during which there was an intellectual and artistic explosion in everything from mathematics, engineering, and...
Victoria's Tea Sourcing Trip 2017 - Meng Ding Mountain, Sichuan
This is the first in a series of photocentric blog posts sharing some of Victoria's adventures for the year! Here's a look at her journey to Mengding Mountain, the origin...
Joie De Vivre: Jun Ci Porcelain 钧瓷
Perhaps no time in Chinese history was more vibrant than that during the Song Dynasty, which lasted from the 10th to the 13th centuries. During this period, China experienced an...
What You Need to Know About the World's First Black Tea Lapsang Souchong Black Tea
What is Lapsang Souchong black tea? There’s a good chance that you’ve never had true Lapsang tea. (If you have, count yourself among the blessed!) Lapsang...
The King of Puerh Tea Lao Ban Zhang
Greetings from the Lao Ban Zhang village, the home of the renowned "King of Puerh" tea! Victoria's current tea trek has taken her to Bulang Mountain, Yunnan province, where...
The True Origin of Chinese White Tea
White tea is "unprocessed" tea, as after plucking, it is simply dried naturally under the sun or air-dried, depending on the weather or the producer’s preference. The making of white tea...
Chinese New Year Celebration, What Is the Tradition?
It is the Year of Monkey! Kong Hei Fa Cai! Chinese Lunar New Year, also called Spring Festival or interchangeably called Guo Nican (New Year’s Celebration), is the single most important holiday...
The Spirit of Tea in the Chinese Tea Mountains
During my tea trips to the hillsides of the Chinese tea mountains, I had the privilege of meeting many farmers, tea masters, tea lovers, and tea merchants. I loved their smiles, warmth...
The True Origin of the First Black Tea, Lapsang Souchong
As part of our mission to bring you the finest teas from their historical origins, I am currently traveling throughout China and have arrived at legendary Tong Mu Guan village in...
About MeiMei Fine Teas - World's Best Chinese Tea
While most tea businesses are focusing on a wide variety of teas and featuring herbal and fruity blends, we have chosen to refine our focus on what we consider to...