Tea's epic story continues on the heels of the advances made in tea production and tea culture during the Song. After surviving the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, Camellia sinensis experiences a sea change of improvements beginning with Ming Dynasty founding emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang. Now tea starts to become more familiar to us after this Hongwu Emperor demands that all future tribute teas must be sent in loose-leaf form.
With the introduction of loose-leaf tea came greater demands for tea-ware. The history of the kilns of Jingdezhen 景德镇 is introduced, along with their calling card: Blue and White porcelain, China's first global brand. Other innovations such as teas scented with flowers and the "Tea Manual" of Zhu Quan 朱权 are also discussed.
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