The third 2010 Qingyuan Tea Expo

The third 2010 Qingyuan Tea Expo was held at Qingyuan Sports Stadium from Nov 19 to Nov 23. More than 110 tea merchants participated in the expo and showcased many varieties of tea, including dark tea, black tea, green tea, white tea and floral tea.

The annual tea expo provides a platform to exchange information about tea among tea companies, tea merchants and people in love with drinking tea.

"I like drinking tea very much. I came over here to buy tea and meet people who also like the tea culture. It’s a lot of fun to make friends with people who share the same interest with me,” said a man surnamed Huang.

Many tea merchants specialize in selling dark tea, which became a new favorite at the expo. Dark tea only exists in China and is an indispensable everyday beverage for some Chinese ethnic groups. It is made using post-fermentation techniques, and has a history dating back more than 400 years. Its name comes from the color of the dried tea leaves, which results from the use of coarse, raw materials and a long fermentation process.

A major production area in China is in Anhua, Hunan province. Anhua’s annual output of dark tea accounts for half of what is produced by the entire country. A woman surnamed Wu from a shop that sells Anhua dark tea exclusively said that sales of dark tea in Guangdong province have surged in recent years.

"More and more people are drinking dark tea, since it can help digest meat and fat, regulate metabolism and also can be used for anti-aging, to beautify your face and for weight loss,” she said.

Dark tea sold at the third 2010 Qingyuan Tea Expo