Teresa Teng was probably one of the most famous singers amongst the Chinese people worldwide. She was known to be very influential and popular Chinese pop singers. She mostly sang romantic ballad and folk songs.

Born in Baojhon, Taiwan, to a Mainland Chinese family from Hebei province, Teresa Teng was educated at Gin ling Girls High School. As a child she would win many awards for singing at school events. She won her first major award at an event held by the Broadcasting Corporation of China. Soon she quit her high school to pursue this talent as a career.

Teresa Teng had her first foot in the hall of fame when she was spotted performing on a popular Taiwanese music program. She set off with releasing records under the label of Life Records and soon won the ” Best New Singing Star”.

After her debut in Japan her popularity grew worldwide, she went on to sing in Cantonese, Japanese and English besides her native Mandarin.

In 1981Teng’s contract with Polydor ended.  She signed a contract with Taurus Records in 1983 to make a successful comeback in Japan. In 1984, Taurus Records released her most-acclaimed album, Light Exquisite Feeling. The most popular single from the album today is “Wishing We Last Forever”. There were many hits released in the years from 1984-1989 making them ‘Teresa Teng’s Golden Years’ in the views of her fans.

She was the first singer to win four All-Japan Record Awards for consecutive years (1984-1988).

Teng performed in Paris during the Tiananmen student protests in 1989 on behalf of the students and proclaimed her support for democracy. On May 27, 1989, over 300,000 people attended the concert called “Democratic songs dedicated to China” at the Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong.

Teresa Teng had performed in many countries around the world during her career. However her hopes of performing in Mainland China never materialized. The Communist Party of China invited her to do so in the 1990s but she passed away before she could perform.

On May 8th 1995,Teresa Teng succumbed to a major asthma attack and died while on a holiday in Thailand.

Teng’s songs have been covered by a number of singers, including Faye Wong who released a tribute album -Decadent Sounds of Faye (1995) of her popular hits.

Also, her songs are featured in various films, e.g. Rush Hour 2, Prison On Fire.

Awards she won:

- The New Singer Award for Kūkō in 1974.

-The Gold Award in 1986 for Toki no Nagare ni Mi o Makase.

-The Grand Prix in 1984,1985 & 1986.This was the first time anyone had won the Grand Prix three years in a row.

-The Outstanding Star Award for Wakare no Yokan in 1987.

-The Cable Radio Music Award (Wakare no Yokan) in 1987 and 1988.

-The Cable Radio Special Merit Award in 1995

Teresa Teng was billed as one of the “Five Great Asian Divas” during the 1970s and 1980s due to her huge cross-cultural popularity. The music of Teresa Teng remains the most popular.

To commemorate Teng’s 10th death anniversary, Teresa Teng Culture and Education Foundation launched a campaign called “Feel Teresa Teng”. Fans paid homage at her shrine at Chin Pao San Cemetery. Some of her dresses, jewelry and personal items are placed on exhibition at Yuzi Paradise, an art park. The wax figure of Teng has been unveiled at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong.

- Kritika Rao

This black tea, Ying de Hong is from Yingde, Guangdong province in China, first produced in 1959 mechanically. It is one of the very few black teas to come from this region. It is also called Guangdong Black and Ying Hong. It tastes good and has the aroma of cocoa with a sweet aftertaste. The best variety is Ying Hong Number 9 and it is mostly exported. Some of the quality varieties look similar to Oolong.

Ying de Hong blends well with condensed milk and has an appearance which is dark, slightly curled golden brown tea leaves. The infusion produces many cups of amber-colored beverage which is quite bright.

Though the method of production varies from region to region, the process basically involves 4 common steps: withering, rolling, fermentation and firing. The orthodox method produces larger particles and the plucked leaves are spread out to wither till they are limp and are rolled without splitting the leaf. The finer varieties are withered in shade. The leaves give out a fruity apple like odor. These leaves are rolled to release the chemicals inside the leaf which is very important for the final color and flavoring. Though this process is done by hand in some places, in most cases Rotor vane machines are used to crush the leaves lightly. These rolled lumps are then broken and spread in cool and humid place for about 3-4 hours causing a chemical change in the leaves turning them from green to a coppery red color. Lastly, the oxidized-fermented leaves are fired to capture the natural decomposition and, the particles turn black acquiring their recognizable tea smell during this stage. Traditionally firing was carried out in large pans placed over open fires and this method is still continued in some factories. However most producers today pass the tea through hot air tunnels or bake it in hot ovens.

There are different varieties of Chinese black tea. A black tea, called Lapsang, is produced around Mount Wuyi, in Fujian Province of China and has a strong smoky flavor, as it is dried over burning pine. Keemun is another famous Chinese black tea and it is produced in Qimen in the province of Anhui. Keemun tea has a fruity aroma and a hint of pine, dried plum and floweriness. If you want black tea with a dark malty taste, then taste the Dian Hong variety, produced in Yunnan province of China. For cocoa like aroma and sweet aftertaste Ying De Hong is the tea, to be drunk. A Tibetan variety of black tea is from Sichuan province and is referred to as ‘brick tea’.

Black tea is the tea most people know, as in all likelihood they grew up dipping tea bags of black tea in their cups. Since it is fully fermented, it has 20% of the caffeine in a cup approximately. The absorption of cholesterol into the blood stream is prevented by the consumption of black tea, which helps to prevent heart disease. Prevention of gingivitis, tooth decay, and helping regular blood sugar level and blood pressure is known from the usage of this tea.

- Ramyajit Gupta

The people of China have consumed tea for thousands of years. Tea is also used as a medicine in China. However, the very first use of tea is unknown. China is considered to be the birth place of tea. Laozi, a Chinese philosopher portrayed tea as the elixir of life. He described tea as if it were the froth of liquid jade. According to the legend, Laozi was very saddened to see the degradation of society. So he was journeying to the west, towards the unoccupied territories. At the borders of China, he was offered a beverage by a customs inspector called Yin His. This beverage was nothing but tea.

Golden needle tea is actually a black tea (which is also known as red tea in China). It is made of pure buds from very old tea trees of Yunnan which is a province in China. The leaves of these ancient trees are of amber gold in color. They are long and narrow in shape and they have golden tips. Hence the tea has been named as Golden Needle Tea. These ancient trees are found in Tai Nu Mountain of Yunnan province.

Golden Needle Tea is a unique and relatively new tea. It has a rich full bodied taste and a rose flavor with a long lasting fresh aroma. In China, Golden Needle Tea is also called as Panyong Congou Needle Tea.

Early spring tea prepared of delicate silky tips, a fragile needle tea is rich with golden hair. Golden Needle Tea is one of the finest black tea of Fujian (which is a province in China). Its leaves are shaped like gleaming golden needles. Golden Needle Tea is carefully plucked. Only one leaf and a bud are picked during the plucking. Then the Golden needle Tea is oxidized and while it is processed, the tea gives out sharp and cutting sweet fluid which gives the tea its full bodied taste and a rich honey flavor.

Glittering golden tea buds produce a crispy and full-bodied black tea (red tea in China). It is prepared of fermented white tea leaves. Most red and black teas are a result of a variety of green tea bush. Golden Needle Tea is a result of a white tea plant. Hence it attains a smoother flavor.

Golden Needle Tea was first discovered in 1851 in Tanyang (which is another province in China). Golden Needle Tea is also known as Panyong Congou. It was an expensive tea and only rich nobles and royalty could afford the tea. It soon became a favorite of the upper class.

The Best Golden Needle Black Tea is made up of new and pure tea buds which are harvested every year from the ancient trees of Yunnan. Utmost care is taken during the fermentation of the tea. The processing and fermentation is done very delicately and due to this the tea has an amazing leaf style and has a smooth sweet flavor with a dash of starchy flavor like that of raisins or yam.

To prepare Golden Needle Tea, all you have to do is add one table spoon of tea leaves to every ounce of boiling water. Boil the brew for about four minutes. Add sugar according to your taste. And enjoy the unique taste of the Golden Needle Tea.

- Seema Khinnavar

Golden Monkey Tea is a Chinese beverage which has originated from Fujian and Yunnan provinces of China. The Fujian province of China accounts for almost 1/5th of China’s total tea output. This is because Fujian experiences an excellent climate of mild temperatures, lots of rainfall and a mountainous terrain. Fujian is known for tea cultivation for over a hundred years now.

Golden Monkey is not the actual name of the tea. The tea’s original name was actually Congu and this moniker has absolutely nothing to with a monkey. But still people have called this tea Golden Monkey and the name has stuck on. This is a very special tea in which only the bud and the first leaf of the tea shrub is picked. The first tea leaf has a light golden threading on it. According to Chinese legend, this particular tea shrub grows high up in the mountains which are beyond the reach of local people. Therefore the local people had trained monkeys to pick up the tea. This is the reason for such a strange name – Golden Monkey Tea. The two tea leaves and a bud in the middle also look like a monkey claw and maybe that is why the tea is named so whimsically.

Golden Monkey Tea is a very fine black tea and is exactly the opposite of Silver Needle Tea which is white tea. Golden Monkey tea is very valuable and very expensive. Every spring, only one bud and leaf is carefully hand plucked from the very top of the specially grown tea shrubs. It is known for its full bodied taste and a wealth of taste.
The Golden Monkey Tea when brewed has a very clear and dark tone. Though Golden Monkey Tea is a black tea, its color is deep pomegranate red. Maybe that is why Chinese call black teas as red teas.

The Golden Monkey Tea has an incredible aroma. Unlike all other black teas, which have a smoky, rough and a malty aroma; Golden Monkey Tea smells of fresh wet Earth and rich fertile Tea gardens. It literally smells of natural humidity. After the tea is steeped, the smell of the fresh Earth becomes even more sharp and focused. It has a rich and a robust aroma.

The flavor of Golden Tea is very unique. It is far better than other black teas and beats all other black teas hands down. The tea is well flavored. It has a strong and a commanding taste. It reeks of bass flavors. It also has starchy flavors like that of yam or potato. Although the flavor is thick and deep, it is not oily. The tea also has a dash of a smoky flavor. This very evenly balances out the plain Earthy flavor. Hence the Golden Monkey tea is the perfect mix of flavors.

Golden Monkey Tea is one of the finest black tea that is available in the world today. It is far better than all other black teas. It is royal and magnificent in its rich flavor and aroma. It beats all other teas hands down.

- Seema Khinnavar