GliEEN TEA. 20 



rt 



which is said to be the utmost northern limit 

 whence the tea sold to foreigners is procured. 



The green tea known to foreigners may be 

 classed under two kinds, Hyson and Singlo ; all 

 other kinds are made from these shrubs, and there 

 is much reason to think that even the Hyson is 

 merely the Singlo shrub improved by soil and 

 cultivation. 



It is universally admitted by the Chinese that 

 the term Hyson arose out of an accidental circum- 

 stance connected with their intercourse with fo- 

 reigners, which shall be hereafter explained. It 

 is also generally admitted by the Chinese that the 

 Singlo tea grows in every part of Kiang Nan ; but 

 some people assert that the tea produced on the 

 hills in the immediate neighbourhood of the two 

 towns of Hieu Ning and Moo Yuen differs from 

 the Singlo tea ; though this cannot be said to ap- 

 ply to all tea grown in this neighbourhood, for 

 the Singlo hill or mountain, where, agreeably to 

 Chinese authors, the green tea was first discovered, 

 and whence it derived its name, is seated in one 

 of these districts, Hieu Ning.* It seems, however, 



* Hieu-ning or Yew-ning. Du Halde places the Singlo 

 mountain in lat. 29° 58' — also the city of Whey-chew -fu, which 

 seems like an error. It is said by the tea-men to be in the 

 neighbourhood of Yew-ning, which is a few miles south of 

 Whey-chew-fu. Du Halde describes it as being " neither high 

 nor of great extent, but covered over with the tea shrubs, which 

 are cultivated on its sides, in the same manner as at the foot 

 of the neighbouring mountains." 



