212 DYED TEAS FOR THE FOREIGN MARKET. [Cuar. XI. 
more natural colour, and has little or none of what 
we call the “ beautiful bloom” upon it, which is 
so much admired in Europe and America. There 
is now no doubt that all these ‘ blooming” green 
teas, which are manufactured at Canton, are dyed 
with prussian blue and gypsum, to suit the taste 
of the foreign ‘“ barbarians:” indeed, the process 
may be seen any day, during the season, by those 
who will give themselves the trouble to seek after 
it. It is very likely that the same ingredients are 
also used in dying the northern green teas for the 
foreign market; of this, however, I am not quite 
certain. There is a vegetable dye obtained from 
Isatis indigotica much used in the northern districts, 
and called Tein-ching, and it is not unlikely that it 
may be the substance which is employed. 
The Chinese never use these dyed teas themselves, 
and I certainly think their taste in this respect is 
more correct than ours. It is not to be supposed 
that the dye used can produce any very bad effects 
upon the consumer, for, had this been the case, it 
would have been discovered before now ; but if en- 
tirely harmless or inert, its being so must be ascribed 
to the very small quantity which is employed in 
the manufacture. 
When the teas are ready for sale, the large tea 
merchants or their servants come out from the prin- 
cipal towns of the district, and take up their quarters 
in all the little inns or eating houses, which are 
very numerous in every part of the country. They 
also bring coolies loaded with the copper coin of 
