China: Compressed brick tea or 'zhuancha' from southern Yunnan, scored for breaking into smaller pieces. Most tea bricks or zhuancha are from Southern Yunnan and parts of Sichuan Province. Tea bricks are made primarily from the broad leaf 'Dayeh' Camellia Assamica tea plant. Tea leaves have been packed in wooden moulds and pressed into block form. A one pound brick which is scored on the back can be broken into eight smaller pieces. In times past these smaller pieces of brick tea could also be used as a kind of currency.

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Photo credit: © Pictures From History / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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