清朝茶叶出口贸易：欧洲人眼中的中国茶文化
1793年，英国大使马戛尔尼伯爵访华时，乾隆皇帝在给英王乔治三世的答复中明确表示："天朝物产丰盈，无所不有，原不借外夷货物以通有无。特因天朝所产茶叶、瓷器、丝绸，为西洋各国及尔国必需之物。"这段话揭示了茶叶在清朝对外贸易中的核心地位。
In 1793, when British Ambassador Lord Macartney visited China, Emperor Qianlong stated in his reply to King George III: "Our celestial empire possesses all things in prolific abundance and lacks no products within its borders. There is therefore no need to import the manufactures of outside barbarians in exchange for our own produce. However, the tea, porcelain and silk produced in the celestial empire are necessities for Western countries and your nation." This statement reveals the central position of tea in Qing Dynasty foreign trade.
自1757年清朝实行"一口通商"政策后，广州成为全国唯一的对外贸易口岸。据《广东通史》记载，1885年茶叶出口达到顶峰，当年共出口红茶、绿茶140,898担。那么，当时出口到欧洲的究竟是哪些茶叶品种呢？
After the Qing Dynasty implemented the "Single Port Trade" policy in 1757, Guangzhou became the only foreign trade port. According to General History of Guangdong, tea exports peaked in 1885, with a total of 140,898 piculs of black and green tea exported that year. So what specific types of tea were exported to Europe at that time?
一、美国商人的茶叶分类记录
1. American Merchants' Tea Classification Records
美国人亨特(William C. Hunter)在其著作《广州"番鬼"录》中详细记载了当时广州的茶叶贸易情况。作为旗昌洋行的合伙人，他亲历了清朝对外贸易活动。
American William C. Hunter documented Guangzhou's tea trade in detail in his book The 'Fan Kwae' at Canton. As a partner in Russell & Co., he personally witnessed the Qing Dynasty's foreign trade activities.
亨特记载当时出口的红茶主要包括：
- 武夷茶(Wuyi)
- 功夫茶(Gongfu)
- 小种茶(Souchong)
- 包种茶(Pouchong)
Hunter recorded that the exported black tea mainly included:
- Wuyi tea
- Gongfu tea
- Souchong tea
- Pouchong tea
而绿茶则分为五种：
- 雨熙春(Yu Hyson)
- 熙春(Hyson)
- 熙春骨(Hyson Skin)
- 珠茶(Gunpowder)
- 大珠茶(Imperial)
The green tea was divided into five types:
- Yu Hyson (before rain)
- Hyson (early spring)
- Hyson Skin (tea waste)
- Gunpowder (small pearl)
- Imperial (large pearl)
二、瑞典科学家的茶叶研究
2. Swedish Scientists' Tea Research
瑞典博物学家彼得·奥斯贝克(Peter Osbeck)在1751年抵达广州，出版了《中国和东印度群岛旅行记》。他观察到：
Swedish naturalist Peter Osbeck arrived in Guangzhou in 1751 and published A Voyage to China and the East Indies. He observed:
"欧洲人根据茶水颜色将中国茶分为红茶和绿茶，但实际上这种分类并不准确。红茶与绿茶的主要区别在于制作工艺而非茶树品种。"
"Europeans classified Chinese tea into black and green tea based on the color of the tea soup, but this classification was not accurate. The main difference between black and green tea lies in the production process rather than the tea plant variety."
奥斯贝克特别指出："小种红茶是所有红茶中最贵的，是瑞典上流社会最常饮用的。"这与现代对正山小种红茶的认知高度一致。
Osbeck specifically noted: "Souchong is the most expensive among all black teas and is most commonly consumed by Swedish high society." This is highly consistent with modern understanding of Lapsang Souchong.
三、茶叶贸易的历史意义
3. Historical Significance of Tea Trade
清朝时期，茶叶与大黄被并列为最重要的出口商品。林则徐在虎门销烟时曾警告西方人："茶叶和大黄，尔等若不能得到，即无以为命。"这充分说明了中国茶叶在当时国际贸易中的战略地位。
During the Qing Dynasty, tea and rhubarb were regarded as the most important export commodities. Lin Zexu warned Westerners during the Humen Opium Destruction: "If you cannot obtain tea and rhubarb, you will have no means to sustain life." This fully demonstrates the strategic position of Chinese tea in international trade at that time.
通过西方人的记载，我们得以还原18-19世纪中国茶叶出口的详细情况，这些史料不仅具有商业价值，更是中外文化交流的重要见证。
Through Western records, we can reconstruct the details of Chinese tea exports in the 18th-19th centuries. These historical materials not only have commercial value but also serve as important witnesses to cultural exchanges between China and the West.
