The great tea robbery: how the British stole China’s secrets and seeds – and broke its monopoly on the brew

Within the elegant confines of one of Hong Kong’s classic colonial buildings, tourists are partaking in the most quintessential of Chinese cultural activities. Some appear slightly bewildered by the selection at the LockCha tea room, in Flagstaff House, Central, which ranges from green teas such as Taiping Monkey King to the sharp fermented red teas, including the popular Lapsang Xiaochong. The 70 or so brews are sourced directly from farmers under the supervision of founder and tea...