China grows a taste for UK tea blends

World's leader in tea suddenly hankering for British flavors

Ji Mengyu sinks into a soft chair with her cup of tea to the sound of tinkling teaspoons and light chatter. The opulently decorated Victorian tea salon is quintessentially British, something straight out of Downton Abbey. Except it's in Beijing.

The 25-year-old HR professional is one of a growing number of Chinese who are looking past their country's ancient tea traditions in favor of imported British blends. For Ji, the tea has an aura of luxury and quality, and gives her a sense of partaking in the posh British culture popularized globally by TV shows and fashion brands.