Robert Fortune: The British Spy Who Stole China's Tea Secrets | SLICE WHO | FULL DOCUMENTARY

In the 19th century, amid the conflict between the British Empire and China, a unique spy named Robert Fortune embarked on a daring mission. Leaving the UK, he infiltrated Chinese tea plantations to steal tea leaves and plant them in India, ending Britain’s reliance on Chinese tea. This secretive operation, resembling an industrial espionage thriller, forever altered the course of tea history.
Was this tea heist a dark stain on the British Empire's legacy? Discover the hidden intrigue behind this bold operation and how one man’s covert actions exposed the most valuable secrets of Chinese tea. Dive into a captivating tale of espionage, adventure, and major economic impacts, where the stakes were much higher than just a cup of tea.
Documentary: Tea War
Directed by : Charles-Antoine de Rouvre & Jérôme Scemla
Production: La Compagnie des Taxi-Brousse, Youku, Yuang Ying & Arte France
Curious about everything, an expert in nothing?
Accessible anytime, anywhere, SLICE is your weekly dose of short documentaries. A slice of history, science, ecology or architecture, to discover amusing anecdotes, inventions, unusual stories, bizarre, entertaining and instructive.
Be smart, have a SLICE!
Follow us 👇
Facebook: / slicedocsfr
Instagram: / slicedocs
#documentary #freedocumentary #world #travel #doc #history #biography #china #unitedkingdom #tea #chinesetea #britishtea #spy #secret #covertmissions #covertoperations #british #amazing #risky
#explorer #trade #empire #fortune #robertfortune

[@d.c.8828]

Interesting documentary! I appreciated both the narration and dramatization!

[@alecblunden8615]

I understand use of opium was not banned in the UK during the Victorian Era. You could buy it over the counter from Chemists.

[@jsa-z1722]

Oh come on. Stop bashing historical figures without whom you’d not be enjoying a cup of tea.

[@ardeladimwit]

the text and narration are great, the landscape is fabulous, but using modern cheap fabrics and bad costume doesn't work, especially at end when suddenly he's shipping his tea plants out of China dressed as English gentleman with sun helmet. The stereotyping doesn't work, especially as literally the scene before he's in obvious modern silk fabric with a long fake pigtail. It's like suddenly having Sherlock Holmes appear in China. It's often quite jarring switches between historic film, modern landscape and then fakery. Just skip the acting, use historic images/film, film vistas and narration and it will be a bit more convincing and also valuable.