Whenever you dunk a teabag into your mug or tip a spoonful of loose leaves into a teapot, we bet your thoughts are only on the refreshingly delicious brew you're about to enjoy and not the epic journey the tea has made from far flung plantation to kitchen!
We begin an enlightening new series on the major tea producing nations with China to discover the history of Chinese tea.
China has always been a major player in the world of tea since the country witnessed the first accidental brewing in 2737BC. According to legend, venerable Emperor Shen Nung was boiling water in a cauldron when leaves from a nearby tea bush blew into his brew. On tasting the resulting drink Shen Nung found it delicious (of course!) and continued to brew tea, drinking it as a medicinal tonic. An alternative history suggests that early Buddhist settlers in China chewed tea leaves as a prayer stimulant and took responsibility for introducing tea's revitalizing properties but in either case, tea had become a popular drink in China by the time of Confucius (551 - 479BC) and continued to grow in favour throughout the following centuries.
Although it began its life as a mainly medicinal drink, tea was appointed as China's national drink during the Tang dynasty's reign. Scholars studied the optimum planting, processing and brewing processes and helped elevate tea-drinking to a high status activity. Tea began to be gifted (the ruling emperors often received fine loose teas as presents) and books, poetry, art and songs were dedicated to the brew. Lu Yu, sometimes known as The Sage of Tea, wrote the celebrated tome The Classic of Tea which is noted as the ultimate and first work on tea.
China has always been a major player in the world of tea since the country witnessed the first accidental brewing in 2737BC. According to legend, venerable Emperor Shen Nung was boiling water in a cauldron when leaves from a nearby tea bush blew into his brew. On tasting the resulting drink Shen Nung found it delicious (of course!) and continued to brew tea, drinking it as a medicinal tonic. An alternative history suggests that early Buddhist settlers in China chewed tea leaves as a prayer stimulant and took responsibility for introducing tea's revitalizing properties but in either case, tea had become a popular drink in China by the time of Confucius (551 - 479BC) and continued to grow in favour throughout the following centuries.
Although it began its life as a mainly medicinal drink, tea was appointed as China's national drink during the Tang dynasty's reign. Scholars studied the optimum planting, processing and brewing processes and helped elevate tea-drinking to a high status activity. Tea began to be gifted (the ruling emperors often received fine loose teas as presents) and books, poetry, art and songs were dedicated to the brew. Lu Yu, sometimes known as The Sage of Tea, wrote the celebrated tome The Classic of Tea which is noted as the ultimate and first work on tea.
Once Chinese tea-drinking became widespread it was initially processed into dry bricks which were then ground and the resulting powder whisked into hot water - this method remains the Japanese way of serving tea - but it was during the rule of the Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644) when the 'modern' method of brewing steeped, cured loose leaves was introduced.
Tea begun its worldwide spread in 900AD, when Japan took up the habit of serving tea in intricate tea ceremonies, but it wasn't until the 1600s when Britain got the bug. When tea first reached England's shores in 1669 it's enjoyment was largely confined to the upper classes due to it's inflated cost - a pound of tea cost the same as nine months-worth of labouring wages! However prices began to drop as the British began to import tea from China in ever increasing quantities to satiate the nation's thirst and the drink became a daily necessity, rather than a luxury.
Tea begun its worldwide spread in 900AD, when Japan took up the habit of serving tea in intricate tea ceremonies, but it wasn't until the 1600s when Britain got the bug. When tea first reached England's shores in 1669 it's enjoyment was largely confined to the upper classes due to it's inflated cost - a pound of tea cost the same as nine months-worth of labouring wages! However prices began to drop as the British began to import tea from China in ever increasing quantities to satiate the nation's thirst and the drink became a daily necessity, rather than a luxury.
From http://www.tea.co.uk/news-article/China_Global_Tea_Producer
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