History Of Tea

After nearly 5,000 years of tea consumption, we continue to marvel at the subtlety, the aroma, the variety and the soothing effects of this beverage. From humble beginnings in China, the leaves of camellia sinensis (the common tea plant) have remained prized for their sophisticated flavors, fought over for ideological causes, touted for their medicinal benefits and traded among cultures as valued currency. Tea's history chronicles a universal devotion to the drink itself. When its flavor was raw and bitter, the Chinese added citrus and salt to make it palatable. In the 18th century when tea became prohibitively expensive, sawdust and gunpowder were added to lower the cost. In Colonial America it was boycotted as contrary to the Revolution, but quickly embraced again once the War was concluded. Despite tea drinking's long history, efforts to improve, augment, diversify and package tea progressed forward. As trade becomes more global in nature, tea drinking will inevitably be enriched by the exchange of customs, varieties, and technology, in the same way our palates have been educated by exposure to multi-cultural cuisines.

The continuing growth of tea's popularity is testimony to timeless qualities. Next to water, no other beverage in our history has commanded such a loyal following for such a long time. Although much of the early history of tea is confined to anecdotal writings and references from later periods, there is general agreement that the origins of tea drinking were in China around 2737 B.C. As the story goes, the Emperor Shen Nung used to relax in his garden with a cup of hot water. One day a tea leaf from a nearby bush fell into his cup. This new infusion was such an improvement on the water alone, the Emperor adopted it as his regular drink. Having become the beverage of choice among the aristocracy, tea was soon embraced by the populace at large.

Numerous references to tea customs and cultivation suggest that it was grown and consumed in China for centuries, but the first reliable historical reference to tea comes over 2,000 years later in a Chinese dictionary called the Erh Ya, in 350 A.D. Although the original dictionary is attributed to a 12th century B.C. statesman named the Duke of Chou, it was an annotator from the 4th century A.D. named Kuo P'o who added the definition for tea. P'o's account identified a medicinal beverage prepared from boiling raw green tea leaves. There is some speculation that it was the boiling process itself and perhaps not the tea that was mainly responsible for tea's early curative properties. Bacteria present in much of the water of the time were destroyed by the boiling of tea water, and probably reduced incidences of illness as a result.

It was not until the T'ang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.) that tea was given a Chinese character by which it could be clearly identified. Prior to this period it was impossible to be sure whether a reference pertained to tea specifically or some other vegetable matter. Over the next 500 years, through the T'ang, Sung and Ming Dynasties in China, processing improved and consumption expanded as tea drinking spread beyond its aristocratic preparation during this time which consisted of boiling the raw green tea leaves with water, probably yielding a rather bitter drink to which ginger, onions, orange and sometimes salt were added, undoubtedly to mask the coarse flavor. To make transporting tea easier, tea leaves during the 5th century were pressed into "cakes" and then pan roasted. Holes were then made in the "bricks" through which rope could be strung for easy portability. Tea "bricks" can still be found today as a compact packaging of tea leaves. Brewing tea from these bricks consists of simply breaking a small piece off and adding it to boiling water.

As time went on, tea continued to be regarded as a beverage consumed for its medicinal benefits. Claims for the health benefits of tea spanned a range from relief of headaches and dyspepsia to appetite suppression. By the later part of the 8th century however, "cha" as it was now called, was being prized for its flavor as well as its medicinal value. In 780 A.D. the first text devoted exclusively to a discussion of tea was published. This work by the poet Lu Yu was called the Ch'a Ching, or The Classic of Tea and contained discussions of the history of tea, its cultivation and its place in the Taoist philosophy of time. The work probably represents the first formal codification of the ritual of tea preparation. In it, Lu Yu celebrated tea drinking and preparation as a ritual through which the individual could attain harmony and order in his life. This was accomplished by attending to the details of tea preparation and consumption, following a strict regimen to ensure a "properly" brewed tea. The work, which was written at the request of a group of tea merchants, became a very important reference manual for both Chinese and foreigners interested in the propagation of the tea plant and its processing. The treatise also contained valuable information about the necessary soil conditions and plucking method for tea processing. The first tax to be levied on tea also occurred during this period, evidencing tea's emergence as an important commodity in the Chinese economy.

During the Sung Dynasty which followed (960-1280 A.D.) tea cultivation and popularity expanded. A cult of tea drinking developed, in part due to the writings of Sung Emperor Huei Tsung, who wrote extensively on the types and preparation of tea. Also during this time an interest in rare varieties of tea became fashionable. A new dimension was now added to the appreciation of tea's medicinal value as tea connoisseurs of the Sung dynasty created a more delicately flavored brew, scenting it with jasmine flowers and roses.

Coinciding with this burgeoning interest in rare teas was the development of porcelain for tableware. The elegant public tea houses which had appeared in certain cities could now offer the beverage in much more fashionable tableware to suit the social art which had developed around tea drinking.

During the reign of the Mongols which followed, tea drinking fell from favor as a consequence of disinterest on the part of their reigning Emperor. Although the highly social aspect of public tea drinking disappeared during this period, the general population continued to favor the beverage. With the fall of the Mongols in the 14th century, a renewed interest in tea cultivation and appreciation was ushered in with the Ming Dynasty. The fine craftsmanship of tableware for which this period is known also yielded new vessels for the preparation of tea, notably the familiar round or "muskmelon" style teapot. Whimsical teapots in a variety of shapes (i.e. eggs, wheels, and flowers) were also introduced during the Ming period.

With the refinement of the tableware associated with tea preparation, came a new concern that the ceremony of tea be done with style. This attention to tea preparation and the diversity of the tea serving ware are unique legacies tea enjoys even today. Back to Top