A History of Tea

Origins in Fact and Myth

Chinese lore has it that the creation of tea was actually a happy accident. It was discovered in 2737 BC by Shen Nong, also known as Yan Di or Shen Nong Shi – (2,852-2737 BC), the second of the three Chinese Emperors of the San Huang Period, (3,000-2,700 BC). He was a man of great learning and intelligence, being a scholar, the father of agriculture and the inventor of Chinese herbal medicine.

As a scientist, he was aware of the many illnesses that could result from drinking contaminated water, so he ordered that all drinking water be boiled for hygienic safety. On a summer day while visiting a distant region, he and the court stopped to rest, and his servants began to boil water for the court to drink. As fate would have it, dried leaves from a nearby bush fell into the boiling water, and a brown liquid was infused into the water. Curious about the new liquid, the Emperor drank some and found it to be tasty as well as refreshing. The tree was a wild tea tree, and thus tea was created.

The Chinese Embrace Tea

Tea is first mentioned in Chinese writing in 222 AD as a good substitute for wine, and in a circa 350 AD Chinese dictionary.

Although the benefits of tea drinking were widely known in the third century AD, it being considered a healthy, refreshing drink, it was not until the Nobility of the Tang Dynasty (618 A.D.-906 AD) made tea fashionable, that it became China’s national drink.

With tea becoming more and more popular, the demand for it naturally increased. Chinese farmers began to cultivate tea on their own instead of harvesting the leaves from wild trees. Tea was made by forming it into roasted cakes, which were then pounded into small pieces and placed in a china pot. After the boiling water was poured, onion, spices, ginger or orange were added to produce many regional variations.

It was Lu Yu who, in 780 AD wrote the first complete book on tea, the “Ch’a Ching”. Raised by Buddhist monks, in mid-life he retreated into seclusion for five years. Using only his excellent memory, he codified the various methods of tea cultivation and preparation in ancient China. Lu Yu is known as the “Tea Saint”.

The widespread popularity of tea throughout China and Japan is attributed to the Buddhist priests who roamed the region. In fact, it was Zen Buddhist monks who created the original Japanese tea ceremony, Chanoyu. 

In 1101-1125 Emperor Hui Tsung ruled China. He so loved tea that he wrote about the best ways to make whisked tea. During his reign, teahouses built in natural settings became fashionable.

During 1206-1368 Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan invaded and conquered China and created a Mongolian dynasty which lasted over a century. Tea was no longer considered a drink of royalty and its value to society diminished.

It wasn’t until the time of the Ming Dynasty 1368-1644 that tea was once again the popular drink. The new method of preparation was steeping whole leaves in water, which created a pale liquid rather than the darker one of old.