All about tea
History of Tea
The beginnings
There is a very colourful and fascinating history connected with tea.
One day in 2737 B.C. Shen Nung was resting under a wild tea tree. A light wind moved the branches slightly and a few leaves fell into the water which was being boiled by the emperor. He thought the drink to be wonderfully nutritious and strengthening. In this way tea was “discovered”.
The first mention of the tea plant appeared in the 3rd century B.C., when a famous Chinese doctor recommended it as a remedy improving concentration and mental acuity. Till the 3rd century A.D. tea beverage was treated as a strengthening remedy prepared from fresh green leaves.
In order to equal the supply with continuously increasing demand and to ensure regular harvest, the farmers started planting tea bushes and after some time they also developed
a system of drying and processing tea leaves.
The popularity of tea increased suddenly during 4th and 5th century. In the whole China territory, on the hills extending along the valleys of theYangtze River new plantations were established.
Potters, silver dealers and goldsmiths started selling expensive and elegant tea sets which soon became a symbol of wealth and material status of their owners.
The reign of the Tang dynasty is a “golden age” for tea which stopped to be used only as
a strengthening remedy. Tea was now drunk for pleasure and also because of its refreshing properties. Preparation and serving of tea changed into a complex ceremonial, while cultivation and processing of tea leaves were subjected to rigorous control and strict regulations.
During the reign of the Tang dynasty freshly picked young tea leaves were subjected to steam treatment, then ground and finally mushed with plump juice, which served as a natural glue essential for precise connection of tiny particles. The mush was put into forms, squeezed and pressed into cubes, then baked or burnt until they became dry.
In order to make a cup of tea, one cube was heated up in fire until it turned into dust which was then boiled in water. In some regions of China salt was added, which left a biter taste in mouth after drinking. The most popular additives were sweet onion, ginger, orange rind, cloves and pepper mint – added to water before or after boiling tea.
Later during the reign of the Song dynasty (960-1297 A.D.) pressed tea cubes were ground into fine-grained powder and added into boiling water, as a result a frothy fluid was obtained. Subtler flavour additives were used, such as jasmine, lotus and chrysanthemum extracts and oils.
Till the beginnings of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.) only green tea was produced in China. Teas from of the Ming era were stored in the form of loose leaves, which were subjected to thermal treatment and dried. They lost their aroma and flavour very quickly.
Plantation owners produced two new kinds of tea – so called black tea and flower aroma tea
During the reign of the Ming dynasty tea producers preserved leaves by fermenting them outdoors till the moment when leaves started changing their colour into rusty brown. Then they stopped the natural process of decomposition by heating or grilling.
From China to Japan
The first seeds of tea plant were transported to Japan by monk Dengo Daishi, who studied in China in the years 803-805 A.D. When he was back in his country, he sowed the seed he brought on the monastery grounds. After 5 years he served the emperor Saga with a cup of tea produced from the first crops. The emperor found the new drink so tasty that he gave an order to start tea cultivation in five provinces surrounding the capital.
Between the 9th and 11th century China-Japan relations worsened and tea, which is considered Chinese invention, fell into disgrace and was no longer drunk at emperor’s court. However, Japanese Buddhist monks were still drinking it in order to overcome drowsiness and strengthen their concentration during meditation. At the beginning of the 12th century contacts between the countries improved and Japanese monk Eisai as the first one paid China a visit. He brought a new batch of tea seeds from China and a new Chinese habit of drinking powdered green tea. He also brought the basics of the Buddhist sect Rinzai Zen teachings. Tea drinking and Buddhist beliefs developed parallel. When ancient Chinese rituals of tea serving died out completely, Japan created a unique ceremonial. Till now Cha-no-yu, Japanese ceremonial of tea drinking, is a sort of rigorous ritual with strict rules of behavior, the aim of which is to achieve a state of spiritual renewal and harmony with the surrounding world.
Tea comes to Europe
It is not absolutely clear who first brought tea to European coasts in the beginnings of the 17th century – Dutchmen or Portuguese – because in that century both countries traded on the Chinese Sea. In Russia tea appeared for the first time in 1618 as a Chinese gift for tsar Alexander.
Wielka Brytania odkrywa herbatę
The year 1658 is the date of official tea appearance in London.
In 1662 King Charles II married a Portuguese princess Catherine Braganza. The new queen, who was an ardent follower of tea, brought with herself a box of Chinese tea as a part of her dowry. At the court she served her aristocratic friends with tea and the rumor about a new drink spread quickly, and more and more people wanted to try it out.
During the 18th century tea became the most popular drink in the whole Great Britain.
The birth of afternoon tea
Till the beginnings of the 19th century tea was drunk at different hours, usually in the evening, after the main meal as a drink which improved digesting. The custom of organizing afternoon teas was introduced by Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, because a long break between an early light lunch and a late evening meal caused a “suction feeling”. In order to satisfy this feeling the Duchess ordered her maid to bring her a teapot and a light snack into her room.
Soon the Duchess started to invite her friends for an afternoon tea. Soon afterwards the whole elegant London community was paying visits, during which tea was drunk and small torts and delicate cakes were eaten.
Because of prolonging difficulties in trade with China, for some time Great Britain considered different localizations for tea cultivation.
In 1823 the core tea bushes were discovered in the mountains of Assam province. The first delivery of tea from Assam reached London in 1838, while in 1840 the first Assam Tea Company was settled, which soon spread over Darjeeling, Sylhet and other regions of North India. In the 70s also Ceylon became one of the most important British tea producers.
There is a very colourful and fascinating history connected with tea.
One day in 2737 B.C. Shen Nung was resting under a wild tea tree. A light wind moved the branches slightly and a few leaves fell into the water which was being boiled by the emperor. He thought the drink to be wonderfully nutritious and strengthening. In this way tea was “discovered”.
The first mention of the tea plant appeared in the 3rd century B.C., when a famous Chinese doctor recommended it as a remedy improving concentration and mental acuity. Till the 3rd century A.D. tea beverage was treated as a strengthening remedy prepared from fresh green leaves.
In order to equal the supply with continuously increasing demand and to ensure regular harvest, the farmers started planting tea bushes and after some time they also developed
a system of drying and processing tea leaves.
The popularity of tea increased suddenly during 4th and 5th century. In the whole China territory, on the hills extending along the valleys of theYangtze River new plantations were established.
Potters, silver dealers and goldsmiths started selling expensive and elegant tea sets which soon became a symbol of wealth and material status of their owners.
The reign of the Tang dynasty is a “golden age” for tea which stopped to be used only as
a strengthening remedy. Tea was now drunk for pleasure and also because of its refreshing properties. Preparation and serving of tea changed into a complex ceremonial, while cultivation and processing of tea leaves were subjected to rigorous control and strict regulations.
During the reign of the Tang dynasty freshly picked young tea leaves were subjected to steam treatment, then ground and finally mushed with plump juice, which served as a natural glue essential for precise connection of tiny particles. The mush was put into forms, squeezed and pressed into cubes, then baked or burnt until they became dry.
In order to make a cup of tea, one cube was heated up in fire until it turned into dust which was then boiled in water. In some regions of China salt was added, which left a biter taste in mouth after drinking. The most popular additives were sweet onion, ginger, orange rind, cloves and pepper mint – added to water before or after boiling tea.
Later during the reign of the Song dynasty (960-1297 A.D.) pressed tea cubes were ground into fine-grained powder and added into boiling water, as a result a frothy fluid was obtained. Subtler flavour additives were used, such as jasmine, lotus and chrysanthemum extracts and oils.
Till the beginnings of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.) only green tea was produced in China. Teas from of the Ming era were stored in the form of loose leaves, which were subjected to thermal treatment and dried. They lost their aroma and flavour very quickly.
Plantation owners produced two new kinds of tea – so called black tea and flower aroma tea
During the reign of the Ming dynasty tea producers preserved leaves by fermenting them outdoors till the moment when leaves started changing their colour into rusty brown. Then they stopped the natural process of decomposition by heating or grilling.
From China to Japan
The first seeds of tea plant were transported to Japan by monk Dengo Daishi, who studied in China in the years 803-805 A.D. When he was back in his country, he sowed the seed he brought on the monastery grounds. After 5 years he served the emperor Saga with a cup of tea produced from the first crops. The emperor found the new drink so tasty that he gave an order to start tea cultivation in five provinces surrounding the capital.
Between the 9th and 11th century China-Japan relations worsened and tea, which is considered Chinese invention, fell into disgrace and was no longer drunk at emperor’s court. However, Japanese Buddhist monks were still drinking it in order to overcome drowsiness and strengthen their concentration during meditation. At the beginning of the 12th century contacts between the countries improved and Japanese monk Eisai as the first one paid China a visit. He brought a new batch of tea seeds from China and a new Chinese habit of drinking powdered green tea. He also brought the basics of the Buddhist sect Rinzai Zen teachings. Tea drinking and Buddhist beliefs developed parallel. When ancient Chinese rituals of tea serving died out completely, Japan created a unique ceremonial. Till now Cha-no-yu, Japanese ceremonial of tea drinking, is a sort of rigorous ritual with strict rules of behavior, the aim of which is to achieve a state of spiritual renewal and harmony with the surrounding world.
Tea comes to Europe
It is not absolutely clear who first brought tea to European coasts in the beginnings of the 17th century – Dutchmen or Portuguese – because in that century both countries traded on the Chinese Sea. In Russia tea appeared for the first time in 1618 as a Chinese gift for tsar Alexander.
Wielka Brytania odkrywa herbatę
The year 1658 is the date of official tea appearance in London.
In 1662 King Charles II married a Portuguese princess Catherine Braganza. The new queen, who was an ardent follower of tea, brought with herself a box of Chinese tea as a part of her dowry. At the court she served her aristocratic friends with tea and the rumor about a new drink spread quickly, and more and more people wanted to try it out.
During the 18th century tea became the most popular drink in the whole Great Britain.
The birth of afternoon tea
Till the beginnings of the 19th century tea was drunk at different hours, usually in the evening, after the main meal as a drink which improved digesting. The custom of organizing afternoon teas was introduced by Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, because a long break between an early light lunch and a late evening meal caused a “suction feeling”. In order to satisfy this feeling the Duchess ordered her maid to bring her a teapot and a light snack into her room.
Soon the Duchess started to invite her friends for an afternoon tea. Soon afterwards the whole elegant London community was paying visits, during which tea was drunk and small torts and delicate cakes were eaten.
Because of prolonging difficulties in trade with China, for some time Great Britain considered different localizations for tea cultivation.
In 1823 the core tea bushes were discovered in the mountains of Assam province. The first delivery of tea from Assam reached London in 1838, while in 1840 the first Assam Tea Company was settled, which soon spread over Darjeeling, Sylhet and other regions of North India. In the 70s also Ceylon became one of the most important British tea producers.
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