The Colourful History of Tea

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Tea is one beverage with the greatest impact in society today and even years before. Tea was discovered 5,000 years ago in China. This mysterious concoction remained a mystery to Europe until a Jesuit priest named Jasper de Cruz tasted tea on 1560.

Portugal established a trade route that will bring tea to Lisbon and then the Dutch sailors took it to other parts of Europe.

The Myth and Legend of Tea

Tea had a very colourful history in ancient China. According to legends, Shen Nung, a scientist-emperor, ordered that his drinking water be boiled so that it would always be clean. While away with his army, they stopped and rested. His servants boiled his water so he can drink, but leaves of wild tea bush fell in the water, turned it brownish in color.

The emperor did not notice the color and drank the water. He found it tasty and refreshing. Thus, cha or tea was born.

Historians thought the story plausible, but some dispute it. How could an emperor, so conscious about cleanliness, miss the dirty color of the water? He would have had his servant hanged if he ever saw discoloration in his water, but apparently, he did not. Was he too exhausted to notice?

Zen Buddhism and the Spread of Tea

By the time of the spread of Buddhism, tea was already very much ingrained in the societal practices of China. But one Buddhist monk named Lu Yu would transcend even practice by codifying the different ways that tea was grown, cultivated, and made into a beverage. His work was named Cha Jing, a must read for anyone interested in any Tea Classics.

Lu Yu practically incorporated tea service as a practice in Zen Buddhism. This tea service will be transferred and introduced by Buddhist missionaries to Japan.

Tea Beyond Asia

As stated earlier, tea was brought to the attention of Europe rather late. Portugal had a good hand at spreading tea to Europe because of their superior, commercial naval capabilities. Some individuals from expeditions for other European countries brought small packets of tea, but it was the Portuguese who really brought tea to their homeland as commercial commodity

However, the Dutch also had a hand at bringing tea to France and Holland among other places in their trade route. All of their tea also came from the Portuguese commercial navy via trade.

As we all know, tea has become very popular not just in Europe during that time. Join us again next time for a small discussion of tea, Europe, and the Americas.

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