History

Scientific name of tea is Chinese Camellia, or Cammelia sinensis in Latin. South-Western China, regions of upper Burma and Northern Vietnam adjacent to it are the motherland of tea. Mentions of tea appeared for the first time far ago. Legends of China, India, Japan tell how wild tea was found.

There exists quite a different legend about how tea leaves started to be consumed directly for making tea. They say that in the year 2737 A. D. Emperor Chen Nung was ruling in China. He was distinguished for some particular turn for ruling. He promoted development of agriculture in China. In the period of his rule medicine started to be developed. Caring of the health of his citizens, the clever Emperor ordered to boil water for drinking any time.

On one hot summer day Chen Nung was having rest in the shade of some small tree which had a very magnificent crown of leaves. Suffering from heat, the Emperor was waiting until water, just boiled, was going to cool down a bit in a pot, in accordance with his innovation. At that time light wind waved the tree and Chen Nung, who was half asleep, did not notice three leaves slowly going down right into his water pot.

Some time later the Emperor tasted water from the pot and was impressed. He had never tasted anything like that by that time. The Emperor liked delicate aroma and delicious taste of magic drink very much. Apart from that he felt an extraordinary burst of energy, his mind got clear and he himself became cheerful. That is the way tea was born.

Historical sources confirm that tea was known in China already in 220-280. Processing of tea as a crop dates back to year 350. Indians are of the opinion that tea bush was accidentally found by prince Badhiharma, while he was traveling around Southern China. As the Japanese legend says, tea bush grew in the place where lids of prince Daruma fell when he tore them out having fallen asleep during meditation. Daruma’s deputies collected the leaves of that bush and prepared the drink which was making them cheerful. For a long period of time it was considered that bushes constitute the only type of this plant. And only in the XIXth century in the Indian province Assam, in Burma and Laos tea trees were discovered. The further to the north, the smaller tea bushes are there, while the closer to the equator – the larger tea trees are there.

At first tea was consumed by rulers and priests as a healing drink which takes away your fatigue, strengthens you and improves sight. Consumption of tea as a drink in its motherland started in the Vth century. Tea was very highly praised – emperors presented it to their officials as an encouragement. In the VIth century that was a favourite drink of nobility. But in the Хth century tea had already come to be a national drink in China, and, thus, an object of trade.

Tea became known to Europeans only in the 16th century. For the first time it is mentioned in the West in the year 1559 in the book by Giammbttaista Ramusio “Voyages and Trips”. The author describes tea as a hot drink with medical properties. In 1560 Reverend Gasper de Kruz mentions tea in his letter to Portugal from China, and Reverend Luis Almeda – in his letter from Japan to Italy.

Tea was brought to Europe in the XVI-XVIIIth centuries by Portuguese and Dutch people. In 1662 king of Britain Karl II married Portuguese princess Katarina Brahanska, and this started the solemn pace of tea throughout Britain. Among precious dowry of the young future queen there was a box filled in with tea leaves. Tea replaced wine for Katarina and many noble men followed her example. Tea came to be a court drink and almost replaced ale which was so popular at that time. Englishmen replaced oriental pialas with original cups and dishes and began to use spoons for sugar, which also became popular in the ХVIІth century.

At first tea was a luxury and it was affordable for citizens only starting with the end of the XVIIIth century, after tea tax was lowered, but for the majority it still remained too expensive. People drank tea in cafes (the first of which belonged to Thomas Twinning, a weaver by occupation), where tea cards to be accepted by all shops as a usual means of payment were given as change due to lack of small change.

In Java, Sumatra, in Vietnam tea started to be cultivated in the first half of the XIXth century, and at the beginning of the XXth century the same started in Northern Italy and Southern Switzerland. At present tea is already cultivated in Australia as well.