THE SURPRISING STORY OF TEA...

As the second most popular drink in the world—second only to water—tea has had an enormous impact on our collective history, culture, and economics. In fact, the story of tea is interwoven with royalty in all parts of the world, has influenced several major wars, and is responsible for the fortunes of the first 3 American millionaires. Not bad for a few leaves!

DISCOVERY IN CHINA

Tea is almost 5,000 years old. According to Chinese legend, the Emperor Shen Nung discovered tea in the year 2737 B.C. when leaves from a wild tea tree blew into his pot of boiling water. The pleasant scent from the resulting brew invited him to taste. . . and he quickly drank the whole pot. Shen Nung described a warmth passing through him when he drank the newly-discovered brew, as if the liquid was investigating every part of his body. So he named the brew “ch’a,” the same word as the Chinese character meaning to check or investigate.

Because of its healing properties, tea was initially used as a medicine to treat a variety of ailments and to increase concentration and alertness. In 200 B.C., an emperor of the Han Dynasty ruled that when referring to tea, a unique written character must be used. This new character, also pronounced “ch’a” illustrates wooden branches, flowers and grass, and a man between the two. This written character symbolizes that tea brings humankind into balance with nature.

Tea’s popularity in China continued to grow rapidly from the 4th through the 8th century. No longer regarded as simply a medicinal tonic, tea was valued for everyday pleasure and for its refreshing and restorative properties. Tea plantations spread throughout the country, tea merchants became rich, and goldsmiths began to manufacture expensive, elegant tea wares that came to signify the wealth and status of their owners.

The preparation and cultivation of the crop was tightly controlled and even specified that only young women were to handle the tea leaves and that these women must not eat garlic, onions, or strong spices in case the odor on their fingertips might contaminate the precious leaves.

THE INVENTION OF BLACK TEA

Up until the mid-17th century, all tea produced in China was green tea. However, as foreign trade increased the profit-conscious Chinese growers discovered that they could preserve the leaves by fermenting them in the air and then halting the natural decomposition by baking. This “black” tea kept its flavor and aroma longer than traditional, delicate green teas and was better equipped for the long journeys involved in transporting tea into other countries.

MODERN DAY CHINA

Tea has remained an integral part of Chinese culture for thousands of years; It was popular before the Egyptians built the great pyramids and was traded with Asian countries even before Europe left the dark ages. The importance and popularity of tea in China continues in modern day and has become a symbol of the country's history, religion, and culture.

Today, students compete to attend the exceptional Shanghai Tea Institute which requires its highest level graduates to play the traditional guzheng stringed instrument, perform a flawless tea-serving ceremony, speak a foreign language to entertain overseas guests, and distinguish between about 1,000 different types of Chinese tea...to date no student has passed. There is also an entire amusement park called the Tenfu Tea Museum—China’s equivalent of Disneyland—honors the Chinese tea-drinking traditions.

THE RISE OF TEA IN OTHER COUNTRIES

TIBET
The Chinese introduced tea to Tibet by the end of the 8th century. Tibet’s rugged and rocky landscape made cultivation of their own plants difficult, so tea had to be transported from China via yak caravan. The long, arduous journey into Tibet by yak took nearly one year and was threatened not only by the dramatic terrain of some of the highest mountains in the world, but by thieves and pirates after the treasured tea. In order to keep up with the high demand for tea in Tibet, nearly 200-300 yaks entered the country carrying tea every day.

Tea’s popularity in Tibet and the surrounding kingdoms led to its use as a form of currency. Pressed tea could be used to buy anything and workmen and servants were routinely paid in this method.

TRADITIONAL TIBETAN TEA
Traditionally, Tibetan tea is made by boiling the leaf for about half an hour before passing the liquid through a strainer made of horsehair (sometimes today made of plastic) into a long wooden container. Yak butter and salt are added and the mixture is vigorously churned until emulsified.

The addition of these ingredients proves to be an effective means of replacing the fat and salt lost by the body in high-altitude regions such as Tibet. These age-old tea making rituals still continue today although the younger generation commonly drinks a version of Indian Chai—made by boiling together tea, milk, water, sugar, and spices—reserving yak butter tea for special occasions such as holidays. Regardless of the method, tea remains a staple in Tibet and people often drink 40 cups or more a day. Tibetan etiquette dictates that no guest should go without tea and that their cup can never be empty.

JAPAN

At the beginning of the 9th century, Japanese visitors to China were introduced to the values and traditions of tea. The Buddhist monk Dengyo Daishi, who studied in China until A.D. 705, took tea seeds to his monastery when he returned to Japan. For centuries following, tea was an integral part of Japanese monastery life and monks used tea to help them stay alert during long hours of meditation. By the early 1300’s tea gained popularity throughout Japanese society, but its early religious importance permanently colored the meaning and value the Japanese associate with tea and directly influenced the Japanese Tea Ceremony.

THE JAPANESE TEA CEREMONY
Chanoyu, the Japanese Tea Ceremony, evolved in the late 15th century based on the Japanese philosophies of Zen Buddhism. The ceremony places supreme importance on respecting the act of making and drinking tea. It captures the essential elements of Japanese philosophy and interweaves four principals—harmony (with nature and people), purity (of heart and mind), respect (for others), and tranquility. In essence, the tea ceremony is a quest for spiritual fulfillment through devotion and meditation of the making and serving tea and, by extension, to the humble routine of daily life. The tea ceremony was considered such an important part of society that special tea rooms were built in backyard gardens and women were required to master the art of the tea ceremony before allowing to marry.

Admittidly, it is difficult for those of us born in the west to understand how the tea ceremony functions as a form of religion. Kakuzo Okakura, author of The Book of Tea, provides an eloquent explaination:

Tea with us became more than an idealization of the form of drinking: It is a religion and the art of life. The beverage grew to be an excuse for the worship of purity and refinement, a sacred function....The tearoom was an oasis in the dreary waste of existence where weary travelers could meet to drink from the common spring of art appreciation. The ceremony was improvised drama whose plot was woven about the tea, the flowers, and the paintings. Not a color to disturb the tone of the room, not a sound to mar the rhythm of things, not a gesture to obtrude on the harmony, not a word to break the unity of the surroundings, all movements to be performed simply and naturally--such were the aims of the tea ceremony. And strangely enough it was often successful. A subtle philosophy lay behind it all. Teaism was Taoism in disguise.

TRADITIONAL JAPANESE TEA
The tea used in the ceremony, and also popular today, is made by grinding fresh green tea into a potent, bright green powder called matcha, a technique brought from China. This powdered tea is then mixed in a flattened bowl with a bamboo whisk until a frothy, bubbly layer appears on the surface. Although unusual to the Western palate, the Japanese prefered the fresh, green flavors of powdered matcha over the earlier steeped tea methods. Steeped tea again became popular in Japan in the late 1730’s when experimental tea processors discovered that steaming the leaves (rather than roasting the leaves as done previously) to stop fermentation produced a greener and more flavorsome tea that more closely resembled the fresh, potent flavors characteristic of matcha.

,b>JAPANESE TEA TODAY
Today, tea is a staple with every meal and guests are always greeted with tea. Bottled tea can be purchased out of vending machines and ice cream shops even sell “Green Tea” flavored ice cream. Tea’s popularity has so permeated culture that tea cups made by highly regarded artists or with precious materials can sell for $100,000 dollars. A pound of special tea can sell for $20,000.00 at a Japanese tea auction.

The tea industry in Japan is the most technologically advanced in the world. Currently, Japanese plantations use many specialized machines in the production of tea in direct contrast to the ancient, hand-processed methods of tea production still widespread in China. Because of their different taste preference, the Japanese have engineered their tea to taste greener, more potent, and less sweet than that produced in China. In some highly regarded Japanese gardens, the tea plants are covered completely with mats of bamboo, reeds, or canvas during the spring growth cycle. The reduced light means that the tiny leaves develop a higher chlorophyll content, which makes the leaves very dark green and results in a stronger taste. The Japanese methods of tea production have reinvented the flavor of green tea.

RUSSIA

In 1618, the Chinese presented a gift of tea to Tsar Alexis of Russia. Everyone was curious about the new beverage and tea quickly gained popularity. A camel caravan trade route emerged to transport tea into the country. This caravan covered 11,000 miles and took nearly 1 ½ years to travel by camel. To keep up with the demand, nearly 6,000 camels each carrying 600 lbs of tea entered Russia each year. That's over 3.5 million pounds of tea! The camel caravan ended with the completion of the Trans-Siberian Railway in 1903—cutting the journeys length from 1 ½ years to just over 1 week.

EUROPE

TEA AS A LUXURY
When the Portuguese and Dutch first imported tea into Europe in 1610, Shakespeare had 6 years to live and Rembrant was 4 years old. England’s relationship with tea didn't began until 1662 when King Charles II married the Portuguese princess, Catherine of Braganza. Britain’s new queen had always loved tea and brought with her, as part of her dowry, a chest of Chinese tea. She began serving the tea to her aristocratic friends at Court, and word of the exotic beverage spread quickly.

As an imported luxury, only the wealthy could afford to drink tea. The price of tea was 16-60 shillings a pound ($1.20-$4.50) making the cheapest pound of tea an entire month’s wage for the average laborer. As such, tea consumption became highly fashionable and elitist. According to a London magazine in the 1740’s, it cost more to maintain a fashionable tea table with tea and accessories than to support 2 children and a nurse. As such, being able to serve and drink tea with elegance and skill marked social status and indicated good breeding and intellect. Many 18th century English and Dutch paintings commissioned by wealthy families show them having tea.

AFTERNOON TEA
The institution of Britain’s still-popular ‘afternoon tea’ is credited to Anna, the 7th Dutchess of Bedford, who complained of the long gap between a light breakfast and a late evening meal. To satisfy her hunger, she advised her maid to bring a pot of tea and light refreshments to her room and soon began inviting friends to join her for afternoon tea. This trend quickly caught on in the whole of England. This is not to be confused with ‘high tea,’ a 19th century working class custom, in which tea was served together with a substantial late afternoon meal.

THE BRITISH EAST INDIA COMPANY GAINS WORLD DOMINANCE
The Dutch dominated the tea trade until 1678 when the British began importing tea on a commercial scale. Wanting full control over trade and the money that came with it, the British Royal family chartered the East India Company and granted it a monopoly on all trade throughout Asia, India, Russia, and eastern Africa. With the right to aquire territory, coin money, keep armies and forts, punish lawbreakers, form foreign alliances, and declare war, the East India Company became the most powerful monopoly the world has ever known. . . and tea was its primary commodity. The reign of the East India Company continued for several hundred years until, in 1833, British Parliment declared the routes open to competition. However, there were many lasting effects. The British East India company changed the world. They claimed Honk Kong, Singapore, and India as British colonies, and prompted a global economy. All of this for tea!

THE OPIUM WARS
As tea consumption grew, Britain’s exports could not keep up with the demand for tea. The Chinese were not interested in Britain's main export, cotton, and instead wanted silver. Finding silver increasingly difficult to come by, the British began growing opium in India, traded it accross the border with China for silver, and then traded the same silver back to China for tea. The illegal opium trade continued until 1839 when a Chinese official drown 20,000 chests of opium in the sea near Canton. A year later, Britain declared war on China and China retaliated by placing a strict embargo on all exports of tea.

ESTABLISHING TEA PLANTATIONS IN INDIA
Even before the Opium Wars began, China was hesitant about trading with the west. Believing their nation to be self-sufficient China began moving even more toward isolation. Their sense of privacy was so extreme that the Chinese government even considered their national language a state secret. Merchants caught teaching the "foreign devils" their language were punished by death. The difficulties in continuing trade with China convinced Britain to explore other alternatives and they began searching for a way to grow their own tea.

Northern India appeared as a promising location for tea plantations due to the climate and high altitudes. Also, explorers had discovered indigenous tea plants growing in Assam in 1823. Before long, the people of India became experts on growing very beautiful tea plants, but had no knowledge of how to prepare the leaves. Robert Fortune, a Scottish botanist, disguised himself as a peasant and entered China attempting to discover the secret cultivation techniques involved in tea making. Fortune returned to India with knowledge, equipment, and a small team of experienced Chinese growers.

Tea plants native to India, as well as the Chinese tea plants relocated to India (still found today in old estates in Darjeeling) taste completely different and much stronger than the original Chinese tea. Europeans quickly adjusted to the new taste of tea, and began adding milk and sugar as well as other spices such as nutmeg, ginger, and mint, to the strong, often bitter brew.

THE ROMANCE OF TEA In 1845 the first American clipper ship was launched and made the round trip from China to New York in less than eight months, posing a huge threat to British ship owners whose ships took up to 18 months to travel from China to London. In 1850, the British began producing these sleek clipper ships which could each carry more than a million pounds of tea. During this romantic period, several clipper ships would set sail from the Orient together and race back to London--accross three-quarters of the globe--where people would gather around the seaside to watch these new, majestic ships. Betting on which ship would arrive first became a popular pastime, and a higher price was paid for the cargo of the first ship home. The winning ship’s crew members were also awarded. The most famous race was in 1866 when The Aeriel, Taeping, and Serica all docked on the same tide, 99 days after setting sail. The sailing records that took place while trading tea have never been equaled.

THE UNITED STATES

With colonizing groups from Europe, it is no surprise that early North America was a tea drinking continent. Europe’s same traditions and rules of etiquette crossed the Atlantic; Tea houses and elegant silver and porcelain tea accessories were popular in the new cities of New York, Boston and Philadelphia.

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
By the second half of the 18th century, tea constituted the single largest and most valuable commodity exported by Britain. The British government ordered a specific tax on tea in order to capitalize off its popularity. This tax was periodically increased until tea stood at 119 per cent of the initial cost, doubling the price of tea as it entered the wholesale market. The British government attempted to impose its high duties on tea re-exported to the American colonies. In defiance, the American ports refused to allow any dutiable goods ashore. This resulted in the infamous Boston Tea Party, the British government’s closure of Boston harbor, and the arrival of British troops on American soil. This was the beginning of the War of Independence. . . and America’s preference for coffee.

Abstaining from tea became synonymous with patriotism. En route to sign the Declaration of Independence, John Adams wrote to his wife about how he had asked for tea at a tavern: "Is it lawful for a weary traveler to refresh himself with a dish of tea, provided it has been honestly smuggled and has paid no duty?" The employee replied: "No sir! We have renounced tea under this roof. But, if you desire it, I will make you some coffee."

ADVANCEMENTS IN TEA DRINKING
The United States is still responsible for a few major changes in the tea industry. At the St. Louis World Trade Fair in 1904, a group of tea producers organized a special tea pavilion and offered cups of hot tea to all attendees. The sweltering summer temperatures left the booth empty as people went on in search of cold drinks. In an effort to sell their product, the man supervising the booth poured tea into glasses packed with ice cubes. Before long, customers were lining up to try the new beverage. Currently, America consumes almost fifty billion glasses of iced tea in a single year. More than 80% of all tea consumed in the U.S. is served over ice.

Teabags were also developed in the United States. As with many important inventions, its discovery was accidental. In 1908, a New York tea merchant sent samples of his product sealed in silk bags to restaurants and cafes throughout the city. After some time, he discovered that the restaurants were brewing his tea directly in the silk bags to save time. This method of brewing immediately caught on. Unfortunately, this invention has gone too far. Currently, only 5 % of the tea sold in the US is loose-leaf tea. This means that 95% of the tea drank in this country is poor-quality, usually stale tea chopped into dust and packaged in a bleached-bag. Most of the people in this country have come to accept teabags as the norm, and have never had the opportunity to try the amazing varieties of teas that exist and are popular in other parts of the world.

MODERN DAY AMERICA
Besides water, tea is the most popular drink in the world. Each day, enough tea is brewed worldwide to give every person on the planet a cup.

Although an integral part of culture around the world, tea has only recently been on the rise in the United States. In direct response to the mass-produced, chemical-laden boxed and fast foods—which lead to extreme obesity and health problems in our country—Americans have started searching for healthier alternatives. In the last several years, exercise and nutrition education have become mainstream. Thousands of people are adding tea into their healthy diets or substituting tea for coffee and soft drinks. Realizing the damage imposed by chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and antibiotics used in food processing, many people have also chosen to buy organic tea—both for the good of the environment and for their own health.

WORLDWIDE PRODUCTION

Tea is now produced in about 50 countries. However, the finest teas come from only 5: China, Japan, India, Sri Lanka (Ceylon), and Taiwan (Formosa). In general, most black teas come from India and Sri Lanka—from famous tea producing regions such as Darjeeling and Assam. China and Japan cultivate mainly green tea, and Taiwan is famous for Oolong. As with fine wine, experts can taste a tea and know what country the leaf came from, and in some cases at what plantation, time of year, or even what time of day it was picked.