According to Chinese mythology, tea is believed to have originated in 2727 BC when Emperor Shen Nong was purifying water under a tea tree and some leaves blew into the pot. The resulting brew had a superb fragrance, color, and taste, which delighted the emperor. This marked the beginning of tea becoming a daily drink in Chinese culture.
In Indian legend, another story is told about Prince Dharma, who traveled to China to spread Buddhism. He made a vow to stay awake during his 9-year mission. When fatigue overtook him towards the end of the third year, he chewed a few tea leaves, which gave him the strength to remain awake for the remaining 6 years of his mission. The Japanese version of this story differs, with the exhausted Bodi Dharma falling asleep. Upon waking up, he was so disappointed in himself that he tore off his eyelids to ensure they would never close again. It is said that the place where he threw them on the ground produced enchanted tea shrubs with leaves that had the power to keep eyelids open.
China
Tea has been highly valued in China since 2000 BC, initially for its medicinal properties and later for its invigorating attributes. The Chinese people have revered this unique beverage, using tea leaves for gifting, courtship customs, ancestor veneration, and imperial tributes.
From the 9th century onwards, the enjoyment of tea spread to countries beyond China, starting with Japan and Korea, and later reaching the Middle East. For centuries, China was the sole global exporter of tea, but in the 19th century, India and Ceylon became significant competitors in tea cultivation. China remains one of the primary sources of high-quality teas.
Lu Yu, an 8th-century scholar, wrote the first authoritative book on tea, Ch’a Ching, detailing every aspect of tea cultivation and production, as well as providing insights into the ceremonial art of tea consumption.
Japan
Tea was brought to Japan from China and initially served in Buddhist temples to monks, priests, and the ruling class during special services. These temple tea practices gradually integrated aspects of Japanese culture over several hundred years, eventually being formalized by the priest Sen Rikyu in the mid-1500s. Today, he is regarded as the founder of the Japanese Tea Ceremony and its three schools.
In elite circles, tea drinking was esteemed as a way to transcend the ordinary without succumbing to the coarseness of wine-induced intoxication. Furthermore, as early as the 1100s, tea was valued for its health benefits. The luxury of tea eventually became a staple in Japanese daily life.
The Japanese enjoy a wide variety of green teas, with emphasis on color and delicate flavors. Matcha, the powdered tea used in the Japanese tea ceremony, is prominent. In terms of quality, the teas range from Gyokuro, Sencha to Bancha, suitable for everyday consumption.
India
India is the largest tea exporter globally, yet the majority of its tea production is consumed within the country. This highlights the scale of production and its significant economic impact. The tea plants are native to certain regions in northwestern India, and tea became part of the Indian diet when the British began production there around 1850.
India produces various tea varieties, such as the renowned Darjeeling, known as "the Champagne of teas", cultivated at high elevations in the Himalayan foothills, and the malty Assam teas grown in Northeast India. The Nilgiri highlands in southern India are also famous for their fine, fragrant, and fruity teas.
Initially, Indians were not satisfied with the diluted, sweetened beverage, but they developed the well-known chai - black tea simmered with milk, sugar, and a rich blend of spices such as cardamom, ginger, clove, and cinnamon, drawing from their own cultural resources. Each household and chai vendor has their unique recipe for what they refer to as masala chai or spice tea.
Russia
Tea was transported from China to Russia via the "Great Tea Road," a segment of the renowned Silk Road. The journey was grueling, taking more than sixteen months to traverse a distance of 11,000 miles. A typical caravan comprised of 200 to 300 camels. Initially, the cost of tea was exorbitant, limiting its access to the wealthy. However, by the time of Peter the Great, the price had decreased. Tea, with its robust, warming, and nourishing qualities, was a perfect fit for Russian life.
Russians mainly prefer black tea, often sweetened with sugar, fruits, or jam. In Russia, tea is always served hot, regardless of the weather, and is enjoyed as a thirst-quencher. The samovar, introduced in the 17th century and inspired by Mongol kettles dating back to the 13th century, plays a central role in Russian tea culture. The samovar acts as both a boiling hot water heater and a teapot. During the summer, it is placed on a garden table, while in winter, it is kept indoors with a long pipe to allow the smoke to escape directly into the house's chimney.
France
One of the earliest French enthusiasts of tea was King Louis XIV, who regularly consumed tea, primarily for health reasons. It was recommended to aid his digestion and as a preventive measure against gout and cardiac disorders. Following the French Revolution, tea lost its popularity and was only modestly used until the mid-19th century.
The popularity of tea in France has now reached a point where there is a type of tea for every occasion, mood, event or even time of the day. Thousands of exquisite and innovative, cultural and gastronomic tearooms flourish, especially in urban areas. It is the French pastry that makes "the French art of tea" distinctive. The French have elevated pastry-making to an art form, with its popularity established long before that of tea drinking. Nevertheless, its almost perfect complement to tea drinking is what gives French Tea its true character.
United Kingdom
Outside of China, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom are the largest consumers of tea in the world. Tea was introduced to the Western world from China via the famous Dutch East India Company in the 17th century, when coffee was the choice of the working class.
Tea time soon became an important feature of British life. Traditionally, the upper classes serve a "low" or "afternoon" tea around 4:00 PM. The tradition stems from the early nineteenth century, when a typical day’s dining for English aristocracy consisted of two meals per day – a late breakfast and a late dinner. Middle and lower classes have a "high" tea later in the day, at 5:00 or 6:00. It is a more substantial meal – essentially, it’s dinner. The names derive from the height of the tables on which the meals are served. Low tea is served on tables which we would call "coffee tables." High tea is served on higher working tables.
North America
At the renowned Boston Tea Party of 1773, three cargoes of tea were thrown into the harbor in objection to high taxes on the tea being exported from Britain to the American colonies. During the developmental years, North America heavily consumed green tea. Until the Second World War, tea was the most widely consumed hot beverage in the United States.
Notably, the US has influenced global tea culture by popularizing iced tea. Its introduction occurred at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. A group of tea producers from India had established a booth to promote their black teas. The intense summer heat and humidity led them to serve the tea over ice, just to attract people to sample it. Over the 100 years since then, consumption of iced tea in the US has increased to over 40 billion cups per year.
In recent years, the demand for specialty premium teas in North America has experienced a significant upsurge. New tea shops and tea houses are opening on a weekly basis, making high-quality tea, innovative tea beverages and tea-related products easily accessible to many Americans.