Tea Traditions

According to Chinese legend, tea was born in 2727 BC, when the Emperor Shen Nong was purifying water in the shelter of a tea tree, and several leaves blew into the pot. The resulting brew, of superb fragrance, color and taste, made the emperor rejoice. Tea soon became a daily drink in Chinese culture.

In India, another legend tells the story of Prince Dharma, who left his homeland for China, to preach Buddhism. He vowed not to sleep during his 9–year mission. Toward the end of his third year, when he was overtaken by fatigue, he grabbed a few leaves of a tea shrub and chewed them up. They gave him the strength necessary to stay awake for the remaining 6 years of his mission.

The Japanese version of this story has the exhausted Bodi Dharma falling asleep, however. Upon awakening, he was so disgusted with himself, he tore off his eyelids, to ensure that they would never inadvertently close again. The place where he threw them on the ground produced enchanted (tea) shrubs with leaves having the power to keep eyelids open.

China

“Its liquor is like the sweetest dew from heaven,” wrote Lu Yu in his classic work Ch’a Ching. The 8th century scholar produced the first authoritative book on tea, providing details on every aspect of tea growing and manufacture, as well as wisdom on the art of drinking tea.

Tea has been appreciated in China since 2000 BC, first for medicinal purposes and later for its refreshing qualities. The Chinese have valued this unique beverage, using tea leaves for gift giving, courtship rituals, ancestor worship, and imperial tribute taxes.

Beginning in the 9th century, the enjoyment of tea spread to countries outside China, first to Japan and Korea, then to the Middle East. For centuries China was the world’s only tea–exporting country. Beginning in the 19th century, however, stiff competition arose as India and Ceylon began to grow tea. Today China remains one of the largest suppliers of quality teas. Chinese Tea

Japan

Tea came to Japan from China. It was first served in the Buddhist temples to monks, priests, and the ruling class who attended special services. These temple tea practices were gradually adapted to incorporate aspects of Japanese culture as they were passed on for several hundred years. Eventually these ceremonies were codified by the priest Sen Rikyu in the mid 1500s. Today he is regarded as the founder of the Japanese Tea Ceremony and three of its schools.

In cultured circles drinking tea became recognized and valued as a way to transcend the mundane without participating in the vulgarity of wine’s drunkenness. Tea was also valued for its health benefits as early as the 1100’s. The luxury of tea eventually became regarded as a necessity in Japanese daily life.

The Japanese drink a wide variety of green teas. Color and delicacy of taste are important, and brews of fine fragrance and greenish–golden hues are prevalent. Matcha is the powdered tea used in the Japanese tea ceremony. In decreasing order of quality, we find Gyokuro, Sencha and Bancha, for everyday use.

India

India is the largest tea exporter in the world. Most of its tea production is consumed at home. This gives us an idea of the magnitude of production, and of its economic impact on the country. While tea plants are indigenous to parts of northwestern India, tea was not a part of the Indian diet until after the British began producing tea there circa 1850.

Many varieties of tea are produced in India. Darjeeling, known as “the Champagne of teas” grows high in the foothills of the Himalayas. Only at this altitude and microclimate is it possible to produce a slow growth of leaves with such delicate, complex power. Assam teas, more malty and full–bodied, are grown in the Northeast of India. The Nilgiri highlands of southern India are known for fine, fragrant, fruity teas.

The Indian palate was not satisfied by the thin, sugared beverage. But by drawing from their own cultural pantry they created the tea drink that we know as chai – black tea simmered with milk, sugar, and rich flavorful spices such as cardamom, ginger, clove and cinnamon. Every housewife and chaiwallah has his or her own recipe for what they call masala chai, or spice tea.

Tea Today

The diverse tea–drinking rituals and histories remind us that tea is much more worldly than people sometimes think. Without these cultural differences, we might not think of tea as more than something to keep us warm or quench our thirst.

Health research and lifestyle trends have of late given tea new importance. Increased understanding of the role antioxidants play in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease has positioned tea as the ideal health beverage. Tea is now thought of as a stylish, healthy alternative to coffee and soda. It is fat and calorie–free, natural and untainted by additives. Manufacturers of cosmetics, perfumes and skin–care products are also developing new products that integrate the benefits and pleasures of tea.

The ideal is to combine the practicalities of the drink with the beauty of unique and inventive serving and use methods. In doing so, we not only pay tribute to this age–old beverage, but enlighten and hopefully enliven those who consume it.