The History of Tea - China's National Drink
This page is still under construction. Please, enjoy this version and visit again.
1,700,000 BC
The Tibetan Yeti, a vegetarian, roams China and eats tea leaves. 18th century American
colonists chewed tea leaves to alleviate physical pain and fatigue, no doubt for the same
reasons as the primate, Yeti.
500,000 BC
Peking Man uses fire to keep warm and boil water for purification. Tea leaves were likely eaten
as well, giving rise to the speculation that he may have been the first to brew tea.
40,000 BC
“Thinking Man,” our ancestors, roamed the earth, but tea leaves were likely still chewed rather
than brewed. Tea trees are felled and leaves harvested for consumption. Branches and trunks
were cut and used to build and maintain fire.
Shang Dynasty (1766-1123 BC)
Chinese invent “instant” tea. Ancient Sichuanese harvested tea leaves only once a year, likely
in the spring, and then brewed them in boiling water for long periods of time, perhaps hours.
Through evaporation, a dense green tea liquid concentrate was made and stored in earthenware
jars. This concentrate was reconstituted throughout the year by adding boiling water to create a
pungent, bitter brew unlike today’s tea, but resembling the color or precious jade.
Zhou Dynasty (1124 – 222 BC)
A far cry from being the tasty social drink we know today, Chinese invent blended tea for
medicinal purposes. Complicated recipes, some with over 40 plant ingredients including tea,
are brewed for their healing qualities. Ointments are also made from tea, herbs and in some
cases, insects. When Master Lao, the founder of Taoism, is offered tea to “strengthen and
refresh” after a long journey, the ceremony is forever adopted by Taoists as a greeting gesture
and is today the hallmark of Chinese hospitality. Taoists later consider tea to be the “Elixir of
Life.” Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC) writes of tea and undoubtedly drank much of it during his
lifetime.
Qin Dynasty (221 – 206 BC)
China is united for the first time. Tea, until now a regional drink, gains popularity as a melting
pot of hundreds of thousands of peasant workers from many lands are employed to build
fabulous palaces and the Great Wall. Tea soup, using leaves and branches, is made probably
using the flavorings of onion and herbs. This twig tea soup may perhaps be a forerunner of
Japanese Kukicha, literally translated “twig tea.” Medicinal or curative teas give way to tonics,
or concoctions intended to keep one healthy as prevention becomes more important in Chinese
Medicine. This, of course, leads to widespread tea consumption, popularity, and ultimately,
obsession.
Han Dynasty (206 BC – AD 220)
Sichuan becomes part of China, and by default tea becomes Chinese. This dynasty enjoyed a
long period of civilization that produced great artistic and scientific advancement. Tea, too,
becomes civilized albeit still bitter tasting. Dense brick-like tea cakes are invented by the
Chinese and so tea is finally presented in a preserved state, thus easily measured, transported
and traded. Branding and grading of teas are utilized in the trade of Chinese tea. Decorative,
fine quality teaware, forever associated with the proper brewing of tea, is created and traded by
the Chinese, as well. The trading route, or Silk Road, has been established and utilized, but tea
is not a commodity that is traded and so remains elusive to Europeans for centuries.
Feudal China (AD 220-618)
Han central power disintegrates and China is plunged into chaotic and violent times. Early in
this period, wine becomes more important than tea. Consequently the Chinese discover that
tea has sobering qualities and thus tea enjoys limited importance for “curing” inebriation. Tea,
like wine, is consumed immoderately and so fourth century Chinese widely suffer from
insomnia. Later in the period, temperance is in fashion and tea regains a prominent position.
Chinese invent the first packaged meal in the form of rice tea cakes. These cakes made soup
that sustained the masses during drought while also causing widespread insomnia among the
most poor. By the third century, family owned tea plantations are formed. Steaming of freshly
plucked tea leaves is adopted which greatly improves its flavor and helps to fuel demand as a
social drink. Tea recipes include the use of onion, ginger and orange. Great tasting tea
becomes a beverage of choice rather than consumed for purely medicinal purposes. Late in this
period the Chinese tea craze begins.
Tang Dynasty (AD 618-906)
This was China’s golden age and the Tang appetite for luxury is legendary. Tea consumption
was encouraged by the Tang and so tea becomes their passion. The Tang established
government tea plantations, most of which are in operation today. Tea production was
stringently monitored and effective systems adopted by the Tang produced tea at near-modern
efficiency. Tea was cultivated from seeds. Immature tea plants shared the plantation with other
plants that provided shade and produced valuable harvests while the tea plants grew to
maturity. Invariable harvesting rules dictated an early spring, before-the-rains, harvest by young
unmarried women who were thought to have better dexterity and a keener eye. These “virgins”
plucked the tender tea shoot with their finger and thumb nails while the rest of the hands were
covered in silk gloves to protect the leaves from body oils, perspiration, body heat and similar
contaminants. Groups of these women sang folk songs to ward off poisonous snakes that
claimed too many young lives. Tea leaves are steamed and crushed to form a paste using plum
juice. The mixture was compressed into molds to create cakes. Brick tea became available for
export. In brick form tea become imperishable and its uniformity is conducive to trade. The
Kingdom of Korean and the "Island of Dwarfs," Japan import Chinese tea. A Buddhist monk
reputedly take tea seeds to Japan for cultivation.
Credit: Much of information for this page was gleaned from the book Tea in China, The history of
China's National Drink, by John C. Evans
This page is still under construction. Please, enjoy this version and visit again.
1,700,000 BC
The Tibetan Yeti, a vegetarian, roams China and eats tea leaves. 18th century American
colonists chewed tea leaves to alleviate physical pain and fatigue, no doubt for the same
reasons as the primate, Yeti.
500,000 BC
Peking Man uses fire to keep warm and boil water for purification. Tea leaves were likely eaten
as well, giving rise to the speculation that he may have been the first to brew tea.
40,000 BC
“Thinking Man,” our ancestors, roamed the earth, but tea leaves were likely still chewed rather
than brewed. Tea trees are felled and leaves harvested for consumption. Branches and trunks
were cut and used to build and maintain fire.
Shang Dynasty (1766-1123 BC)
Chinese invent “instant” tea. Ancient Sichuanese harvested tea leaves only once a year, likely
in the spring, and then brewed them in boiling water for long periods of time, perhaps hours.
Through evaporation, a dense green tea liquid concentrate was made and stored in earthenware
jars. This concentrate was reconstituted throughout the year by adding boiling water to create a
pungent, bitter brew unlike today’s tea, but resembling the color or precious jade.
Zhou Dynasty (1124 – 222 BC)
A far cry from being the tasty social drink we know today, Chinese invent blended tea for
medicinal purposes. Complicated recipes, some with over 40 plant ingredients including tea,
are brewed for their healing qualities. Ointments are also made from tea, herbs and in some
cases, insects. When Master Lao, the founder of Taoism, is offered tea to “strengthen and
refresh” after a long journey, the ceremony is forever adopted by Taoists as a greeting gesture
and is today the hallmark of Chinese hospitality. Taoists later consider tea to be the “Elixir of
Life.” Confucius (551 BC – 479 BC) writes of tea and undoubtedly drank much of it during his
lifetime.
Qin Dynasty (221 – 206 BC)
China is united for the first time. Tea, until now a regional drink, gains popularity as a melting
pot of hundreds of thousands of peasant workers from many lands are employed to build
fabulous palaces and the Great Wall. Tea soup, using leaves and branches, is made probably
using the flavorings of onion and herbs. This twig tea soup may perhaps be a forerunner of
Japanese Kukicha, literally translated “twig tea.” Medicinal or curative teas give way to tonics,
or concoctions intended to keep one healthy as prevention becomes more important in Chinese
Medicine. This, of course, leads to widespread tea consumption, popularity, and ultimately,
obsession.
Han Dynasty (206 BC – AD 220)
Sichuan becomes part of China, and by default tea becomes Chinese. This dynasty enjoyed a
long period of civilization that produced great artistic and scientific advancement. Tea, too,
becomes civilized albeit still bitter tasting. Dense brick-like tea cakes are invented by the
Chinese and so tea is finally presented in a preserved state, thus easily measured, transported
and traded. Branding and grading of teas are utilized in the trade of Chinese tea. Decorative,
fine quality teaware, forever associated with the proper brewing of tea, is created and traded by
the Chinese, as well. The trading route, or Silk Road, has been established and utilized, but tea
is not a commodity that is traded and so remains elusive to Europeans for centuries.
Feudal China (AD 220-618)
Han central power disintegrates and China is plunged into chaotic and violent times. Early in
this period, wine becomes more important than tea. Consequently the Chinese discover that
tea has sobering qualities and thus tea enjoys limited importance for “curing” inebriation. Tea,
like wine, is consumed immoderately and so fourth century Chinese widely suffer from
insomnia. Later in the period, temperance is in fashion and tea regains a prominent position.
Chinese invent the first packaged meal in the form of rice tea cakes. These cakes made soup
that sustained the masses during drought while also causing widespread insomnia among the
most poor. By the third century, family owned tea plantations are formed. Steaming of freshly
plucked tea leaves is adopted which greatly improves its flavor and helps to fuel demand as a
social drink. Tea recipes include the use of onion, ginger and orange. Great tasting tea
becomes a beverage of choice rather than consumed for purely medicinal purposes. Late in this
period the Chinese tea craze begins.
Tang Dynasty (AD 618-906)
This was China’s golden age and the Tang appetite for luxury is legendary. Tea consumption
was encouraged by the Tang and so tea becomes their passion. The Tang established
government tea plantations, most of which are in operation today. Tea production was
stringently monitored and effective systems adopted by the Tang produced tea at near-modern
efficiency. Tea was cultivated from seeds. Immature tea plants shared the plantation with other
plants that provided shade and produced valuable harvests while the tea plants grew to
maturity. Invariable harvesting rules dictated an early spring, before-the-rains, harvest by young
unmarried women who were thought to have better dexterity and a keener eye. These “virgins”
plucked the tender tea shoot with their finger and thumb nails while the rest of the hands were
covered in silk gloves to protect the leaves from body oils, perspiration, body heat and similar
contaminants. Groups of these women sang folk songs to ward off poisonous snakes that
claimed too many young lives. Tea leaves are steamed and crushed to form a paste using plum
juice. The mixture was compressed into molds to create cakes. Brick tea became available for
export. In brick form tea become imperishable and its uniformity is conducive to trade. The
Kingdom of Korean and the "Island of Dwarfs," Japan import Chinese tea. A Buddhist monk
reputedly take tea seeds to Japan for cultivation.
Credit: Much of information for this page was gleaned from the book Tea in China, The history of
China's National Drink, by John C. Evans
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