The tea utensils must be precious and of outstanding quality.Īccording to the ritual, during a tea banquet, the person in charge of the ceremony has personally to mix the tea or oversee the blend in the sign of respect to the guests. The tea has to be of very high quality, and the water has to result from much-acknowledged sources. Chinese Tea CeremonyĪ tea banquet is at the same time a solemn and elegant event, following the strict rules of the tradition. The tea banquets turned out to be very appreciated in the Royal Palace, in temples, and among the intellectuals. Gradually, drinking tea became a pleasant enjoyment. The tea-drinking became very popular during the Tang Dynasty. Afterward, they added mixed ginger, spring onion, and oranges. Under the Qin and Han Dynasties, people developed new methods: they cooked the tea leaves to make “small pancakes " and then compressed them to powdered form. The earliest credible record of tea drinking dates to the 3rd century AD in a medical text by Hua T'o who stated that drinking bitter t'u constantly makes one think better. People cut the branches of the wild tea plants, took the leaves at the end of branches, and prepared them in boiling water. In ancient times, tea was used as medicine. Green Tea History of Tea Drinking in Ancient China He thought that this discovery -dated 2737 B.C-, had been addressed to him by the celestial gods as to show him their gratitude for its act of kindness in its search for healing plants to cure the diseases of the elderly. From then on, Shennong Shi used those leaves to neutralize the toxins of the healing plants he experienced. He tested the leaves and noticed a strange thing: they circulated in his stomach and cleaned the food that he consumed before and also perfumed his breath and left a sensation of freshness in his mouth. One day, Shennong Shi found a kind of plant with green leaves and white flowers. He found tea named “Cha” to work as an antidote. Thus, he could see which organ was affected and then select an antidote immediately. Myths tell that Shennong had a transparent body and thus could see the effect of different plants and herbs on him. One of his contributions was tasting herbs so people could have medicine he discovered the tea while he traveled many high mountains and collected various plants. Shen Nong Shi was the first Chinese herbal doctor and is venerated as the Father of Chinese medicine. How the Tea Was DiscoveredĪccording to one of the Chinese legends, the tea was discovered some 5,000 years ago by Shennong Shi, whose name literally means "Divine Farmer" and who is considered to have been one of the Three Sovereigns (also known as "Three Emperors"). To offer to the guests a cup of tea is a pleasant tradition and the Chinese for a long time appreciate drinking some tea during or after a meal. The tea is “a pillar” in life and it accompanies the Chinese people for more than five thousand years.
Although the tea is lastly placed in the list, it represents nonetheless a cultural heritage mattering in the Chinese tradition.Ĭhina is at the origin of the tea and its culture.
One says there are seven things about which the Chinese people worry about in their everyday culinary life: the wood to warm, the rice, the oil, the salt, the soy sauce, the vinegar, and the tea. The varieties of tea also vary according to the season in which they are harvested. Nevertheless, they still make a refreshing and very pleasant beverage! Black Tea Other common types of Chinese tea include jasmine and chrysanthemum flower teas although according to the strict definition they are actually not tea. There are 4 main categories they are white, green, oolong, and black, along with several other less common but distinctively different types including yellow and pu-erh. Whilst the final drink may be very different, it is interesting to note that all of the main varieties of tea actually come from the same species of plant - Camellia Sinensis. It is also a way to better appreciate life.Ĭhinese Tea is categorized into different types based on the way the leaves are prepared and processed. To drink some tea in former China could be considered as a self consideration or an art. 22, 2021īrewed tea with spring water -Tea as a beverage was first consumed in China and has played a significant role in Asian culture for centuries as a staple beverage, a curative, and a status symbol that’s the reason why theories of its origin are often religious or royal in nature.