Added: 09/12/2005 |
The history of Asian teaThe question of tea origin is still open for discussions and research, but the fact that Asian tea is the first and among the best in the world does not give rise to questions. The main Asian tea types are Chinese, Indian and Japanese teas. They are further subdivided into many varieties and species, and each of them is really worth tasting. As far as the legends of Asian tea appearance are concerned, they are numerous and exciting, showing the way Asia appreciates tea drinking ceremonies.
Let us begin with China. One of the legends is that in 2737 B.C. one of China's divine cultivators, Shen Nong, tried the first-ever cup of tea when a leaf from a tea plant fell into a pot of boiling water. 1200 B.C. documentation shows that tea was served during Zhou Dynasty. In 350 A.D., tea was planted and grown along the Yangtze River in Szechuan province and in 780, "Cha Ching" or The Tea Classic book was already written explaining how tea was made and should be drunk, as during those days tea drinking became a real art and included carefully planned ritual. In the 17th century, China became a regular exporter of tea to Europe. Nowadays Chinese tea is highly popular all over the world and new sorts of tea are constantly created. Among the best Chinese teas are White tea and Silver Needle tea. White tea produced by the "imperial" plucking method (which means plucking at dawn on only 2 days of the year when the first buds just open) is one of the most expensive, subtle and delicate teas in the world.
Indian tea has stories and legends behind it, too. There is a legend that says that Gan Lu, a Chinese scholar who lived during the Later Han Dynasty (A.D. 25-221), studied Buddhism in India and when he returned home, he brought with him the first samples of tea. The historically proved fact is that in 1823 the Queen of England sent Robert Bruce, a prominent major from Scotland, to discover whether it is possible to plant tea in India, her largest colony, and during this expedition the Indian tea bushes were found along the sides of Brahmaputra River. Since 1940, India is the largest grower of tea in the world.
From China, tea was brought to Japan. It is believed that tea in Japan appeared in 727 A.D., and it was an official gift from the Chinese Tang Court to Emperor Shomu. In 794 tea was planted in the Imperial Garden in Kyoto and for years it was an imperial drink. In 1400, it became popular among the common population of Japan, and the following years are the time of tea etiquette elaboration and famous tea houses' building.
Japanese tea is probably the most unfamiliar to us. The every day Japanese tea is called sencha. It is the richest among other Japanese teas in Vitamin C and Vitamin B2. Bancha was a tea for common people in Japan until sencha was introduced during the Edo Era. It has a pale yellow color and specific toasty taste. Highly valued Japanese green tea is gyokuro, which is presented in literature as Drops of Jade. The tea is of generous taste and attractive color and is also called "The King of Teas". A few weeks before the harvest, the tea plants are covered, which makes them produce glutamine acid that naturally sweetens the tea.
There are many types of Asian teas in the world, and each of them has its unique taste and flavor. Some of them may seem extravagant in taste, but tastes differ, and each variety of tea has its admirers. There is much to research in the history of tea origin, and much to find out about all kinds of Asian teas.
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