The Origins of the Humble Tea Leaf

The Origins of TeaAccording to mythological fables,into cakes and then roasted to a reddish color. These
there are many tales of the origin of tea. The firstcakes were crumbled into the water and boiled,
one comes from over 4500 years ago. The Secondmeanwhile adding onion, ginger, and orange peel. This
Chinese Emperor Chen Sung(circa 2737-2697 BC) wastea was considered to be a good remedy for
sitting beneath a tree while his servant was boilingstomach problems, bad eyesight and many other
some water. A leaf from the tree above fell into thediseases, but must have been a very bitter brew
boiling water and Chen Sung tried the brew and likedindeed.Around about the 8th Century the bricks of
it. The tree was a tea tree, of course.Another fabledtea were now boiled with only a little bit of salt. In
origin of tea comes from Bodhidharma, the traditionalthe Tang Dynasty, this tea recipe was the national
founder of the Zen school of Buddhism. Thedrink of the ruling classes. Tea was beginning to be
Japanese claim that he brought tea with him fromexported to Tibet, Turkey , India, and Russia
India to China. The Indian legend proclaims that afterbecause of its easy transportability.The first mention
5 years of a 7 year sleepless meditation exercise onof tea outside China and Japan was by the Arabs in
the Lord Buddha, BoddhiDharma began to feel sleepy.850 AD. Some say that they introduced it into
He immediately plucked a few leaves from a nearbyEurope throught the port of Venice. The Portuguese
bush and chewed them which thereby kept himpaved the way for the entry of tea into Europe also
awake. The bush wasbecause of their exploration of the sea passages to
a wild bush tree. Another story along these lines hasChina as early as the 16th Century. Jesuit priests
him plucking off his eyebrows when they startedcoming back from the East brought back their tea
drooping and he threw them on the ground. It isdrinking habits back to Portugal. The Dutch merchants
reputed that 2 tea trees sprang up that had thegot in on the act as well. In 1610, regular shipments
power to keep him awake and alert.Whatever theof tea to ports in France and Holland were started. In
truth is, the raw leaves of the tea tree werethe late 17th Century, the English East India Company
probably used as food from the earliest times by theentered the trade.Beginnings of the names for tea.In
native populations of Southern China. A chinese textthe 4th Century in China, the Chinese word t'u was
of 50 BC mentions tea being prepared by servants.often used to describe shrubs besides tea. The
Historians and scholars have tea being cultivated inmodern term for tea comes from early chinese
Szechuan around the 3rd Century AD. There aredialect words such as Tchai, Cha and Tay. These
many authentic references to tea in the Chinesewords were used to pertain to both the drink and
dictionary circa 350 AD.In the 8th Century thethe leaf. Tea is known as Cha or Chai in India to this
Chinese author Lu Yu wrote the first book on tea,day. In japan, the word Cha is used to describe both
the "Ch'a Ching". This book summarised all thetea and a hot broth.Early Benefits of Tea.From the
accumulated knowledge to date about tea growingearliest times tea was recognised and enjoyed
and preparation. There were many illustrations of teabecause it is a healthy refreshing beverage. Made
making utensils. This book succeeded in giving afrom the dried leaves of the camellia sinensis plant,
major impetus to the drinking of tea by the uppertea is said to have antioxidant properties, can fight
classes. Some say that this book inspired thethe flu virus, and boosts the immune system.
Buddhist priests to create the Japanese teaBenefits of tea and the spiritual and health factors
ceremony.Early Processing of tea.In the 4th Centurythat add to our enjoyment of the refreshing taste.
the fresh green tea leaves were picked , squeezed