THE HISTORY OF TEA
Tea is the second most consumed drink in the world after water. Worldwide, about 36,000 cups are drunk every second ! It is estimated that 1,200 billion cups of tea are consumed each year worldwide.
The origin of tea, China, the world cradle of tea.
According to legend, tea was discovered one day in 2737 BC by Shen Nong. This emperor, who used to boil his water to purify it, discovered tea…
That day he boiled his water under a shrub, fell asleep and while he slept some leaves from the shrub fell into the water. When he woke up, the emperor found this drink delicious and decided to develop gardens of this shrub, the tea plant.
The scent they gave to the water prompted the emperor to introduce tea to his people… and it was a success !
Tea first appeared in China as a therapeutic drink under the Western Han (206 BC – 24 AD). It was not until the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD) and the Three Kingdoms that it began to be consumed daily for pleasure.
Its preparation has evolved throughout history. It is often referred to as the « Three Ages of Tea ».
It was first boiled during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and then whipped during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). It was crushed under a grinder to obtain a very fine powder, which was beaten in very hot water with a bamboo whisk until a delicate and substantial foam was obtained. It was finally brewed during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).
One of the first written records of tea was found in a pharmacological treatise. This plant has always been used for its medicinal properties. In fact, tea is the food whose health benefits have been scientifically proven the most, with over 10,000 studies.
