History of Tea

As legend has it, one day in 2737 B.C. the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung was boiling drinking water over an open fire, believing that those who drank boiled water were healthier. Some leaves from a nearby Camellia sinensis plant floated into the pot. The emperor drank the mixture and declared it gave one "vigor of body, contentment of mind, and determination of purpose." 

There are as many legends about the origins of tea as there are about coffee. 0ne such tale credits the discovery of the beverage to the Chinese Emperor Chen Nung. He was called "the Divine Healer" and had discovered the healing power of a number of herbs. He also advocated the boiling of all drinking water to prevent disease and it was this habit that led him to the discovery of tea. 

One night in the year 2737 B.C., the emperor sat before his campfire waiting for his drinking water to boil. As it happened, the fire was made from brandies of the Camellia sinensis. 

... Some scorched leaves swirled upwards in a column of hot air, then slowly subsided. A good many fell into the pot. The emperor might well have thrown the water away, but the delightful scent now coming from the cauldron tempted him to taste it. The flavor was astringent, clean, refreshing. As an advocate of healthful concoctions it appealed Strongly to him. He began experimenting with more leaves of the same tree. 

As a result, tea was added to the emperor's list of herbals. 

While this story is speculation, it may not be too far from the truth. It was common for the early Chinese to boil drinking water. The taste of boiled water is singularly unappealing and no doubt many flavoring agents were tried. Tea makes boiled water not only palatable, but good tasting, and it provides the extra stimulation of caffeine. In combination with the improved protection from disease provided by the boiled water it is not surprising that tea not only became popular, but was also viewed as medicinal. 

Tea was cultivated and sold commercially by 780 A.D. when the book Ch'a Ching or Tea Classic was written. The book was sponsored by a group of merchants and its purpose was to promote tea drinking. This has prompted one tea historian to declare "... The affair, in fact, justifies us in adding Public Relations to Gunpowder, Printing and of course Tea on the list of China's anticipation of twentieth century man's profoundest needs." (Tea for the British, Forest D., 1973, London: Chatto & Windus.) 

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