History

In China, tea was first found when dried leaves dropped into Chinese Emperor Shen Nung’s cup of hot water and caused the beverage became tasteful with pleasant aroma. However, the emperor never realised the beverage with refreshing taste he accidentally found would turn into one the world’s most popular drink called ‘tea’ at present time.

Yensie, who was a Buddhist priest living in China when tea was first discovered, introduced tea to all Japanese. Tea became in no time influential to Japanese society and brought about the birth of the complicated Japanese Tea Ceremony, adopting tea to an art form.

Tea had been making its journey throughout Asia and it was the same time that “East meets West” – European explorer came to Asia and tea took its big one step further. Tea was brought into Holland by the East India Tea Company, but due to its high price of $100 per pound, tea was beverage for only the rich. After the prices fell, tea was sold in small groceries.

Tea was introduced to the American colonists in 1650 in New Amsterdam, which is today’s New York, by Peter Stuyvesant brought. Later the colonists drank tea more than all England.

England seemed to have tea in almost every event both indoor and outdoor, such as tea gardens, gambling and fireworks. Most British really enjoyed drinking tea and those fantastic festivals with fancy tea and food.

Chinese Embassy sent ornate chests of dried leaves to Czar Alexis of Russia in 1618 and since then, Russians have been fond of tea especially when mixed with strawberry jam or honey. Nowadays tea and vodka are Russia’s national beverage.

According to the study, around 70% of tea is grown in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, Argentina, China and Kenya. The perfect climates for growing tea are tropical or semi-tropical.