History Of Tea

LEGENDS FROM CHINA AND INDIA

Tea’s origin story is infused with a blend of myth and fact and coloured by ancient concepts of spirituality and philosophy.

According to Chinese legend, the history of tea began in 2737 B.C.E. when the Emperor Shen Nong, a skilled ruler and scientist, accidentally discovered tea. While boiling water in his garden, a leaf from an overhanging tea plant made its way to the boiling pot. The emperor tasted the infusion and loved it so much that he started researching it more. During his research, he found all about the medicinal properties of tea and how to grow it best.

Indian history attributes the discovery of tea to Prince Bodhi-Dharma, an Indian saint who founded the Zen school of Buddhism. In the year 520, he left India to preach Buddhism in China. To prove some Zen principles, he vowed to meditate for nine years without sleep. It is said that towards the end of his meditation, he fell asleep. Upon awaking, he was so distraught that he cut off his eyelids, and threw them to the ground. Legend has it that a tea plant sprung up on the spot to sanctify his sacrifice.

Now we are not sure that it was the Chinese emperor who gave us the astounding beverage or it was the sacrifice of Prince Bodhi-Dharma that led to the formation of the favourite drink of India.

POPULARIZATION IN THE FAR EAST

Whatever the legend, tracing tea’s original roots proves difficult. The tea plant probably originated in regions around southwest China, Tibet, and Northern India. Chinese traders may have travelled throughout these regions often and encountered people chewing tea leaves for medicinal purposes.

During the Tang dynasty, a Buddhist monk, Lu Yu (733-804) composed the Ch’a Ching or Classic of Tea treatise. He described types of tea, its uses, as well as the preparation and benefits of drinking it. More importantly, he imbued the writings with a spiritual aesthetic that reflected Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian religious thoughts of the time. These teachings were centred around a traditional tea ceremony, which served as a metaphor for expressing the harmony and simplicity that not only ordered but also streamed throughout the entire universe.

The centuries that followed became known as the romantic age of tea. Led by the Sung dynasty (960-1280 AD.), poetry and artistic references to tea abounded. During this period, Chinese culture significantly influenced and impacted art, politics, and religion in the Far East.

THE FIRST TEA TO COME

The first tea to make its way to the taste buds of people is GREEN TEA. First discovered by a Chinese emperor by mistake in the 15th century, green tea has become a part of the staple diet of people of China. As the green tea is high in antioxidants its medicinal properties are high as well. The world has accepted green tea as a great beverage for health and the infusion is loved by many.

THE TALE OF THE SECOND

Green tea enjoyed the privilege of being the only tea available for over 200 years, until one day the leaves of the tea were laid out in the sun for a longer period due to an unscheduled camping trip. The tea leaves got decolourized, and when they were used to make tea, it gave rise to a completely new infusion which came to be known as the black tea. Black tea contains a lot more caffeine than green tea and packs several health benefits which led to the major rise in its popularity in the mid-17th century.

HERE COMES THE THIRD

Green tea and black tea are very popular and account for a lot of sales of tea worldwide. In India, tea is not just a beverage that is served hot and cold but it is an emotion when the people here listen to the word, “chai” a different kind of feeling just takes over them. The chai that we drink today was made first during the 1830s when the British bought tea to India to break the monopoly of China’s trade. The popularity of the Indian Chai grew rapidly as in 1870 only 10 per cent of people in Britain were consuming Indian chai, while it rose to 90 per cent by the year 1900.

AFTER ALL THIS TIME

Olive leaves and olive leaves extract has been used to cure diseases long before green tea was invented and up until recently, that’s all how olive leaves were used. This all changed when Oliria stepped in the world of tea with its world’s first processed olive herbal tea. Olive herbal tea contains a lot more antioxidants than green tea, this means that it has a lot more beneficial for health than green tea. Oliria olive tea comes in a variety of different flavours which range from basil olive, rose olive, lemongrass olive, and mint olive. Olive tea is good for your heart and your body which makes it the best tea for your health. You can order your very own pack of olive tea from www.oliria.in

The journey of tea has been very intriguing from the very start and its root are still not confirmed but what is confirmed is its health benefits and taste which has always been exceptionally well. Over time new varieties of tea have emerged each one being different from the other. Oliria olive leaf tea is the new tea added in the block and its popularity is on the rise, because of its amazing taste and a lot of health benefits that are packed within it.

We love the journey of tea and what all it has brought it and we are excited what its future holds.