It is enjoyed for its health benefits and its contribution to living a better, simpler and aesthetically appealing life.
It is said that tea was discovered about 3000 BC by the legendary ruler Shennong. He sampled numerous herbs in order to find out their possible uses as food or medicine for his people.
In third century the celebrated surgeon Hua Tuo, originator of anesthesia, is reported as saying that tea drinking increased concentration and alertness.
In ancients, times, many Chinese, including emperors and common people alike, were captivated by its unique fragrance and aesthetic experience.
Tea drinking in China gradually spread from the south to the north. Widespread tea drinking began during the Tang dynasty, sometime between the eight and tenth centuries. It then extended from China to her neighboring countries.
Tea is always offered immediately to a guest in a Chinese home. Serving a cup of tea is more than a matter of mere politeness, it is a symbol of togetherness, a sharing of something enjoyable and a way of showing respect to visitors.
The plant which produces the common kinds of tea in commerce is the Thea chinensis, of which there are a number of more or less constant varieties so that several botanists have made three distinct species, viz, Thea viridis, Thea bohea and Thea stricta.
Fresh tea leaves are not aromatic. The tea fragrance emerges after the leaves are cured slowly under low heat. The cured tea leaves are either black or green depending on whether the leaves are fermented or unfermented.
Chinese tea
