Some say that tea is one of the world’s most popular drinks (second only to water). In Britain it’s considered the national drink. Americans and Canadians drink 80% of their tea iced. And people in the United Arab Emirates out-drink the rest of us by far. In 2009, they drank a whopping 220 ounces of tea per person—almost twice as much as the second largest tea drinking nation in the world, Mauritiana. Although historians have found records of tea drinking in China as early as 900 B.C., it wasn’t until the 16th century that Europeans began exporting it from its origins in Southern Asia. And it was well worth the wait! Come and join us for a very international tea party in this three-part series on traditional tea culture. (It’s sure to be teatime somewhere in the world). We’ll pour a cup in China, one in Japan and a last in Morocco.
Tea in China
According to ancient Chinese legend, tea was an accidental invention. The story goes that Emperor Shen Nong (from as far back as 2737 B.C.) instructed his subjects to boil water before drinking it so that they wouldn’t get sick. One day, the Emperor was traveling with his entourage to a distant land when he stopped for a refreshing cup of boiled water. And as luck would have it, the leaves from a nearby camellia bush fell into his cup. From then on this pleasant new brew quickly became one of the Emperor’s favorite drinks. (Incidentally, the word “tea” comes from the Chinese word “cha” meaning camellia. Because European tea exporters misheard the word “cha” when they brought it home, they gave it the name “thee.”) Yet it wasn’t until the time of the Tang Dynasty that tea drinking in China became a real art form. In 780 A.D., a tea connoisseur named Lu Chu (who once ran off to join the circus) wrote a book called Tea Classic that was filled with tea drinking tidbits. These included best brewing techniques, top utensils to use (such as fire chopsticks, cauldrons and tea tongs), and information on the tastiest tea growing regions of China. If you’re visiting China today you’ll find that drinking tea is an integral part of Chinese life. It’s even used to express thanks, to apologize and as a sign of respect. So be sure to brush up on your tea drinking table manners before you travel. For instance, if you find yourself being the first to pour the tea, ensure you serve those around you first. And if someone pours tea for you, you can thank him or her by lightly tapping your index and middle fingers on the table.