History of tea

The history of tea began even before our era. In ancient times, the leaves learned to prepare a noble drink, which has a special energy. Tea bushes are relatively unpretentious and rather hardened plants, able to grow on poor soils and withstand significant temperature changes, without special care and care.

The history of tea is full of legends, riddles and controversial facts. The native land of the plant is China, where it was grown already in the fifth millennium BC. Here it was first used as an antidote, and then the drink became fashionable among aristocrats. Therefore, they say that the history of Chinese tea is the longest. However, the fact that the first tea plants were known precisely here is not a reliable fact.

Relatively recent studies have shown that in India, in the southern Himalayas and in Tibet, plantations of tea plants were also known at that time. Therefore, the question of the historical homeland of tea remains open to this day. However, it is certain that it was from the East Asian region that he began his journey of penetration into European, Russian and American culture.

The history of tea in Europe began in the 16th century, when the Portuguese and the Dutch opened the sea route to China, where they got acquainted with an exotic drink that was first served only at the imperial table. Over time, the drink became more accessible and began to be used everywhere. In the UK, tea was imported by the East India Company, immediately became popular at the royal court and the nobility. The popularity of the drink here contributed to the fact that his active production was engaged in India, which was at that time a British colony. In the 18th century, through the Atlantic, tea enters New Amsterdam.

The history of tea in Russia begins in 1638, when the Russian ambassador Vasily Starkov in the form of gifts of the French for Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich was given the tea. At first tea was considered exclusively a medical drink. The contract for the first supply of tea to Russia from China was signed in 1769. Drink was delivered overland, even the rarest varieties were imported, which were exchanged for fur. The most popular was black tea, as its price was much lower than that of green tea. In the 19th century, with the advent of the railway, the drink became known in all regions of the country

It is known that until about the fifth century tea was used as a healthy drink and widely used in medicine. Gradually the tea-drinking began to turn into a special event at the meetings.

Traditions of the Chinese ceremony began to spread around the world. The history of tea has acquired a new sound: the drink has ceased to be considered a medicine, having turned into an exquisite pleasure.

In Japan, the seeds of the tea plant were imported by a Buddhist monk. The emperor himself contributed to the spread of tea in this country, so there the drink quickly became popular in various spheres of life. Tea drinking has become a real art form, he was trained for years. For the "tea houses" was even developed a new form of architecture.