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TeaFlavin® Home
: TeaFlavin® :
Why Tea? : The History Of Tea |
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Tea is the most popular drink in the world, aside from water, and has been for
5000 years. From Asia to Europe to America, tea has had a long and rich
history, playing an integral part in Japanese religion, British imperialism,
even the American Revolution.
According to ancient Chinese legend, the tale of green tea began in 2737 BC.
Emperor Shen Nung, known as the "Divine Healer," boiled his water before
drinking. One afternoon, as he knelt before his boiling water, leaves from a
nearby tree drifted into the pot. The Emperor noted a delightful aroma, and
upon sipping the beverage, proclaimed it as "heaven sent."
Since this first cup of green tea was brewed almost 5000 years ago, tea
continues to gain popularity around the world. See the timeline below for the
chronicle of tea through the years.
| 2737 BC |
The earliest record of the health benefits of green tea appears in a Chinese
medical treatise.
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| AD 350 |
A method for brewing green tea is recorded in a Chinese dictionary.
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| 520 |
A legend associates tea with Bodhidharma, the founder of Buddhism in China.
Buddhist practitioners chew tea leaves as an aid to meditation. |
| 729 |
The Japanese emperor gives gifts of powdered green tea to Buddhist monks. Tea
cultivation spreads throughout Japan.
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| 780 |
The Book of Tea appears in China. The author, Lu Yu, attributes many health
benefits to green tea and is accorded divine status as the "patron saint" of
tea.
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| 1211 |
The founder of Zen Buddhism in Japan, Eisai Myoan, publishes a book, Tea
Drinking is Good for Health. He advocates tea as a remedy for almost all
maladies. “Tea is a miraculous medicine for the maintenance of health. Tea has
an extraordinary power to prolong life. Anywhere a person cultivates tea, long
life will follow. In ancient and modern times, tea is the elixir that creates
the mountain-dwelling immortal.” |
| 1400s |
A Japanese Zen priest develops Chayonu, or the "tea ceremony."
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| 1517 |
Portuguese traders introduce Chinese tea to Europe.
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| 1559 |
The healthful properties of tea are mentioned in Voyages and Travels, a book
written by a Venetian merchant.
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| Circa 1600 |
Jesuit missionaries attribute longevity among the Chinese to their intake of
green tea.
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| 1657 |
Tea is offered for sale to the public in London. |
| 1600s to Present |
Tea becomes the second most popular beverage in the world (after water.)
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| 1667 |
Tea reaches England, when Thomas Garway sold it at his coffeehouse in London's
Exchange Alley.
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| 1700 |
King of England Charles II places extremely high tax on tea, making it rare and
a luxury for the upper classes only.
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| 1773 |
The Boston Tea Party takes place, leading to American independence.
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| 1784 |
The tax is reduced and tea smuggling ceases to be a lucrative profession.
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| 1790 |
England is hub of the world tea trade.
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| 1960s to Present |
Scientists begin documenting the beneficial health properties of green tea.
Green tea becomes recognized as a health beverage.
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| 1990s |
Research on the health benefits of green tea increases dramatically, with
hundreds of studies published in scientific journals.
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| 2003 |
Clinical studies discover that theaflavins, the unique active ingredient that
results from green tea fermentation has positive effects on cardiovascular
health, including lowering LDL cholesterol. |
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