The History Behind The Discovery Of Tea

In most parts of Western countries, coffee is considered a part of their daily lives and they are inseparable from it. While the British favor more tea it has also become one of the most common drinks to have in Asia.

If you thought that coffee is the drink that is mostly consumed in the world well it's not. Tea is the second most-consumed drink in the world after plain water. In the UK alone, it is estimated that 100 million cups of tea are consumed each day and this is equivalent to 36 billion in a year.

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China is the highest export of tea in the world contributing to 22.8 percent of the global exports worth a whopping $1.5 billion in 2016. But how did it reaches this extent and where did it all start? Here we would like to share with you the history behind the discovery of tea.

Who Was The First Person To Find Tea?

The reality is that nobody knows who the exact person is but behind its popularity, there have been many mysteries behind the origin of this favored drink. However, there are legendary stories from 5000 years ago which is related to the discovery of tea.

The discovery of tea is said to be in connection with the Chinese Emperor and the intelligent mythical ruler named Shennong (Shen Nung). The story goes that Shennong who happens to be an expert on herbs loved to teach the ancient Chinese the way of agriculture.

The translation of his name means the God of Agriculture. According to the stories, he created several techniques such as shoveling, plowing, irrigation, and even slash-and-burn agriculture.

Some people suggest that Shennong is the father of Huang Emperor who is also known as the Yellow Emporer. Other people proclaimed and worship him as the king of medicine. If he really existed, then the term "King of Medicine" can be used today to represent the benefit of green tea.

But the question remains: Does he(referring to Shennong) really exist?

Discovery Due To Serendipity.

The story occurred back in 2737 BC. Shennong after a day of experimenting with herbs decided to relax under an unknown tree. He later fell asleep under the bright sun with boiling water next to him.

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When the Emperor felt sleepy, suddenly a strong wind blew towards him and shook the tree. The wind also carries with it the leaves from the tree some of it managed to land in the boiling water of Shennong's cup.

Not long after, the leaves start to seep into the drink and as Shennong woke up from his sleep he realized that there is a strange green-colored drink next to him. Feeling intrigued by the color, he decided to take a sip of the drink. The emperor definitely felt happy with the taste and essence of the tea.

This story is most recorded in the history of the first discovery of tea which occurred by accident. After consuming the drink, he felt more awake and energetic. Without him knowing at the time, the emperor had discovered his first green tea. Shennong felt that the seep of the green tea leaves is very unique and refreshing due to the caffeine in the tea.

Another version of this legendary story but with some variation to it tells us that the emperor had tested the properties of variant herbs on himself and when he found that some of them were poisonous he can cure himself with the tea.

The Spread Of Tea To The Whole World

The earliest record of the discovery of tea in western history was said to be found from an Arab migrant during 879 when the main source of income in Canton was from the duties of salt and tea. Marco Polo also recorded the Chinese ministry of finance in 1285 for the introduction of the tea tax.

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In 1557, Portugal has established a trading port in Macau and the word Chinese drinks "cha" spread quickly but was not mentioned on them returning the sample of tea. In the early 17th century, a ship of the Dutch East India Company brought its first green tea to Amsterdam from China.

Tea was later known in France in 1636. It was enjoyed by several French people in Paris in 1648. The history of tea in Russia can also be detected in the 17th century. The first tea offered by China to Czar Michael I happened in 1618. The Russian Ambassador tried his first tea but he seems to not like it and rejected the offer.

This matter has led to the delay of the introduction of tea in Russia for 50 years. Tea has also appeared in Germany in 1657 but it did not get much attention except on the coast like Ostfriesland.

Tea first appeared openly in England in the 1650s when it was introduced through a coffee shop. From that on it was introduced to other English colonies in America and around the world.

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