History of the Chinese Tea Culture

History of the Chinese Tea Culture

History of the Chinese Tea Culture

Chinese tea culture can be traced back over 5,000 years. Originally used as an elixir, the uses of tea are just as numerous as its different varieties. Tea has been used for medicinal purposes, as a form of currency and has been used in place of cash. The use of tea as a beverage has its theoretical beginnings; however, it has not been determined exactly when tea started to be used as a beverage.

Developing their technique of processing tea leaves along with drinking tea is a big part of the Chinese people's customs and traditions. Tea is actually a shrub with evergreen leaves and fragrant white flowers. Plucked in various stages of growth, the dried leaves of this plant are used to make tea.

The names of certain types of Chinese tea such as green, white, black or red refer to the color of the leaves along with the fermenting process. Cultivation of tea shrubs began as early as 3,000 years ago. It was in the late sixth century that people began to drink tea in large numbers. Poets and writers described the delightful effects of drinking tea. Hieroglyphics were created by ancient linguistics depicting different connotations and pronunciations of tea, which caused some confusion in reading and interpretation. The practice of drinking tea in our culture has become widespread in Western civilization and has spilled over into many cultures and generations. In China, a universal show of respect and etiquette when a guest arrives is to offer them a cup of tea. During the Tang and Soong Dynasties, drinking of tea was generally oriented towards aestheticism.

Having a tea party in ancient Chinese custom meant a small group of friends, usually around four, sitting around enjoying their Chinese tea and having a discussion about the quality of their beverage. At some point during these tea party discussions, the group would start to burst into laughter and begin approaching what may have been considered inappropriate subjects for a lady's ears at that time. Little did the group realize that their increased exuberance was due to the caffeine after consuming such large quantities of tea. This abundance in laughter was usually accompanied by more tea drinking.

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