"Its liquor is like the sweetest dew from heaven," wrote Lu Yu in his classic work Ch’a Ching. The 8th century scholar produced the first authoritative book on tea, providing details on every aspect of tea growing and manufacture, as well as wisdom on the art of drinking tea.
Tea has been appreciated in China since 2000 BC, first for
medicinal purposes and later for its refreshing qualities. The
Chinese have valued this unique beverage, using
tea leaves for gift giving, courtship rituals,
ancestor worship, and imperial tribute taxes.
Beginning in the 9th century, the enjoyment of tea
spread to countries outside China, first to
Japan and Korea, then to the Middle East. For centuries China was
the world’s only tea–exporting country.
Beginning in the 19th century, however, stiff competition arose
as India and Ceylon began to grow tea. Today China remains one
of the largest suppliers of quality teas.
Chinese Tea