The History of Green Tea
Based from the ancient accounts of the “Mondal”, the “Camellia Sinensis” (scientific name for tea) originated in Southeast Asia particularly along the northeastern communities in Burma and China. The early Chinese and Assamese botanists came up with the “Camellia Sinensis Theory” in which the average chromosome numbers of tea plant hybrids is computed under “Cluster Statistics Analysis”. The theory however, emphasizes the experimentation of the tea hybrids from the early 19th century.
According to a Chinese legend, the early existence of tea is traced back during the development of Chinese agriculture and medicine. In 2737 BC, the great emperor Shennong took a sip from a drink made from a tea plant. Shennong was amazed by the drink’s flavor and aroma, so he decided to develop the production of the herbal drink in ancient China. Shennong’s experience with drinking the green tea herbs was mentioned in the old Chinese manuscript named “Cha Jing” by Lu Yu. The existence of green tea herbs became more significant during the Tang Dynasty when “Chan Buddhist” founder Bodhidharma accidentally slept after nine years of meditation. Bodhidharma ripped off his eyelids when he woke up. The eyelids fell to the ground and eventually transformed into green tea bushes. The Chinese are said to be the most frequent tea consumers. During the Han Dynasty, the Chinese made use of green tea leaves as natural treatment for diseases such as Cancer. China is considered as the country with the most number of historical facts about tea consumption since 10 B.C. The tea was introduced to Japan during the Sui Dynasty in 589 – 618 AD.
During the Song Dynasty, the overall production and global distribution of tea herbs changed. The tea from the dynasty added loose green leaf styles under the permission of the Song’s court society. “Steaming” of the leaves was considered as the main process used for tea preparation. China and Japan struggled hard in developing the production of tea in their respective provinces during the middle of the 13th century. In 1391, the Ming Court Society issued a law that the tea production and consumption in China and other neighboring countries including Japan are solely acceptable for “tribute” purposes.
The popularity of tea started to spread in Japan during the sixth century. Based from ancient Japanese records, the first tea products were brought by two Japanese priests named Saicho in 805 and Kukai in 806. The tea became an official drink among the Japanese elite class led by Emperor Saga. The latter encouraged the harvesting and production of tea in Japan. In 1191, legendary Zen priest Eisai brought tea plant seeds to Kyoto. Some of the seeds were received by Eisai’s colleague Myoe Shonin. The “Kissa Yojoki” (“How to Stay Healthy by Drinking Tea”) was the first and oldest book written by Eisai in 1211. The book contains Eisai’s various theories and essential tips on tea preparation and consumption.
The traditional “Japanese Tea Ceremony” was brought to China in 1500 by a group of Semi-religious Buddhists. The modernized tea ceremony was developed in a span of five centuries by a distinct group of Zen Buddhists led by Sen No Rikyu. In 1738, Soen Nagatani led the development of “Sencha” or distinctively known as the “Roasted Japanese Tea”. In 1835, Kahei Yamamoto introduced the development of the “Gyokuro” or “Jewel Dew”. The use of machines in manufacturing Chinese and Japanese tea products started during the last years of the Meiji Period.
In Thailand, the tea is made from a strong, black-colored beverage called “Red Tea” which is currently gaining regard in Eastern Asia. Thai people usually consume tea in the morning along with traditional Thai breakfast meals “Pa-Tong-Ko” and “Yau Ja Gwai”. In Europe, Turkey is labeled as the “Tea Market Capital of the World”. In Britain, the production of tea started during the 16th century when Princess Catherine of Braganza in Portugal brought a tea drink to her fiancé, the great King Charles II. In September 1660, English tea expert Samuel Pepys wrote in his journal the early importation of Chinese and Japanese tea products in the Netherlands. The United States pioneered the invention of “Iced Tea”. In South America, the “Sweetened Tea” is famous for its chilled and artificial sweetening ingredients.