 Tea
trees originated in China land and this “middle Kingdom” was the first
to utilize leaves of such tree. The book on herbal medicine Shennong
Materia Medica states: “shennong came across seventy-two toxicated
herbs dialy in tasting hundreds of herbs but was antidotted by taking
tea.”
As a sage representing wisdom
of Chinese people in the early Zhou Dynasty (c.1100 B.C.). Tea as
was put down in words were found in China in an era more than three
thousand years ago. The first record of tea is found in Er Ya; on
trees, reputedly written by Duke Jidan of Zhou Empire, with the
definition; “Cha; a bitter herb.” There were several different writings
for the herb in question but they all mean the same; Tea. Records
of State Huayang (now Sichuan) written circa 350 A.D., has this
record:”When Zhou’s king Wu attacked the troops of last emperor
of Shang Dynasty, he actually got soldiers mobilized from State
Shu and with them --- red lacquer,tea and beehoney were brought
as tribute to King Wu.” The war took place in 1066 B.C., tea was
then already a commodity for tribute.
 In
Wang Bao’s book Working Rules for Servants, one sees the words “use
all utensils in serving tea”, “go to Wuyang to buy tea”, which show
the fact that tea was used as beverage and was commercialized. Buddhism
began to develop during the big political turmoil after fall of
Jin Dynasty (c. 420). Buddhists advocate peaceful sitting. To awake
sleepy mood they took tea. Since the royal family favored sitting
and tea drinking,, tea became a favorite into society and tendency
was to live in the Buddhism fashion which showed self-styled top
hat. In Tang and Song dynasties (618-1260) tea drinking was popularized.
A Tang book book Sketches by Fong says: “ in the years Kaiyuan (713-741),
shops selling boiling-water-infused tea were every-where in provinces
and up to the capital. Pedestrians,
either ecclesiastic or secular may throw coins on the table and
get one cup of tea to drink.”
A seven-word code for daily
urgency runs like this: “Seven matters face you on opening the gate;
fagots, rice, iol, salt, sauce, vinegar and tea.” Tea is regarded
as one of the top urgent matters in home live. Vang Anshi (1021-1086),
the famous political reformer and literates of Song Dynasty, once
said: “Tea is as indispensable in daily life as rice and salt.
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