The Evolution of Tea
Christine Nguyen
Coffee or Tea?
The History of Tea
• Origin: China• Proliferation: Tea Road and the Sea• Consumption was limited to royals
and nobilities before becoming commonplace
Tea
Spiritualitea
“Tea is cold, most suitable for people in pursuit of morality and
virtue.”
Fashion in Tea
Tang Dynasty Song Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
Hospitalitea
All is Fair in Love and Tea
• Matchmaker• Pure and noble love• LoyaltyWedding Ceremony• Present Tea (proposal)• Settle Tea (wedding)• Join Tea (marriage)
Introduction of Tea to Japan
• AD 803• Monks traveled to China’s temples
to study Zen Buddhism and brought tea seeds home with them
• Tea became available to everyone by 1500s
Sencha
Matcha
The Way of Tea: Chanoyu
• Zen Buddhism• Focused on aesthetics• Simple and natural• Elegant and clean
The Values of Tea
Wa: HarmonyKei: RespectSei: PurityJaku: Tranquility
SeizaTeishu
Introduction of Tea to India
• 1600s: Dutch introduce Chinese tea• 1834 East India Company• China raises tax on tea, bans export
of seeds and tea making techniques• Smuggled tea seeds to Assam, India
Chota hazri, “little breakfast”
• Black tea Assam variety• Needed industry to grow, finally
realized that India could be huge consumers
• Tea breaks in factories, coal mines, cotton mills, and on trains
Masala spices
Chai wallah
Are you thirstea?(yes)