I don’t drink tea.
Not hot. Not iced.
I’ve tried it at least two dozen times. And every time, I am left wondering “why.”
But tea is loved by many.
Here are some statistics by Pew Research and Gitnuz Research.
79% of Americans drink coffee, while 75% drink tea.
In the UK, tea is consumed by 84% of adults, while coffee is consumed by 77%.
56% of Europeans prefer coffee, while 27% prefer tea.
In India, the percentage of coffee drinkers is 19%, while tea drinkers is about 79%.
So. I fall under the coffee percentages. Plain, black coffee. Served hot. In a plain, heavy coffee cup.
But back to tea. I just read a book where “tea drinking” was a major theme in the book. It was about the sharing of the ritual between the characters.
Regardless, tea has been around for a long, long time.
Like. This long. Tea is believed to have originated in China, dating back to around 2737 BCE during the reign of Emperor Shen Nong. Here is the great story behind Shen Nong and tea. Apparently, he was out in his garden boiling some water. Why? I don’t know. I do not garden, and I’m not sure why one boils water there. Anyway, while boiling away in the garden, some tea leaves accidentally fell into his pot, resulting in the first infusion of tea.
Ta-DA!
Initially, tea was consumed for its medicinal properties rather than as a recreational beverage. It was valued for its ability to promote well-being and vitality. Mostly in China, this was.
And then, that tea cultivation and consumption spread on over to Japan around the 6th century CE. This was all because of Buddhist monks who traveled to China and brought back tea seeds and knowledge of tea preparation.
From there, Japan ran with the ball. Japanese tea culture developed independently, leading to the creation of ceremonies like the famous Japanese tea ceremony, known as “chanoyu or chado.” I’m calling it chado, because it probably rhymes with Play-Doh and that sound like much more fun.
Then, there was the tea trade along the Silk Road. I always hear about the “Silk Road” but I’ve never been able to find it on a map. I’ve found Silk Avenue, and Silk Street, but no Silk Road. Anyway, it is there somewhere because it is all over the history books.
The tea trade along the Silk Road began during the Tang dynasty. (The Tang Dynasty has nothing to do with Orange Tang Drink.) Tea became an important commodity, traded alongside silk, spices, and other goods. On that good old Silk Road.
And then on to Europe. Yes, tea was introduced to Europe by Portuguese and Dutch traders in the 16th century. Initially, it was a luxury item only enjoyed by aristocrats and royalty. By the 17th century, tea had become popular with everyone in Europe, particularly in Britain.
And once the Brits got a hold of it? Forget about it. They own it now, with all their crumpets and such. I won’t go as far as to call them “Tea Snobs” because that would be rude. But I won’t interrupt the discussion of the pot calling the kettle black, either.
So there it is. Tea in all its glory.
Bottoms up.
And I’m off to get a cup of coffee.
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“Tea is the elixir of life.” – Lao Tzu
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“There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life.” – Lin Yutang
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“A cup of tea is an excuse to share great thoughts with great minds.” – Cristina Re
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Tea time? Not for everyone, it seems.
