The Tea Culture of China

Have you ever wondered why so much attention is paid to tea ceremonies in the East? If you have ever traveled to either China or Japan, then you have no doubt encountered the cultural phenomena of tea drinking. China is the origin for the tea drinking cultures of most of East Asia. It is one of the oldest and longest lasting practices which most of these cultures have in common. When one examines the historical evidence intelligently, it is not hard to discover that the consumption of tea got started in China. Tea itself is a native to southern China. In order to appreciate the ways in which tea drinking can turn your Asian home or office into a beautiful place, it is necessary to explore the unique practice carefully. Tea drinking may have gotten its start in China but is was in no way limited to that region. Tea has been a vital part of the experience of many Asian cultures since then.

In Tang times (618-906 CE) tea became a national drink with an established custom in Buddhist monasteries. The idea was to prevent drowsiness in the monks during their times of lengthy meditation. In terms of archeology, tea has been found buried in several tombs with the dead. It was considered a "good" of the Han dynasty (206-220 CE) in the afterlife. There is also strong evidence which suggests that tea drinking began in China even before the time of Christ.

It was during the Three Kingdoms period (220-265 CE) Zhang Yi detailed in his book the specifics of tea production. The description was mostly related to the way tea was produced in both Sichuan and Hubei provinces. This included the processing of tea leaves into tea cakes. The poet Lu Tung (795-835 CE) wrote the Song of Tea. The song proclaimed the superior benefit of tea drinking. It was also about this same time Lu Yu (760-800 CE), the greatest authority on tea, wrote "Chajin" (The Classic of Tea). Ever since its debut, this writing has consistently remained the single most authoritative manual for tea consumers. It likewise describes the tools required to harvest leaves and process tea. In addition, the utensils to brew tea and a list of tea producing areas along with their respective gradings are included.

So how did China influence other Asian cultures to adopt tea drinking? Japanese monks Kubai (774-835 CE) and Saicho (767-822 CE) took a journey to China in 804. Their assumed goal was to study Chan or "Zen" Buddhism. This would take place in Tianmushan, Zhejiang province. However, this specific locality was very popular for tea production as well. Therefore, when the monks returned to Japan not too long after their visit they began tea plantation in their homeland. They brought necessary tea seeds with them back from China to do this. Naturally, this was in addition to introducing the Japanese people to Zen Buddhism.

During the early Heian period (794-1185 CE), Japanese literati adopted the custom of tea drinking from Tang China. The Japanese started to drink tea during social gatherings. Often, these social gatherings were accompanied by activities enjoyed by the educated and cultured members of society. These activities usually included such things as composing, reciting poetry, and playing music. It is easy to understand how tea drinking would thrive in this kind of social atmosphere. To make the point clear, it is obvious that China's tea drinking and production of tea leaves gained influence in much of East Asia a very long time ago. It is almost like a social glue which permeates the entire region today. In the contemporary Asian home or office tea, along with its needed utensils, makes a very pragmatic and friendly contribution to the decor!

Harlan Urwiler is the CEO of HRU Enterprises, Inc. He is an expert author on the subjects of Asian history, culture, folklore, and collectibles. You should feel invited to visit the company's excellent website at: http://www.myorientalgallery.com. Our Support Team is anxious to answer any quesitons you may have about our dynamic business or authentic products. Big savings are yours today with your order. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

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