Tea Drinking is Home in China

China is the place where tea drinking really got started.  Of course, that happened a very long time ago.  The important thing to remember is that it has endured for thousands of years and shows no sign today of ending.  In fact, China has inspired people all over the world to drink tea as an enjoyable and relaxing beverage.  Tea itself is native to southern China.  However, tea drinking has become a vital part of the daily life in many Asian cultures.

During the Tang dynasty (618-906 CE) tea became a national drink with a steady custom in Buddhist monasteries.  The idea was prevent the monks from experiencing drowsiness during their times of extended meditation.  Archeology has discovered that tea was found buried in the tombs of people who lived during the Han dynasty (206-220 CE).  During this same time, tea had become so popular that it was considered a "good" for the after life.  This strongly suggests that tea drinking had begun in China even before the time of Christ! 

Tea drinking did not end with China though.  Japanese monk Kubai (774-835 CE) and Saicho (767-822 CE) journeyed to China to study Zen Buddhism.  They brought this religion back to Japan, along with tea seeds and the skills to grow the plant in their homeland.  The Japanese eventually began to drink tea during social gatherings.  Tea quickly became a favorite drink of Japan as well as in other regions of East Asia.  Therefore, tea is an ideal contribution to any Asian home or office.  It is relaxing and healthy to consume.  Enjoy some authentic tea leaf from your neighborhood Chinese grocery market today!

Best regards from the East,

Harlan Urwiler

For more information, feel free to visit my website at:  http://www.myorientalgallery.com/.