The source of teas loved by people around the world -from Assam, Darjeeling and English Breakfast to oolong, Masala and greentea- is the leaf of the Camellia sinensis, a shrub native to southern China and now cultivated in China, India, Japan and other parts of the world. But how did those bright green leaves evolve into some of the world's best-known beverages?
Although Buddhists believe that tea was discovered by the Buddha himself, a legend from ancient China infers that tea was discovered by an emperor some 5,000 years ago. This emperor, who was known for his wisdom in the ways of science, believed that the safest way to drink water was by first boiling it. One day during a journey, the emperor noticed that leaves had fallen into his boiling water. The leaves turned the water a light-brown color and gave off an enticing aroma. Filled with curiosity, the monarch took a sip of the brew and was pleasantly surprised by its excellent flavor.
Whether or not this story is true, the fact remains that tea has been enjoyed by the Chinese for centuries. Scholars hailed the brew as a cure for a variety of ailments. The nobility considered the consumption of good tea as a mark of their status. The common people simply enjoyed its flavor.
One of the earliest known references to green tea in Japan is in a text written by a Buddhist monk in the early ninth century. Japan was in the midst of its Heian Period (A.D. 794-1185), a time of peace and prosperity during which many aspects of Chinese culture and religion were introduced.
Green tea immediately became a staple among cultured people in Japan, a brew for the gentry and the Buddhist priesthood. Seeds were brought from China, marking the beginning of domestic cultivation, and as production grew tea became increasingly accessible, though still a privilege enjoyed mostly by the upper classes.
The tea ceremony as we know it today was developed over several centuries by Zen Buddhist monks took the form it retains today under the guidance of the monk Sen-no Rikyu (1522-1591). The warrior class, which rose to political prominence after the Heian Period, also embraced the beverage. In fact, many of the most important negotiations among feudal clan leaders were carried out in the austere and serene setting of the tea ceremony.
Eventually, green tea became available to the masses, making it the nation's most popular beverage
