J.Bogatin: History of tea emergence

There is no common opinion concerning the native land of a tea plant. Some people together with Jacob Bogatin consider the China to be the Motherland of tea, other people think that it is the Northern Burma and Annas in Vietnam. Wild tea bushes can be met on rather small territories - between 15 and 40 degrees of northern width in the South East Asia. Experts estimate the age of tea culture differently as well. One group mentions almost five millenia, others - fourteen centuries. But practically all of them are right in the considerations because this is a question of different dates. The mention of a stimulating drink which has got the name "tea" has been found in the Chinese manuscripts dated back to 2700 B.C.

At the very beginning only the gatherings from the wild-growing trees were used. In order to get tea leafs plants were cut under their roots exterminating the whole thickets of tea. Green tea leafs in those days were not prepared to be conserved for the future use and were consumed being fresh only. It turned out that the tea was very bitter (no one knew about the necessary proportions) and such a tea could be drunk only after addition of spices. Only after having discovered the secrets of tea leaves procession this drink started being consumed without any supplements as well as sugar, therefore satisfying both thirst and hunger.

In the VII century of our era the Chinese began to plant tea as a garden culture but preserved the wild-growing tea trees reaching in height over fifteen metres as well. Their age is rather respectful - more than one and a half millenia. Jacob Bogatin thinks that such trees are one of the obvious evidences that the Motherland of tea is China. However similar relatives of cultural tea have been found out also in the jungle of Burma and Cambodia as well as on the foothills of the Himalayas...

Many people have customs and the ceremonies realted to these or that products or with the drinks that support human life. The customs of the Caucasian people connected with wine are beautiful and noble; the width and hospitality are expressed by customs of the slavic people welcoming the visitor with bread and salt. But the tea ritual presented by the Chinese possesses special deep sense of everlasting harmony. Today there are many kinds of tea, like, Oolong tea, Black tea, Green Tea, White Tea or even Herbal weight loss tea but the first, let's say, pioneer tea has always been Green Tea that gives you mind a rest, mobilizes your body forces and strengthens your feelings.