The rich history behind and around tea around the world
The First Recorded Tea Ceremony
The Importance of Tea as a Ceremony Many cultures around the world share a cup of tea in a ceremonial way. It is incorporated into other social...
Tea and Buddhism; Tea as a Spiritual Practice Spreads to Many Countries
The flavor of Zen and the flavor of tea is the same.- A Japanese proverbSiddhartha Gautama, The Buddha Buddha was a contemporary of Pythagoras,...
The Beginning of Tea; From the Ancient World to Lu Yu
Tea is a Treasure of the World - Before Tea Literature As a consciousness-altering agent it is mankind's kindliest ally in the vegetable kingdom....
Do you know the saying, “Keep Calm and Carry On”?
Interesting how such a simple and almost obscure saying has been so widely embraced by the tea industry. Every wonder why?
Yum Cha and Dim Sum
Chinese teahouses often snacks called “dim sum”. The practice of having tea with dim sum evolved into the modern yum cha
Darjeeling Teas
The main problem with Darjeeling tea is quantity: there will never be enough to satisfy demand.
Immortal Dew
I do have a favorite tea, and where it’s grown it doesn’t have a particular name. We call it Immortal Dew.
Tea in Early America; The Origins of North American Tea Culture
The Dutch Colonists Import Tea and Tea Culture to North AmericaIn 18th century America, tea customs stemmed from the social customs brought to New...
The Adventures of Robert Fortune, Esq.
. . . In short, her scandalous reputation/Has shocked the whole of the Hellish nation; / And every turbaned Chinoiserie, / With whole we should sip...
The History of Tea in Taiwan
If tea drinkers were asked to list their favorite teas and then told afterward that their tea choices provided a peek into their personalities, many would concede that there are plausible connections.
How the Scots Saved Ceylon
“The tea fields of Ceylon are as true a monument to courage as the lion is to Waterloo.”
Tea Blending; History and Advice from 1894
Tea blends come about for love or money. Some blends are classic creations shared across millennia, while others are the secret formulas of tea growers and merchants hoping to capture the affections of tea drinkers with their exclusive blends.
Modernizing Tea Production; Invention of Tea Processing Machines
Tea History: Tea Processing Machines It was an industry off and running by the time George Williamson retired from Assam in 1859. Scores of private...
Why do Translations of Chinese Tea Names Differ so Much?
Iron Buddha, Iron Goddess of Mercy, Iron Bodhisattva, Tik Goon Yam, Tieguanyin, Tie Guan Yin, Tit Kwon Yin. These are different spellings of the same tea. Of course this same tea can have a huge spectrum in terms of grade, taste and quality but that is a story for another post.
Love in a Cup; Persian Saffron Tea With Rose and Spice
Aromatic tea traditionally served in Iran by the bride to the groom’s family when her family accepts the proposal.
The Bamboo Whisk With a 500-Year History
The sole purpose of a chasen is to mix the powdered green tea called matcha with hot water.
Tea In Antarctica; Tea Accompanies Explorers Around The World
Traveling with fearless explorers were boxes of tea to warm the body and the spirit.
Tea Talk; Honoring the Lineage of Tea Information and Education
Tea Talk; Remembering newsletter from 1993 on the pleasures of tea.
The Tea Room as the Birthplace of the American Civil Rights Movement
Tea room and civil rights is a little-known story in US history.
Comparing Chinese Tea Art Ceremony, Korean Tea Ceremony, and Japanese Chado Tea Ceremony
When most practitioners think about tea culture, they think about the word “Cha Dao (茶道).” More specifically, when they think about tea culture pertaining to particular countries, they think of Chinese “tea art,” the…
Sage of Tea Lu Yu
In tea history, it is impossible not to come across mention of Lu Yu, the Sage of Tea or Patron Saint of Tea.
Understanding the concepts of “Tea Person” – Cha’ren and Chadao
I met a Korean monk, who is also a tea master, and asked him whether he could explain the concept of “tea person (Cha’ren).” I had been wondering about the concept for a long while. The Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans…
Is the Tea Ceremony Romantic?
One member of my Tea Dharma Club asked me: “Is the tea ceremony romantic?” I was surprised by this question, so I checked an English dictionary to find what the word “romantic” means.
A Very Brief History of Iranian Tea
In recent months I came across two Iranian films: “A Separation”, which won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2012, and a film entitled, “This Is Not a Film.”
How to Celebrate Indigenous People’s Day with Tea
Did you wake up asking yourself how to celebrate the first official Native American holiday? We woke up wondering how we could celebrate indigenous people’s day with tea.
The Samovar Story
Russian Poet Boris Sadovsky once said about the great Russian samovar, “being a purely Russian phenomenon, it is beyond the understanding of foreigners.”
Earl Grey and Other Famous Names In Tea History
James Norwood Pratt shares thoughts on Charles Earl Grey, a humane and energetic man who…
Michiyo Tsujimura; Early Researchers of Tea and Health Science
In 1929, Michiyo Tsujimura first isolated some of the specific elements in tea that make it valuable to . . .
Boost Productivity With Tea
It’s interesting to look at how tea helped fuel the Industrial Revolution. Businesses should look at adding some fresh loose-leaf teas to their company kitchen or breakroom.
Lu Tong; The Poet Sage of Tea
Lu Tong, the Poet Sage of Tea was a respected tea personage of the Tang Dynasty in China. Little is known of his life, (795 - 835 CE) other than...
Japanese green tea: Sencha
In 1731, a Japanese Zen priest observed Chinese immigrants, living in Nagasaki, drinking sencha - steeped or infused tea. Sencha liberated tea...
Women Tea Inventions: Correcting the History of Important Women in Tea Industry
It’s the time and the season to set the record straight about the innovations by women that are the core of the specialty tea industry in the U.S....
Taking Tea and Talking Politics
It is impossible to write a history of the Women’s Rights Movements in the UK and the US in which tea is not a common core factor.
ABC’s of Tea; Introducing Tea Educator Judi Slack
Tea Educator Judi Slack has a talent for discovering some of the most interesting details about tea history that surprise and delight.
Teaware Oddities
Teaware has a long and at times amusing history; and tucked in amongst the tea accoutrements are a few oddities worth mentioning.
The Jewel Tea Company
The Jewel Tea Company – Some of the history and story behind this home shopping service in operation from 1899 to 1981.
Chanoyu: History and Philosophy – Part 2
Continued from Chanoyu: History and Philosophy – Part 1 Scroll reads: “Wa Kei Sei Jaku” – The Four Principles of Tea The Tea Master Sen Rikyu...
Chanoyu: History and Philosophy – Part 1
In recent articles (Chanoyu, Temae, and Chadogu and Essential Low-Ranking Chadogu for Ceremony of Tea), I mentioned the traditional green tea...
A Tea Event at SuiHo-En
The Japan Foundation Los Angeles (JFLA) organized part of a recent event entitled “Real Geisha, Real Stories” at SuiHo-En (水芳園) - a garden abutting...
Postage Stamps
First issued in 2002 in coil format, USPS’s 5-cent American Toleware postage stamp in the American Design Series features a tea or coffee pot...
Berinag Tea Revives You
Guest Contribution by Anirudha Singh Dhanik Berinag is a Himalayan town located 102 km from Pithoragarh (District Headquarters...
A Thirst for Empire
Tea has a rich and varied history, but you'd be surprised at what a HUGE impact it had on the modern world. The book, 'Thirst for Empire' focuses on...
A Nice Cup of Tea
A Nice Cup of Tea by George Orwell (1903 - 1950) I truly enjoyed stumbling upon this bit of tea advice by George Orwell; I hope you do, too. "If you...
Tea, In a Big Way!
The Little Tea Book by Arthur Gray was written at the beginning of the previous century. Witness for yourself with this excerpt the deep admiration...
Swadeshi
Chai has become one of the common parts of India’s culture. The fingerprint of India’s culture is Masala Chai; every home possessing their own custom blend of spices and deeply brewed, brisk black tea. It’s always offered to guests and consumed on a daily basis to satiate and connect with a culture.
A Sip of Ceylon
150 years of tea! This year (2017) Ceylon celebrates a century and a half of growing world-class tea, and the planet sipped along with jubilee in a...
The Legend of Darjeeling
Legend says winter comes from the hands of Chys Khan, the master of the cold. It is passed from his hands to those of Father Christmas, who is...
Illustrated History: Tea Pets
What better way to adorn your tea experience than with a tea pet! These gentle, artful creations are crafted with purple sands or clay, in addition...
Canned Green Tea
The expressions displayed on my Indonesian friend's and Vietnamese friend's faces when I handed them a canned coffee years ago were priceless; they...
Indonesian Teas: An Overview
I vacationed in Indonesia not so long ago and more recently ran across some exceptional Indonesian teas. I'll try to say just a little about...