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Tea and Its Importance to Chinatown

Tea drinking has been a part of Chinese culture for most of China's existence. It was said that the first (Mythical) Emperor of China, ShenNong, was also an herbalist, and he discovered tea back in 2437BC (or thereabouts). The story was he and his entourage had always boiled water for hygiene. After a journey, they stopped for a break, and his servants went to boil water. As the water was boiled, leaves were introduced accidentally into the hot water, either fell from a tree or dried leaves were brought by the wind and some fell into the hot water. The aroma soon drew ShenNong's attention, and he tasted it, finding it extremely refreshing. And thus, tea was born. 

However, tea drinking did not gain sophistication until millennia later. The first formal study and catalog of tea were found in Tang Dynasty, about 780AD, where a scholar claimed to have spent 20 years thoroughly documenting the process of planting, growing, harvesting, processing, brewing, and tasting tea. As trade became more popular more people are able to afford tea and drink tea as a past-time. 

Tea did not reach Europe until the 1600s, and it was extremely expensive. In fact, it could be said that much of the British expansion in Asia was to source cheaper tea... and that included selling lots and lots of opium to China to trade for tea... And when the local government objected to this, sent in armies to crush the local forces and engage "diplomacy by gunpoint" to keep the ports open and tea trade going. 

Please keep in mind that to the Chinese, tea only comes from brewing leaves of the tea plant, specifically, "camellia sinensis", but in the US, every sort of herb or flower in liquid can be called "tea", such as "ginger tea", "rose tea", "camomille tea", etc. Those are technically called "herbal infusions", or if you want to be esoteric, "tisanes". 

If you want a full discourse on Chinese tea (and herbal infusions), please come by Chinatown. There are like a dozen different tea sellers, plus the boba tea places. Not to mention the various "dry goods" stores that sell the materials for herbal infusions. Join one of the food tours that include tea tasting, or head directly to one of the tea shops, such as Vital Tea (two locations on Grant). They do tea tastings every day (except Tuesdays). 

Vital-Tea-Leaf on Grant

Inside of Vital Tea Leaf



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About the author

Kasey is a professional tour guide and amateur historian who specialized in Chinatown History and Tours. You will often find him guiding groups sampling delicious food and learning interesting historical tidbits about Chinatown most weekends.

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