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 ...
An exploration of San Francisco Chinatown typically NOT covered by tours