Tea is the most popular beverage in the world, water being the obvious first. Tea is not just a drink but an experience. The origin of tea is infused with thought-provoking folklores and tales from around the world.
China’s LegendAround 2700 BC in China, the legendary Emperor Sheng Nong, a skilled ruler and a scientist accidentally discovered tea. The legend says that the Emperor went for a walk in the countryside one day. After a while, he decided to take rest in the shade of a tree and boiled himself a cup of water to drink. Suddenly, a sharp wind shook up the tree branch above him and a few leaves fell into his cup turning the water golden with a pleasant scent. The emperor took a sip and was delighted by the taste and smell of this new-found drink. He immediately started feeling rejuvenated and let out the sound “T’sa” meaning godlike. This compelled the Emperor to research further and that is how he discovered the medicinal properties of tea.
Japan’s Legend
Japanese mythology ascribes that the Bodhidharma discovered tea. It is said that the founder of Dhyan (Meditation), Daruma vowed to meditate for 9 years without sleep to prove the principles of Zen. Despite this vow, he became too tired one day and fell asleep. When he woke up, he felt so much disgust that he ripped off his eyelids and threw them on the ground. As soon as the eyelids touched the ground, they grew into a tea plant as a sanctified symbol of his sacrifice. This plant’s enchanting and invigorating effects got popularized everywhere as it was the plant that killed sleep.
