The History of Tea

By ielmes_1
  • 2000 BCE

    2,000 BCE-People eating raw Camellia sinensis leaves in Yunnan

  • 1000 BCE

    1,000 BCE-People boiling raw Camellia sinensis leaves in water

  • 276

    276 CE-Chinese scholar mentions in book “… barbaric people in the east boil tea leaves with vegetables like a soup”.

  • 600

    600 CE-Beiyun semi-oxidized tea developed in Fujian region (forerunner to Wuyi Tea, forerunner to Oolong Tea)

  • 641

    641 CE-Yunnan compressed green tea cake introduced to Tibet

  • 700

    700 CE-Steaming technique developed for Green Tea

  • 815

    815 CE-Tea introduced to Japan

  • 1100

    1100 CE Fermenting technique developed for Green Tea and the first tea houses appear in China.

  • 1107

    1107 CE-First mention of White Tea by Emperor Huizong in “Treatise On Tea”

  • 1271

    1271 CE-Yuan government forms Royal Tea Baking Department

  • 1367

    1368 CE-Oxidized Black Tea developed in Wuyi region in Fujian

  • 1391

    1391 CE-First Emperor of Ming Dynasty abolishes production of all compressed tea as people are sending too much time in its manufacture. Only loose leaf tea permitted.

  • 1500

    1500's -1600's CE-Portuguese traders arrive in China, export Green Tea to European markets. It then makes its way all over the world.

  • 1725 CE-Oolong Tea developed in Wuyi region in Fujian

  • 1769 CE-Silver Needle Pekoe White Tea developed

  • 1776 CE-British prefer to trade opium grown in India for black tea while other countries continue to pay in silver. Leads to numerous conflicts between the two countries. British look for lower cost alternatives

  • 1796 CE-Oolong Tea introduced to Northern Fujian region and Taiwan

  • 1848 CE-Scottish botanist Robert Fortune smuggles Camellia sinensis plants from China to grow in India. British growers in India import Chinese experts and develop mechanized processing for “Broken Black Tea” using native Camellia assamica plant.

  • 1857 CE Plants found in Fuding region make exceptional quality White Tea

  • 1885 CE Silver Needle White Tea developed

  • 1922 CE White Peony White Tea developed

  • 1968 CE China makes first export of White Tea

  • 1973 CE-Black Pu-Erh Tea developed, comes to market in 1975.