Tea Culture between Asian and Western Countries - Essay Example

Tea Culture between Asian and Western Countries Introduction Tea forms an important aspect in people’s lives both in China and the western countries especially the UK and in the USA. Apart from tea being a healthy and natural drink liked in almost every part of the world, it has formed a unique culture between Asian and Western countries. In both, tea has different origins and meanings in influencing the nations’ lifestyle patterns and cultures throughout the ages. Chinese Tea History Tea discovery can be dated way back during Holy Farmer’s time who was believed to be the god of farming and medicine. The farmer got poisoned seventy times while collecting and tasting herbs on the mountain. After discovering the tea plant and brewing it, all the toxins in his body disappeared. Thereafter, tea was regarded as medicine by the locals, additionally; the high-level learners from the Han dynasty termed it as a magical drink since it boosted their intelligence. However, the tea culture exploded at the time of Tang dynasty including tea ceremonies, tea arts and the complete formation of cultural philosophy (Wang, 2011). Britain Tea History Tea was introduced in England during the year 1610 by the Dutch and the Portuguese traders. Contrary the introduction of tea in Britain is still obscure. This is because the East India Company which was the sole importer at that time had not recorded any tea business transaction from the Chinese traders until the year 1644. Tea was introduced in the London market through the Far East sailors who got them as presents (Wang, 2011). US Tea History Prior to the World War II, tea preference in US was equally split into two namely black tea and green tea each in 40% demand respectively. The other 20% demand was preferred to oolong tea. The war disbanded the US as the primary source of green tea leaving the country to consume black tea from India, which was primarily British. After the war, almost 99% of the tea consumed in the US was black tea (Wang, 2011). Britain Tea Drinking Custom British afternoon tea was the most popular during ceremonies. Anna the Duchess of Bedford was the inventor of the afternoon teas. At the time it was only the wealthy individuals who could manage to buy tea. The wealthy individuals could then invite their friends so as to celebrate the festivities. The tea was later stored in the Chinese porcelain and served with other delicate goodies like sandwiches, cakes, scones, tarts, cream, biscuits and bread. Tea from India was stored in silver tea-pots which was later poured into bone-china cups. This was symbolic in terms of the economic wealth of an individual. The Britons also had the high tea which was taken during dinner time and tea breaks which was normally during mornings as part of their strict customs. In all the occasions, the European took tea when celebrating with friends and families (Wang, 2011). Chinese Tea Drinking Custom In Chinese, the tea was taken in a special environment. During the large parties and the imperial tea festivities, it usually involved many participants. The Chinese tea ceremony required one to take tea in an elegant place such as in the ancient temples or small pavilions, by the clear springs or bamboo groves on the mountains or in the gardens while appreciating the flowers, fish or snow. Here, the drinker’s moral quality, the tea’s quality and the nature were supposed to harmonize (Wang, 2011). The Britons and the Chinese Tea Sets: British Tea Bags and Tea Pots In 1908, it was believed that the invention of tea bags resulted from Thomas Sullivan, who was a tea merchant in New York. The merchant used small sample bags made of silk to send tea to his potential consumers. In the year 1920, it is believed to have been the period when teabags and its commercial use evolved. Tea bags arose from the initial use of tea ball which was made of metal, into the current tea bags (Wang, 2011). The initial British tea cups had no handle and were originally imported from China. The Chinese cups were initially like the small beakers. However, as the tea drinking culture gained popularity in Britain, the demand for British cups arose. This demand later gave rise to the English porcelain and pottery industry which went on to gain global popularity. Majority of the tea making factories were later termed as ‘the potteries’ due to their location in the Midlands area (Wang, 2011). The concept of teapot further developed when the Dutch started carrying goods from china back to their native home Europe. The teapots were small, had a broader base, wide spouts which could not clog easily. Due to the nonexistent of the stoneware in Europe, the Dutch potters later reproduced the pots into heat resistant pots which led to the establishment of the English pottery industry (Wang, 2011). Chinese Tea Pots In china the tea leaves were just boiled in the open pans. The Ming Dynasty led to the importance of covering the pot while boiling the leaves so as the leaves could infuse and keep the liquor hotter. Ewers which resembled the modern teapots were being used to brew beer; but were later adapted to brew tea (Wang, 2011). British Tea Caddies The first tea storage containers were jars and bottles which originated from China tea shipments. With time the Europeans developed the jars and boxes in a variety of sizes and shapes and materials. They developed containers made of stoneware, wood, crystal and silver. At the end of the eighteenth century, the word tea caddy developed and adapted into an English word (Wang, 2011). Chinese Caddies The Chinese tea chests had different compartments which were used to store different tea varieties and sometimes even sugar. The chest was also lockable and the keys were guarded by the house lady. This is because the tea was highly valuable and expensive and the owners could risk leaving it with their house servants. Therefore the tea caddy stayed under lock and key in the families’ drawing room (Wang, 2011). During early eighteenth century, the Chinese had started producing containers which fruit shaped, but the British and the Germans later imitated these versions. They modified with different shapes, painted and mostly vanished with loose fittings, opened hinged lids that revealed the cavity. The price of tea declined at the close of the nineteenth century and hence, the usage of lockable caddies and jars declined because the tealeaves were kept in boxes and tins which were now stored in kitchens (Wang, 2011). Conclusion In similarities, both the Chinese and the Britons tea culture started from the high ranking social classes which later trickled down to people from all walks of life and class. Both the British and the Chinese also consider tea as a natural and traditional beverage that has medicinal value and above all brings them enjoyment and relaxation during parties and festivities. In contrast, the British are concerned with the taste and varieties of tea while the Chinese are more concerned with the quality and purity of the tea. The British add sugar, milk, fruits, flowers and spices to the tea. In addition, their tea is served with sandwiches, cookies, scones, fruit tarts or rich cakes while in Chinese, the tea is taken purely due to its symbolic values it possesses. They associate tea with painting, Taoism, poetry, calligraphy, Buddhism and Confucianism. Even though the twentieth century brought about the innovations in tea like the canned tea, instant tea; the beverage is still considered an important aspect in both the British and the Chinese cultures. References Wang, N., (2011). A Comparison of Chinese and British Tea Culture, 3, 2; 14-16. Read More