The history of tea

Legend has it that in the year 2737 B.C., China's second Emperor Shen Nung, a herbalist and scientist, knew the benefits of boiling his drinking water. Traveling in the countryside on a warm summer day, the Emperor and his servant took a rest under some shade. While the servant prepared their water for drinking, the wind blew some leaves into the open pot. The Emperor, being of a curious nature, decided to taste the brew. He liked the taste and felt so refreshed afterwards that he had his servant gather as many of the leaves as he could carry back home. On that fateful day, tea was discovered.

But it would take many centuries before it would become a staple of the Chinese diet. It was largely because of the monks in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) that tea became the national drink of China. During this time, an orphan boy raised by monks named Lu Yu wrote a book Ch'a Ching, also known as the "Holy Scripture of Tea".

Until the rise of the Mongolian Empire in the 13th century, only royalty drank tea. It was around this time that the consumption of tea cascaded down to the common peasants.

A couple of centuries later in the Ming Dynasty, the brewing method evolved into that of what we use today: steeping entire leaves in hot water to produce a mild-tasting, pale yellow drink widely enjoyed by the world.

Skilled Dutch sailors first exported tea from China. With this, the drink soon became available to many countries throughout Europe and America. At the end of the year 1600, the John Company or the "East India Company", a British-trading company, was founded to compete with the domination of Dutch. Eventually overthrowing the Dutch, this made John Company the most well known tea exporter in history.

In 1904, at the World's Fair in St. Louis, a gentleman named Richard Blechnyden tried to sell hot tea on an extremely warm day. People did not have the craving for this product but he did not want his tea to go to waste. Thus, being a creative man, he poured the hot tea over ice cubes and served the first iced tea to the people in St. Louis that day. Not only was it a hit, but it was one of the highlights of the World's Fair that year, Today nearly 80% of all tea consumed in America is iced tea.

Although tea has been exported from China for centuries, largely only the people in China has consumed high quality green tea, until recenltly.

The history of tea is long and in some cases unclear or even controversial. No matter how, when, or by whom tea was discovered, it has clearly enhanced the lives of billions of people for a very long time.

Westlake Ming Chin Longjin

Dragon Well is the most famous of all Chinese green tea varieties. Dragon Well is produced near the West Lake of Hangzhou and is prepared from young fresh buds during the spring season. When brewed, its liquor is a delicate color, from almost clear to shimmering gold. Its flavor is fresh and light, with a hint of sweetness and is best before Ching Ming. Dragon Well is non-fermented with high Vitamin C and powerful antioxidant properties. It is cooling and refreshing to the body and can strengthen teeth and improve overall health.

The name Longjing is from a small village on the Fenghuang Hill, in the Hangzhou Zhengdjiang Province. It is said that residents in ancient times believed that a dragon dwelled there and controlled the rainfall. As a result, people went there from all the surrounding areas whenever there was a drought to pray for rainfall, from as early as the Three Kingdoms Period (221-280).

Longjing tea is grown in the Longjing mountain area of Hangzhou, southeast of the West Lake. The fertile land is both rich in phosphorous and sub-acidic sand. This region prevents the cold current from the north and holds back the warm current from the south, thus the growing area of Longjing tea can be coated by cloud and mist for long periods of time. Needless to say, with such favorable growing conditions, Longjing tea is considered the best tea in China.

The Perfect Harmony

This premium green tea must be brewed in a clear glass to fully appreciate the beauty of the Perfect Harmony. Once infused in hot water, the pointed leaves would fill up the entire glass in a perfect harmonic rhythm. Taste is bitter and dry and not recommended for the faint-hearted.

Taiwan Dongding Oolong

Widely acclaimed as the Saint of Tea, it is very aromatic and found in the high mountains of Taiwan. Known to retain its taste even after the 7th infusion. The taste is smooth, crisp and light with a fragrance like that of Chinese orchids after rain. Good for fighting cholesterol and body cleansing, this is a healthy beverage known to promote longevity.

Old Pu-er, 8-10 Years

This is a naturally aged fermented tea, which is aged for about 18-20 years. The fermentation process is done naturally through the years of storing in the right climatic conditions, which is why it is originally done in Yunnan, China. This tea contains both raw and cooked tea. The raw tea means it is compressed before being stored for natural fermentation while cooked tea means it is fermented before being compressed and stored.

The color of the Pu-er ranges from a reddish tone to a black tone. Good Pu-er tea should be smooth and mellow with a particular flavour not available in the other types of tea. Pu-er tea can reduce cholesterol and body fats, relieve drunkenness and improve metabolism.

Heavenly Robe

A handicraft tea from Fujian region, the cluster magically unfolds revealing a delicate Jasmin flower and solitary red flower upon infusion. With a unique sweet scent and flavour, the heavenly robe is among the rare display teas meant to delight your eyes as well as the tastebuds.

Everlasting Memories

Everlasting Memories is a cocktail of osmanthus, rose and apple flower. Flower teas are known for its beauty benefits, and this wonderful concoction helps to eradicate pimples, increase vitality and blood circulation. A must-try for all the ladies.

You can have a choice of over 50 tea varieties with tea master Chao Zhong Wan at Shangri-la's Mactan Island Resort and Spa's Tea of Spring.