History of Tea

By Yin Yin Aung
  • 2737 BCE

    Discovery of Tea in China

    Legend says Emperor Shen Nong discovered tea when tea leaves accidentally fell into his boiling water.
  • 650 BCE

    Tea Introduced to Japan (650 CE)

  • 250

    3rd Century CE – Tea Cultivation in China

    Tea began being cultivated and consumed widely in China for medicinal purposes.
  • Period: 618 to 907 BCE

    Tang Dynasty-Tea Becomes Popular Drink in China

    Tea became a cultural staple in China, and Lu Yu wrote The Classic of Tea, the first known book about tea.

  • Tea Arrives in Europe

    Dutch traders introduced tea to Europe, starting in the Netherlands, and later spreading to England.

  • Tea Trade Grows in England (1650)

    Tea became a popular drink among the British elite, leading to the establishment of tea shops.

  • The Boston Tea Party

    American colonists protested British taxes on tea by dumping shipments into Boston Harbor.

  • Tea Cultivation Expands Worldwide

    The British established large tea plantations in India and Sri Lanka, making tea a global commodity.