History of tea from Qin Dynasty (221-210BC) thru Han (206BC-220AD)

The Tea Detective
Uncovering and Exploring the Facts About Tea

History of Tea - Qin Through Han Dynasty

During the mid Zhou Dynasty (1122-256BC) China's three great religions came to be: Confucian-
ism, Buddhism, and Daoism, each embracing tea for its many healthful benefits and powers of
rejuvenation. The monks and priests of these religions declared tea to be the "elixir of life," and
that all people should drink it. By the beginning of the Qin dynasty (221-206BC) they had help-
ed spread the word of tea's many healthful properties far and wide.

It was under the Qin emperor, Qin Shuhuangdi (r.
221-210BC), with help from the holy men that the
greatest number of Chinese citizens heard of, and
began to consume tea. It was also under emperor
Shihuangdi that China became a unified country,
bringing together a number of previously warring
states into a single empire, with a single, central-
ized government.

It was also under the Qin emperor that a number
of massive building projects were begun. Under
his rule remote sections of previously built fortifica-
tion walls were linked together, creating one
strong defensive wall, completing what would one
day become the first stage of the Great Wall of
China.

He also brought thousands of workers from

throughout China to construct other massive and elaborate projects, including grand imperial
palaces and even his own tomb, complete with thousands of terra cotta warriors, that are
famous today.

The workers were made to live in compulsory labor camps and during rest
periods talked and shared stories of their families and homeland. It was
here that workers from the western provinces shared what they knew of
this invigorating brew called tea. From there word spread across the
empire and everyone who heard of it, wanted to try tea.

Around 53BC during the Han dynasty, a young man named Wu LiZhen is
said to have planted seven tea trees from tea bush cuttings, cultivating a
tea garden in a remote spot atop Mengding Mountain, in Sichuan province.
The tea that came from the garden was said to be so pure and delicate it
was pronounced as one of the exclusive Tribute Tea Gardens reserved for the emperors use
only.

Given the title of Master of Sweet Dew by Emperor Xiazong of the Song Dynasty (960-1279),
today Wu Li Zhen's plants are referred to as the "Seven Tea Trees." The tea bushes planted by
Wu LiZhen are near a natural spring believed to be very special, with a sweet scent and ability
to run forever.

After his passing, the tea from his garden was called xian cha, meaning "tea of the immortals."
In the higher elevations of Mengding Mountain the early spring tea buds are covered with soft,
fluffy down and made into a yellow tea known as gan lu (sweet dew), or Mengding Mountain
Huang Ya (or Mengding Mountain Snow Buds) in honor of Wu LiZhen. He's also known as the
forefather of tea cultivation as it was the tea seeds from his first garden that Sichuan's
extensive tea gardens originated from.

                                            With the arrival of the Han Dynasty the destiny of tea and tea
                                             drinking would again face many changes. The Han Dynasty
                                             (206BC-220AD) was founded by Liu bang, referred to post-
                                             humously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. Spanning nearly four
                                             centuries this era was considered a golden age in Chinese
                                             history, with many of China's majority ethnic groups referring to
                                             themselves as "Han people" to this day.

                                            It was also a time of economic prosperity, with a significant rise
                                             in the money economy which began in the Zhou dynasty
                                             (1050-256BC).

Under Emperor Gaozu the Han empire was divided into areas directly controlled by the central
government called commanderies. This brought together the former western barbarian territor-
ies, including Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, as well as all the southern provinces under what
was called the Chinese Celestial Empire.

With the entire empire under government control it became easier for tea to be obtained from
the western provinces by the common folk, as well as making trade easier between the Sichuan
and Yunnan provinces.

Even though tea had become more accessible and popular, its
preparation still produced a bitter drink. In spite of the unsettling
time of the Three Kingdoms Period and Period of Disunity (220-
589AD), tea drinking continued to undergo refinements, as well as
the processing and brewing of fresh tea leaves changed.

Where the tea leaves had been dried and charred before, now
they were steamed to make them soft and pliant, then dried, but no longer charred. Once dried

the leaves were pounded, compressed, and formed into small cakes of tea. To harden and prevent them from
spoiling the tea cakes were then baked. Bits of tea were then scraped off and boiled to prepare tea.

These changes in processing and firing is said to have eliminated the bitterness, changing tea into a sweet tasting
and enjoyable beverage. A writer during this period named Zhong Zi is credited with documenting the first
description of tea production and tea drinking. His records tell of what was likely some of the first flavored teas, as
he writes of onions, ginger, and orange being added together with broken pieces of tea and boiled.

The next great changes to tea and tea drinking were ahead, coming during the refined and sophisticated Tang
Dynasty (618-907) with tea drinking becoming a more pleasurable and formal pursuit. Enjoy.

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A wonderful white tea consisting of Pai Mu Tan, pomegranite peels, safflowers and pomegranite flavor,
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