Shennong tea history book

Shennong and the bantus in the far east in this article, i would like to introduce you to a god and ancient ruler of chinese legendshennong. Shen nong shen nung, or shennong is given the credit for discovering the health benefits of tea from the tea plant camellia sinensis in the year 2737 b. The tea plant, camellia sinensis, was native throughout ancient china and southeast. Traditional chinese medicine information, references. This book is said to be the first written reference to tea utensils. History of tea in ancient china, shen nong, shi ji, and bamboo. At this time in teas history, the nature of the beverage and style of tea preparation were quite different from the way we experience tea today. Because of tea s natural caffeine content it helped the monks stay awake during their long meditations and it was an instant hit. According to archaeological evidence, tea was first cultivated in china around 1600 b. The divine farmer who discovered tea first teasenz. Chinas emperor shennong introduced tea to his court in 2737 bc according to this legend, the history of chinese tea culture began 5000 years ago. According to a chinese legend, tea was discovered accidentally by emperor shennung, approximately 2737 years before christ. He tasted the liquid and found it tasted and smelled good. The reason i love this tea is simply the names its been called.

Continuing on my quest to read as many tea books as possible, i found the story of tea at the library. The evolution of tea sets from ancient legend to modern biometrics. The best tea grows at higher altitudes and many bushes can be cultivated for over 100 years. Conscious choice magazine it provides the history of tea and its introduction to the various parts of the world. Tea was first associated with health and as a beverage had significance. Legend states that the very first cup of tea was drunk in 2737bc by the chinese emperor shennong, believed to be the creator of chinese medicine. Shennong is venerated as the father of chinese medicine. The birthplace of tea the history of tea dates back to ancient china, almost 5,000 years ago. The practice of drinking tea has a long history in china. Jul 19, 2017 traditional chinese history describes shennong as a real person of ancient times, but he is also known as a god of farming and medicine. The popular legend says tea was discovered by emperor shennong in. Aug 02, 2019 at the time, tea drinking was still a luxury enjoyed by the elite classes of chinese society.

Camellia sinensis is the same tea plant we use today for daily green tea, black tea, white tea, and oolong tea for five billion people. This section gives a brief introduction for the development of traditional chinese medicine tcm, in which contents are divided into 12 historical periods. My alltime favourite will forever be oolygoolgone tea. History of tea in ancient china, shen nong, shi ji, and. According to the classic of tea written by lu yu in tang dynasty 618 907 ad, the practice of tea drinking started since shennong also known as emperor of the five grains. There are several accounts of shennong s discovery of tea. Shennong is considered the ancient father of chinese medicine and agriculture.

Because of teas natural caffeine content it helped the monks stay awake during their long meditations and it was an instant hit. The shennong ben cao jing is a book on agriculture and medicinal plants. Shennong the divine farmer is the legendary originator of chinese herbal medicine. Shennong is a very important person in chinese history and also to hebrew israelite history. How do you take your tea with a drop of poisonous chemicals or a spoonful of sheep dung. Tea consumption has its legendary origins in china during the reign of emperor shennong a book written by lu yu in 618907 ad tang dynasty, the classic of tea simplified chinese. However written evidence dates tea back much farther in history. Classic tea, first written about tea there are over 1200 years. It is believed that he was first known as yan di emperor of fire, which is why he eventually became known by the full title yandi shennongshi. The amount of interest in this forgotten tea has been through this particular piece of writing, where i uncover just what makes oolong unique and how it travelled through history. Archaeological evidence suggests tea was first cultivated there as early as 6,000 years ago, or 1,500 years. Green tea green tea remains the oldest and most popular type of tea. When these herbs were described in a formal manner, the book was named after shennong, known today as the shennong bencao jing.

The book describes how tea plants were grown, the leaves processed, and tea prepared as a beverage. The origin of tea tea traditionaleastasia projects. The efficacy of tea was recorded by books like xinxiu bencao and bencao. Emperor shennong found the flavor incredibly refreshing and thus, a new beverage was created.

From the chinese tea houses of the ancient tang dynasty 618907 to the japanese tea ceremonies developed by zen buddhist monks, and the current social issues faced by tea growers in india and sri lankathis fascinating book. The ancient chinese long ago discovered the healing properties of tea. Further, the text that comes down to us mentions governmental regulations that applied during the latter han dynasty, indicating that this is when it was compiled. He is thought to have taught the chinese how to practice agriculture, the use of herbal drugs, the application of. China is world renowned as the homeland of tea planting, production and drinking. A medicine book shen nong ben chao stated that shen nong tasted hundreds of herbs, he encountered seventy two poisons daily, he used tea as antidote. When lu yu wrote the first book ever on tea, the book of tea, 50 teas were mentioned. The main classes of chinese tea discussed below are green tea, yellow tea, white tea, oolong tea, black tea, dark tea or fermented tea and puer tea. The most colorful one being the one that the red emperor shen nung 2,000 bc was its originator. Tea doesnt actually cure poisonings, but the story of shennong, the mythical chinese inventor of agriculture, highlights tea s importance to ancient china. Image by xu jetian scanned by szilas from the book kinai kolteszet. He tested hundreds of unique plants by extracting their juices with a magical whip. In written history, the study of herbs and their uses dates as far back as 5000 years to the ancient sumerians, who extensively described the medicinal uses for over 250 plants kelly, 2009. Tea likely originated in the yunnan region during the shang dynasty as a medicinal drink.

The history of tea in china is long and complex, for the chinese have enjoyed tea for millennia. Shennong is a character from chinese mythology, which was considered the di. He is a mythical sage healer and ruler of prehistoric china. The origin of tea is a question that has always challenged many thinkers and cultural figures of tea to begin with lu yu, the chinese have high stage of gods tea. Its this unveiling of both the sordid and sublime elements of teas evolution that make the book such a fantastically riveting readone served best with a bottomless cup of your most beloved blend. Tcm plays an important part in the medicine world, understanding it through a historical context gives insight to this ancient form of medicine and establishes its validity as a healthcare system. This suggests that even at this early point in history much knowledge about tea had already been accumulated. Emperor shen nung discovered tea when leaves from a wild tree blew into his pot of boiling water. Traditional chinese history describes shennong as a real person of ancient times, but he is also known as a god of farming and medicine. In this illustrated introduction liu tong provides a fascinating insight into the ancient culture of chinese tea, the trade, tradition, literature, philosophy and ceremony associated with tea. So you see its very likely shennong is the inventor of tea. The salt legend has it that a chinese emperor first discovered tea more than 4,700 years ago. Divine husbandman in chinese mythology, second of the mythical emperors, said to have been born in the 28th century bce with the head of a bull and the body of a man.

Through his selfadministered herbal tests, he discovered tea one of the most important plants in chinese culture. This book advocates the benefits of tea drinking and systematically describes the. Tea, which acts as an antidote against the poisonous effects of some seventy herbs. Shennong was a legendary ruler of china and cultural hero of chinese mythology who is believed to have lived 5,000 years ago, and taught ancient china the practices of agriculture. Indeed, shennong figures extensively in historical literature. In the year 760ad, the worlds first book on tea, book of tea, was written by lu yu. Through essential details and illustrations, we aim to be built a valuable resource for the public and professionals.

What started as a royal drink for emperors has become one of the most beloved chinese cultural traditions. The origin of the chinese pharmacological book the herbal shown here under one of its many chinese names the pen tsao, has been lost in history and is now the subject of numerous myths and legends. Shennong also known as the wugushen or also wuguxiandi is a mythological chinese deity in. Being naturally adventurous and a keen herbalist, shennong tried this brew and the rest about tea as known today is history. Written by two tea traders, the story of tea claims to be a cultural history and drinking guide. According to a legend, tea was discovered by emperor shennong, shen nong or divine farmer 2738 2696 bc. Mar 22, 2017 shennong, which means god farmer or god peasant, is a deity in chinese religion. The first chapter is called a brief history of tea, though its pretty comprehensive to me. The history of tea in japan is intimately tied to buddhism. One of the mostrecited myths in the tea world is that of shennong, the legendary chinese emperor who introduced agriculture to china, worked extensively with herbs to create the first chinese pharmacopoeia, and invented acupuncture. Green tea was primarily available to the highest tiers of chinese society and was very expensive to purchase.

The following information provides further information on the colorful origins and history of tea. Camellia sinensis history of tea the legend of the origin of tea tea plant is native of southern china. About 4 percent of the solids in fresh leaf is caffeine, and one teacup of the beverage contains 60 to 90 milligrams of caffeine. The medicine book entitled shennong ben cao jing stated that shennong tasted hundreds of herbs, he encountered seventy two. Traditional chinese history describes shennong as a real person of. Throughout history, the health benefits and harms of this popular beverage have been widely. T he emperor set up camp with his entourage in the shade of a large tree. Tea bushes cover about six million acres of the earth and are harvested every week during the almost yearlong growing season. The history of tea shennong as depicted in a 1503 painting by guo xu according to chinese legend, shennong. It was buddhist monks who first brought tea back from china circa 800 ce.

The oldest reliable record of tea drinking in japan can be found in thenihon koki one of the six classical japanese history texts. A history of tea tells the compelling story of the rise of tea in asia and its eventual spread to the west and beyond. The modern methods of processing, brewing and drinking chinese tea took centuries to develop. He is thought to have taught the chinese how to practice agriculture. Shennong project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks read.

According to the history of tea, shennong was the first one who used tea. Topics developed under it encompass the history, principles, practices, treatment methods of traditional chinese medicine tcm, and its ancient cultural heritage that still guides the living of chinese people today. His depictions are numerous, mostly appearing as a leafdraped recluse or a buffalohorned guardian of the agrarian way of life the water buffalo was used in. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. Lu yu wrote in his monumental book the classic of tea. In fact, it has been proven that the habit of drinking tea developed 3800 years ago, during the shangdynasty 17661050 bc. As the story goes, shennong decided to rest one day under a camellia tree with a pot of boiled water. The great chinese emperor shen nong was travelling around when he. The discovery of tea some 5,000 years ago is often attributed to emperor shennong, whose name means the divine farmer, and who is considered the ancient chinese father of agriculture. He was immediately interested in the pleasant scent of the resulting brew, and drank some. A book composed by lu yu in 600900 ad is pondered important in the history of green tea. To counteract regularly poisoning himself, it is said that shennong drank tea to detoxify his body.

One passage describes how the buddhist monk eichuu offered tea to the saga emperor on april 22, 815. Based on the medical book pen tsao, attributed to shen nung, there are references which credit tea with being good for tumors or abscesses. Chapter 4 history of tea i say let the world go to hell, but i should always have my tea. Chinese legend says that the discovery of tea was an accident that occurred when tea leaves from twigs being used for fire rose up on a column of hot air and subsequently landed in the water being boiled. The bestknown constituent of tea is caffeine, which gives the beverage its stimulating character but contributes only a little to colour, flavour, and aroma. The book of tea known as kissa yokoji was written by zen priest eisai in 1191. Shennong is also mentioned in lu yus famous early work on the subject, the classic of tea. According to chinese legend, emperor shennong and his court decided to take a rest under a camellia sinensis plant, a plant native to the asian continent, to. The consumption of tea has its famous origins in china during the reigning of emperor shennong. According to legend, one fall afternoon, shennong decided to take a rest under a camellia tree and boiled some water. Brief history of tea for tea lovers history tea likely originated in the yunnan region during the shang dynasty the shang dynasty chinese. The origination of green tea began in china tracing all the way back to 2737 b. He had decreed that all subjects must first boil their drinking water to prevent disease and while contemplating his decision over a hot cup, leaves from a nearby plant floated on the breeze and into the water in his hands. He is thought to have taught the chinese how to practice agriculture, the use of herbal drugs, the application of plantbased medicine.

It became the first chinese herbal medicine book, the divine farmers herbroot classic. He is also believed to have introduced the technique of acupuncture. Shennong also helped humans transition from a miserable diet of clams, meat, and fruit to a diet based on grains and vegetables. The first write about tea to the official history of chinese tea. The book of tea by kakuzo okakura, the story of tea. In popular legend, the great emperor of china shennong, discovered tea while drinking boiled water. Story has it that shennong was boiling water in an open cauldron when a tea leaf fell into the water. A cultural history and drinking guide by mary lou heiss, tea. Originating in china, where it was thought to have medicinal properties, teas history is closely intertwined with the history of botany and herbal medicine.

He wrote the medical text called pen tsao, the first book in the history of tea. According to the legend story in china, it is shennong, which is also known as. The discovery occurred by accident when the chinese emperor shennong mistakenly drank water that had a dead tea leaf boiled in it. Shennong is also known as wugushen five grains, or wuguxiandi first deity of the five grains. Jun 09, 2016 how do you take your tea with a drop of poisonous chemicals or a spoonful of sheep dung. I will attempt to demonstrate the relationship between the ancient chinese and the hebrew. Shennong is credited as being the first to recognize the benefits of tea as part of chinese medicine, and it is at this point where history and myth collide. Tea leaves were processed into compressed cakes form. By inventing the cart and plow, by taming the ox and yoking the horse, and by teaching his people to clear. As a result of his efforts, numerous herbs became routinely used for health care, and the knowledge was handed down by oral tradition for centuries. The history of tea is long and complex, spreading across multiple cultures over the span of thousands of years.

The tea history in henan dates back to 2300 years ago. In 2016, in the mausoleum of chinese emperor jing of han in xian, from the 2nd century bc, the earliest evidence of tea was discovered. Shennong is also known as wugushen god of five grains, or wuguxiandi first deity of the five grains. The amount of interest in this forgotten tea has been through this particular piece of writing, where i uncover just what makes oolong unique and how it travelled through history to meet with you. There are several accounts of shennongs discovery of tea. Scholars hailed the brew as a cure for a variety of ailments. In this article youll find the answers to these questions. Shennong, which means god farmer or god peasant, is a deity in chinese religion. An early credible record of tea drinking dates to the 3rd century ad, in a medical text written by hua tuo. Shennong s herbal classic is the earliest chinese herbal textbook, and shennong is regarded as the founder of agriculture and medicine in china. Mar 20, 2018 the history of chinese tea is a story of passion and refinement.