History of tea
“At the dawn of Creation, there must have been tea shrubs growing in the wild, waiting to be discovered .”
— Ling Ping Xiang
The (Very) Mysterious Origin of the Earl Grey Tea Recipe: What’s the Truth?
Part 1: ‘Earl Grey Proper’
You’ve probably had Earl Grey tea many times. It is the West’s most popular black tea and its most popular scented tea. If only it were that simple...
The (Very) Mysterious Origin of the Earl Grey Tea Recipe: What’s the Truth?
Part 2: Through the Bergamot Scented Looking Glass
Have we gotten to the bottom of it? Have we solved the mystery?
These stories and theories sound all well and good, but none ever sat quite right with me, at least, not in any kind of final way. It never seemed like the whole story; there always seemed to be some huge part missing….
A Tea Master’s Lesson
“Empty your cup!” Have you heard this famous phrase before, maybe in a kung fu movie or on TV? Believe it or not, the phrase is not a modern Hollywood invention. I first heard the “empty your cup” story in martial arts as a young teenager.…
Dragons, Tea, and Transformation
Dragons and tea have both held a prominent place in East Asian cultures, perhaps since their inception. Tea’s pedigree may seem obvious, but why would a fantasy creature share such an important position?…
The Cultivation of Shen Nong
Several thousand years ago, Shen Nong, “The Divine Farmer,” was the leader of his tribe in prehistoric China. An ancient shaman…
The Influence of Tea on Religious Traditions Part 1
Tea and herbalism have been an integral part of many religious traditions for thousands of years….
Bodhidharma
Many legends surround Bodhidharma and one of them has to do with tea! It is said that while Bodhidharma was mediating he fell asleep and when he awoke….
The Seven Bowls of Tea
Lu Tong (795 AD) was a great tea scholar during the Tang Dynasty. He preferred a quiet life in the mountains….
