What's the Connection Between Tea and the Cultures in the World?
Exploring the relationships between tea and cultures around the world to realize the forever-changing tea' s way of life. Although tea was first discovered in China, tea starts to spread around the world a few centuries after its birth. Tea travels to many countries. Each country modifies the tea's processing methods, establishes new ways to drink tea, creates new tea recipes that are unique to that particular culture. It's interesting to see how tea is viewed in different cultures...
Tea and cultures - Tea and Chinese customs
Since tea was first discovered in China, there are many interesting tea and cultures custom that make tea China's national drink. In many part of China, tea is a essential and sacred gift to the bride's family. When a young man wants to propose to a woman, his family would send a matchmaker to the women's family with baskets of tea gifts. Acceptance of the tea gifts means the woman's family has accepted the proposal. Acceptance here means to literally drink the tea. If the tea gift remains intact, it means the parents are hesitant about their daughter's marriage.Tea also plays a role during the wedding day, assuming the young woman's family accepts the young man proposal.In the wedding day, the bride and groom will share a cup of tea. This ceremony is similar to Western ceremony when the arms of the bride and the groom intertwines when they sip the Champaign. The difference is that there is 2 glasses of Champaign while in Chinese wedding there is only a cup of tea, shared between the bride and the groom.Another custom of the Chinese is the tea offering to the family elders on the first day of a new year. Children and grandchildren would take turns and offer their parents or grandparents a cup of tea. Offering of tea indicates the young people's respect to the elders. It is also a way for young people to ask elder's continuing guidance and advice.Tea is present in every Chinese household from a farmer in the simple village to a business man in a big city. Chinese can be make tea at home or buy tea on the train on the way to work
Tea and cultures - Indian tea customs
There is a way to sell tea that is very unique and special in India. Besides the tea rooms for middle-class Indians to enjoy nice cups of tea, tea are also sold in the public places such as on the streets, the rail road stations...Young boys run around selling tea in little clay pots. They called chai wallahs, translating into street tea makers. Those boys would use tea in tea bags to brew the tea. The tea they used includes be strong black tea Assam or Darjeeling tea. Assam tea is Indian's specialty.After the tea is brewed, boiled water is added gradually along with hot milk or sugars to boost up the flavor. To keep the tea warm at all time, the tea kettles are constantly heated.These boys would run around the rail-road stations or the parks and yelled "Chai!...Chai!".A cup of tea from these young tea makers is quite cheap. It costs about 1/2 or 1 rupee. With a little more money, you can have a light snake with this spicy cup of tea. To people who can't afford a fancy lunch, a cup of tea and a snake is enough to keep them going. Tea on the street is a very nice and convenient way to enjoy a cup of refreshing tea while you are in a hurry or just want to sip tea in a new place other than the tea houses.
Tea and cultures - Russians' way of tea
Tea and cultures in Russian started a long time ago. Russians have heard about the new beverage in 1567 but didn't import until they made an agreement with the Chinese in 1689. When a trading place was already settled between 2 countries, caravan trading routes were established. The first trading included more than 250 caramels.Each carried more than 500 pounds of tea. It took them almost 1 and 1/2 year to complete the trip from China to Russia.It took a long time, but tea finally reached Russia. By the beginning of the 20th century, the Trans-Siberian Railway was established. Now it took only 1 and 1/2 months for the tea to arrive at Russia. The popular teas in Russia now include Japan, Ceylon, India, and China.Talk about tea and culture; we must talk about the way Russian drink tea. Russians have a very unique way to make and drink tea. Russians heat up a metal pipe on charcoal. They use this metal pipe to boil the water. This kind of water heater is known as a samovar. A small tea pot is placed on the metal pipe while the tea is brewed.Tea in Russia usually is served in glass. Usually, Russians fill 1/4 the glass strong black tea, then fill the rest (3/4) with boiled water from the samovar.Russians sometimes add some lemon into their tea. They rarely add milk. To sweeten the tea a bit, people will usually add a spoon of sugar to the cup of tea. Russians don't do that.Instead, a Russian would hold a sugar cube between his teeth while drinking the tea. This is quite a unique way to enjoy tea. Russians often drink tea instead of water during meals. Russians enjoy tea in their homes as well as in public. The tea room in Russia is often called chainaya.
British Tea Customs
Tea and cultures in England was famous all over the world. British tea party is a special feature of the social life in Britain in 17th and 18th century. Talk about tea and cultures; we must include the royal family. How tea was introduced?Catherine of Braganza, a Portuguese princess who married King Charles II, introduced tea to England in early 17th century. This new drinking style by the royalties is known to be royal tea. Tea was gradually becoming the popular drink in England, replacing ale as the national drink. By middle of 18th century, tea parties in small gardens became popular. In old movies, middle-class and high-class women would be seen wearing elaborate dresses, matching-color hats, white gloves, with their little umbrella, enjoying tea. Also in 18th century, the famous East Indian Trading Company was established. The company was successful because it was one of the major suppliers of tea in the West.
