As English as tea, so the saying goes. In fact, from time immemorial, tea has been hailed as a refined tradition that exists amongst the genteel and aristocratic people in England. Curiously enough, few realize that the true origin of tea lies not in England, but in another continent thousands of miles away...ancient China.


Legend has it that the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung (2737BC) unwittingly discovered tea when some dried leaves drifted into his pot of boiling water. The brewed concoction, known as "cha", ignited a passion that remained exclusively Oriental until the 17th century. However, tea quickly won legions of Western admirers in Europe and England when the powerful East India Company, the bastion of the British Empire, acquired a trading monopoly on the commodity between the 17th and 20th centuries. All across England and its colonies, tea became de rigueur. At over $100 per pound, it swiftly made its way to the domain of the rich and famous. From parlours to boudoirs to drawing rooms, languid tea sessions known as "high tea" and "afternoon tea", replete with delicate sandwiches served on priceless China, became quintessential hallmarks of the English way of life.