A relaxing cup of tea

Many people associate tea with China. Whereas the drink is popular around the globe, tea originated from China and has enjoyed tremendous popularity there for centuries. The owner of this teapot also loves to drink tea and can tell a lot of stories about his most beloved drink.

Before talking a bit more about tea and the owner of this teapot, we can ponder a bit about the origins of the word for tea. Tea originates from China, and the first contact for many people with tea was through China. The word for tea is derived from the Chinese word in many languages.https://wals.info/chapter/138 The Min dialect that pronounced the Chinese character 茶 as te is the reason why many languages now pronounce tea in a similar way, such as the Dutch word thee and the German Tee.Mair, Victor H.; Hoh, Erling (2009). The True History of Tea. Thames & Hudson. pp. 262–264 The word alone is thus very interesting!

“In the south of China we drink a lot of tea. We drink tea everyday. Sometimes I will go out with friends and family and just sit inside a teahouse all day, drinking different types of tea whilst chatting about all kinds of topics. When I drink more tea, I feel more awake, and the conversations start flowing more. Tea really is at the center of life.”

Where many people in the Netherlands would go out to drink, perhaps coffee, soft drinks or alcoholic beverages, many Chinese in the south of China really enjoy going out for tea, in a way that is different from the English.

Tea ceremonies are also a very specific aspect of Chinese culture. There are many types of tea available. Famous examples include jasmine, pu’er, and chrysanthemum tea. The preparation of the tea undergoes ritual practices to enhance flavor. The cups, for instance, are rinsed with hot water before use to warm them up and make sure they are clean, and smelling the tea before drinking is also important in the traditional Chinese tea ceremonies.https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/people/ask-the-expert-a-beginner-s-guide-to-chinese-gong-fu-tea Many tea connoisseurs like to drink tea in such a tea ceremony. The gongfu tea ceremony is arguably one of the most famous ways of preparing tea, and the differences with just putting a teabag in hot water could not be bigger.https://guide.michelin.com/en/article/people/ask-the-expert-a-beginner-s-guide-to-chinese-gong-fu-tea

“I definitely prefer Chinese tea. I do not think that drinking tea from bags is very nice actually, so I use my teapot and leaves to make tea for myself.”

Tea bags first came onto the scene in the early 20th century.https://time.com/3996712/a-brief-history-of-the-tea-bag/ Tea had been popular in other parts of the world in the centuries before already. One of the most iconic moments in United States history, for instance, became known as the Boston Tea Party, when angered Americans threw Chinese-imported tea sold by the English into the sea. Tea was already very accessible in the 19th century, with the difference in Victorian Britain being more in the materials which were used to brew and drink tea than the actual availability of tea.https://blog.britishmuseum.org/the-tea-rific-history-of-victorian-afternoon-tea/ The tea bag, however, made it even easier to drink tea.

The tea bag gained much popularity due to its convenience: the bag contained a decent amount of leaves, and it wasn’t necessary to clean up much trash, as the tea bag could be removed with ease.https://time.com/3996712/a-brief-history-of-the-tea-bag/

Tea bags (and sparkling water) are just not to the taste of the owner of this teapot. He prefers to drink tea using loose tea leaves. Wherever he is, drinking tea is a daily habit and something he enjoys doing with family and friends.