900
Tea was introduced to Japan by Buddhist monk Saicho. Tea penetrated into the rest of Asia and the Middle East through on-land trade routes before reaching Europe.
Tea in China in 800 was enjoyed by groups of people belonging to the noble class, as an elegant pastime.
At the height of the Tang dynasty, the poet Lu Yu wrote Cha Ching or The Tea Code, which was the first book written about tea. It describes its botany, processing, and tasting technqiues and the book is now considered a highly classic literary text.
According to Wikipedia – Lu-Yu Tea Culture Institute, previously known as Lu Yu Tea Art Center, provides education in tea arts (including tea marketing, design of tea ware, and tea brewing techniques) and promotes the drinking of tea. It offers certifications in Tea Studies, such as for “Tea Master” (陸羽泡茶師). The institute was founded in Taipei, Taiwan, in the 1980s. It now has schools in Beijing, Chengdu, and Shanghai. It is named for Lu Yu, the 8th-century “sage of tea”. While most students are Chinese speakers, others come from Japan, Korea, and, there are also classes and tea studies cerification in English.
But exactly where did it originate from?
Emmmmmm, china? :)):)