The formation and development history of Tea culture is very long. By the time of King Wu's campaign against the Shang, tea was already being presented as tribute. In the late period of the primitive commune, tea became an item for trade. During the Warring States period, there was a certain scale of tea production. The ancient anthology “The Book of Songs” from the Pre-Qin period has records about tea.
In the Han dynasty, tea became a special nourishment for Buddhist “zazen” meditation. In the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern dynasties, the custom of drinking tea had emerged. In the Sui dynasty, tea drinking became widespread among the general populace. During the Tang dynasty, the tea industry flourished; tea became something that “no household could do without daily,” tea houses, tea banquets, and tea parties appeared, and the practice of offering tea to guests was promoted. In the Song dynasty, the custom of tea competition became popular, along with tribute tea and imperial tea gifts.
In the Qing dynasty, storytelling entered tea houses, and the foreign trade of tea developed. Tea culture was conceived and born alongside the emergence of commodity economy and urban culture. Throughout its history, tea culture focused on cultural ideology, emphasizing elegance and the expression of poetry, calligraphy, and tea appreciation through music and dance. As it formed and evolved, it integrated the philosophical hues of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, transforming into the customs and rituals of various ethnic groups and becoming a component of traditional culture with unique cultural patterns.
The development of material and spiritual civilization has injected new content and vitality into tea culture. In this new era, the connotations and forms of expression of tea culture are expanding, extending, innovating, and evolving.
In the new era, tea culture integrates modern science and technology, modern news media, and the essence of market economy, making the value function of tea culture more prominent and further enhancing its role in modern society. The central awareness of the value of tea as the core of tea culture is further established, and international exchanges are becoming increasingly frequent. The methods and forms of spreading tea culture in the new era show trends towards largescale, modernization, socialization, and internationalization. Its connotations are rapidly expanding, its influence growing, and it has gained worldwide attention.
Famous teas, famous mountains, famous waters, famous people, and famous places have given rise to regionally distinct tea cultures. China is vast, with many types of tea and diverse drinking customs. Coupled with differences in local histories, cultures, lifestyles, and economies, these factors have resulted in region-specific tea cultures. In major cities, which serve as economic and cultural centers, their unique advantages and rich contents have also given rise to distinctive urban tea cultures.
Since 1994, Shanghai has held four consecutive International Tea Culture Festivals, showcasing the characteristics and charm of urban tea culture.
The ancient Chinese tea culture has combined with the histories, cultures, economies, and humanistic elements of different countries, evolving into British, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Moroccan tea cultures, among others. Japan's sencha way and Taiwan's brewing way both originate from the kung fu tea of Guangdong's Chaozhou region.
In Britain, tea drinking has become part of daily life, serving as a form of etiquette that embodies British gentlemanliness. It is an essential ritual in the life of the Queen and a necessary part of significant social events. Japanese Tea ceremony originates from Japan but has been influenced by China. Japanese tea ceremony has a strong flavor of Japanese national culture and has formed a unique system, schools, and etiquette. Tea people transcend national boundaries, races, and beliefs. Tea culture can unite tea enthusiasts worldwide, allowing them to exchange tea arts, academic discussions, and business negotiations.
Zhang Jian, founder of Sword Chief · Tea Future. Sword Chief · Tea Future, together with 20 co-founders, is dedicated to reviving Chinese tea culture. The brand's vision is to create a corporate lounge in every office building in Beijing's Haidian District within one to three years. The main business of Sword Chief Tea Future is customized corporate gift teas and providing a rapid offline social venue for corporate clients. With tea as the carrier and service as the foundation, we are committed to building a company different from traditional tea rooms. While inheriting classic tea culture, we use our partner “tea” as a bond to care for businesses, provide clients with unique Sword Chief · Tea Future salon cultural experiences, and practice the altruistic values of helping others to help ourselves, all centered around the client. We aim to realize the vision of each person, each box, and each office building, inspiring everyone to return to and love traditional culture.
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