🌿✨ The Origin of tea? India or China? 🍵
Did you know? The journey of tea begins in the lush, ancient lands of Yunnan, China! Here’s why this region holds the crown for being the birthplace of tea culture:
📜 Historical Roots:
The earliest records of tea drinking date back to the Western Han Dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE), when tea was part of everyday life. Contracts from the era even mention buying tea and cleaning teaware!
🌍 Cultural Legacy:
Ethnic groups like the Bulang, Wa, and Pu people in Yunnan have been using tea for worship, food, and medicine long before it became a popular beverage. They’re the pioneers of tea cultivation and ancient tea traditions.
🔬 Scientific Proof:
Studies show that Yunnan’s large-leaf tea species is the oldest type of tea plant, making it the ancestor of all tea varieties worldwide!
🌳 Living Fossils:
Yunnan is home to ancient wild tea trees and gardens, like the Bada Camellia—nature’s own evidence of tea's origin.