Posted on 03/17/2010 10:42:46 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Chinese archeologists have found remnants of tea leaves in tea sets unearthed from the family graveyard of the country's first known anthropologist, a man who lived 900 years ago.
The finding challenge the traditional theory that infused tea became popular only in modern times, said Zhang Yun, a researcher with Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archeology.
Pieces of green tea were found in a dozen bronze, porcelain and stone tea sets unearthed from a cluster of 29 tombs in Lantian County, he said.
Zhang led the excavations that lasted from December 2007 to December 2009, which produced a variety of sacrificial objects.
"In one of the tea sets, which contained a bronze cup and a filler that filters tea, we found about 20 pieces of remnants of tea leaves," said Zhang. "The tea leaf remains green, a sign that it was infused instead of boiled before it was served."
The archeologists also found stone kettles next to the tea sets. "These, too, were common kitchen utensils because water boiled in stone kettles was considered tasteless and therefore ideal for preserving the fragrance of the tea."
Zhang and his colleagues assumed the family loved tea, so family members were buried with their tea cups hoping they'd still be able to enjoy tea in the afterlife.
Besides the tea sets, Zhang and his colleagues also found liquor cups, incense burners and inkstones in the tombs. "These were essential items for Chinese intellectuals in the old days," said Zhang.
Several epitaphs were engraved with Lu Dalin's name, evidence that these tombs, including 20 for adults and nine for children, were Lu's family tombs.
Lu Dalin (1044-1091) lived in Lantian County throughout his life. He was the first in China to study ancient writings and bronze ware and is therefore recognized as the forefather of Chinese anthropologists.
The epitaphs suggested five generations of the family, including Lu himself, were buried at the site from 1074 to 1111, said Zhang.
The discovery of the tomb was listed as one of the six most important archeological finds in China last year.
Ping
Lu Dalin (1044-1091)
I thought green tea was the Chinese secret for longevity!
ping
China’s first Tea Party? Coincidence?
Modern times? That’s silly. I’ve always assumed that tea was invented a couple weeks after discovering fire. It’s just natural for some leaves to fall in boiling water. After a bit of trial and error the tastiest leaves can be easily chosen.
Like your name!
I believe that the article is specifying ‘infused’ tea and not boiled tea leaves. I looked it up and it seems that this means that tea leaves are left in room temperature water.
Like your name!
I believe that the article is specifying ‘infused’ tea and not boiled tea leaves. I looked it up and it seems that this means that tea leaves are left in room temperature water.
Room temperature? Better yet. Didn’t even have to invent fire. Leaves fall on stored water, stay there, and the water gets tasty. No reason at all to think it’s a modern practice.
Good point. I recall reading that the British habit of drinking tea arose because boiling the water to prepare the tea killed the bacteria typically found in unheated sources of water. According to that article, the British didn’t drink water like we do - they drank boiled tea, all the while not realizing why tea was less likely to make them sick then still water. I wonder how that theory matches up with the possible existence of tea leaves that ‘fell in water’. How is it that the Chinese could enjoy ‘infused’ (non heated) tea with fewer bacterial concerns, apparently, than the British?
I had always understood it was accepted that Alexander’s army brewed tea as it fought from Greece, through Persia, and into Afghanistan.
Tea itself has antibiotic qualities.
Yet another ad for the new Alice in Wonderland movie
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Thanks nickcarraway and ValerieTexas. |
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Jasmine tea ping
Jasmine green tea is a great treat
Ancient Chinese metrosexual 20-somethings enjoyed doing shots, just like ours do today.
Maybe they just used the tea leaves to tell fortunes.
Until fairly recently most city water was unsafe or chancy. That's why people drank so much coffee and tea, or, more to my liking, so much beer, wine and spirits.
bttt
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