Fancy Dragon Tea Blog

In China, there are numerous legends of the origins of drinking tea. Some Chinese legends refer tea origin to the time of creation of heaven and earth, linking it with the name of the mythical Emperor Sun Yan Di, the originator of medicine and agriculture. Other legends say that the production of tea was linked with the name Chen Nung, Emperor of Southern China and philosopher, who ruled from 2737 to 2697 BC.

But, nevertheless, all legends about tea are very interesting to know.

The first legend:

Shen Nung tasting various herbs for their properties

Shen Nung, whose name translates as a “divine plowman” and who was the Second Divine Emperor and Celestial God (also know as  Father of Agriculture and Medicine) came into this world to teach people how to use medicinal plants and cultivate the soil. His body was transparent, like jade, through the skin he could see everything happening in his body. He tried various herbs and plants and found out what is poisonous and what’s not. He also advocated that Chinese people drank boiled warter for health and sanitary reasons. The legend says that one day Shen Nung was resting under a tea bush and a dewdrop heated by sun slid down into his mouth. He swallowed it, felt a sudden strength and feeling of invigoration, and since that time tea became an antidote, medicinal plant and refreshing drink (another version says that that tea leaf blew into his cup of hot water).

After his death, he left pharmacological treatise “The Divine Farmer’s Herb-Root Classic” (or “Shen Nong Pen Tsao”) which is the most ancient treatise about medicinal plants in China.

The second legend

Accordingto this ancient legend, the story of the tea began with Bodhidharma, a Buddhist monk, who according to traditional Buddhist version appeared in China around 520 AD from India and was credited with establishing the doctrine of Chan (Zen). In addition, the legend attributes him the creation of a tea plant.

Bodhidharma was meditating in from on the wall (or in the cage, according to another version) of the Monastery in Northern China. After nine years of meditation, he could hardly keep his eyes open and his head fell on his shoulders. He tried to stay awake but couldn’t keep his eyes open. Then, furious at himself, Bodhidharma took a knife and cut off his eyelids and threw them on the ground. Where the eyelids hit the ground, the tea plants sprang to life.

Based on this legend, tea became a Buddhist drink – a symbol of serenity for all meditators. The spread of Zen Buddhism helped to spread the cult of tea. Monks and laypeople think of tea not only as a drink but as an important part of meditation.

The third legend

India has its own legend about the origins of tea. About 500 AD, Fakir Dharma accidently opened invigorating effect of tea. He desired to spend seven years with no sleep to dedicate this time to the Buddhist faith. However, after 5 years of meditation, he was suddenly struck by an incredible weariness. Falling on the ground, he gripped a branch of an unknown plant. He put several leaves of this plant into his mouth with the intent not to fall asleep while chewing. Indeed, the weakness was gone and Dharma was able to devote himself to his meditation.

The forth legend

In the mists of time, the great divine ancestor Bai Yao has created the Heavens and the Earth and decided to divide the earth between different peoples. However, some tribes did not want to participate in the general council, as they were not persuaded. Bai Yao was terribly angry at the irresponsible people who didn’t care about their future and decided to leave people. While climbing up a mountain to leave the Earth, she looked around and realized that it would be very hard for people to survive without her help. To facilitate that help, Bai Yao created tea seeds and scattered them everywhere. Since then, locals cultivate tea in these parts of the Earth.

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