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Ep. 140-11 | Europeans Discover Tea
During the late 16th century, the Jesuit Fathers become the first Europeans to drink tea. Soon afterward the Portuguese and Dutch traders start pokin…
11 years, 3 months ago
Ep. 140-10 | Yixing Teaware and the Gongfu Tea Ceremony
More Ming Dynasty tea history this time. Innovations from China's tea artisans further improved the taste and experience of tea. The famous "zisha" 紫…
11 years, 3 months ago
Ep. 140-9 | The Ming Dynasty Tea Revolution
Tea's epic story continues on the heels of the advances made in tea production and tea culture during the Song. After surviving the Mongol Yuan Dynas…
11 years, 3 months ago
Ep. 140-8 | Ladies and Gentlemen, Oolong Tea
The loving embrace of tea given by those of the Buddhist faith continues on into the Song Dynasty. Some Chan Buddhist master came up with the term "T…
11 years, 3 months ago
Ep. 140-7 | Tea During the Song Dynasty
The once bitter brew sharing a Chinese character with the one used for a bitter vegetable is now long a thing of the past. Starting around a thousand…
11 years, 4 months ago
Ep. 140-6 | Camellia sinensis, Superstar
In the post-Lu Yu world, tea starts to take off like a rocket. It will take a little longer for tea to get the needed traction in Japan but during th…
11 years, 4 months ago
Ep. 140-5 | The Classic of Tea
We looked at Lu Yu last time and all that he did to popularize the merits of tea in the Tang Dynasty. This time, we give a once-over to his masterpie…
11 years, 4 months ago
Ep. 140-4 | The Sage of Tea
Thank you for your patience. In this fourth installment of the history of tea, we finally make it to the immortal Tea Saint. Lu Yu 陆羽. What Elvis was…
11 years, 4 months ago
Ep. 140-3 | Tea Hits the Big Time
After centuries of trial and error, tea starts to transform from a bitter medicinal brew into something worthy of presenting to the emperor as tribut…
11 years, 5 months ago
Ep. 140-2 | Tea, A bitter brew in Bronze Age China
Tea might not have tasted so great in Shen Nong's time and for a thousand years thereafter. But progress was being made and tea's evolution starts to…
11 years, 5 months ago