Like porcelain, tea originated in ancient China. Myths and legends tell of the Chinese emperor Shen Nung, who boiled his water about 5000 years ago and at the same time, a gentle gust of wind blew some green tea leaves into the kettle. The birth of tea was sealed.
Like white gold, tea was extremely precious and thus only reserved for the Chinese elite. As a status symbol, but also as a potion against various diseases, tea was extremely popular and in demand. During the splendid Tang dynasty from 618-907 AD, the trade of tea continued to flourish and therefore found access to all levels of society. Tea took on literary, artistic and even religious meanings.



The tea fascination gradually made its way to Japan after 6 centuries and was first drunk as medicine by Buddhist monks. In the Heian period between 784 and 1185 AD, the very popular green tea spread throughout Japan. In 1610, the first Japanese sailing ships docked in the port of Amsterdam, paving the way for tea to reach all of Europe. In the mid-17th century, tea also reached Europe by land, creating a large trade between Europe and Asia. Almost at the same time, the desire for Chinese white gold arose, so that in 1708, European porcelain was produced for the first time by none other than the alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger, which led to the founding of the world-famous Meissen porcelain manufactory.



England quickly got to know the potential of tea for itself and became the centre of the European tea trade in the 18th century. The British immigrants had spread and established the enjoyment of green tea in North America. Richard Blechynden was in charge of tea at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis and was supposed to convince Americans of black tea, who until then had only known green tea. However, during the summer heat, the demand for this luxury drink was dwindling, so Richard had the idea of chilled tea with ice cubes and thus invented iced tea.