China is the country where tea trees were first discovered, tea leaves were first used, and tea trees were first cultivated. The history of tea trees on Earth dates back to 60-70 million years ago, while the discovery and utilization of tea by humans is only about 4-5 thousand years old.
The earliest written record mentioning tea can be found in the Book of Songs, where it refers to tea as "tu". It was not until the Tang Dynasty that Lu Yu removed a horizontal stroke from the character "tu" and established it as "cha", giving tea its own name.
Currently, our tea drinking habits, tea processing methods, and many tea names were mostly standardized during the Qing Dynasty and afterwards.
Some scholars suggest that the term "Cha Boshi" (Tea Doctor) is derived from "Cha Bashou", which means a master or expert in tea. Interestingly, the term "Doctor" in modern universities also refers to an expert in a specific field, which aligns with the origin of the word "Doctor".
With modern scientific methods, researchers have identified about 500 substances in tea leaves and tea infusion, the majority of which are organic compounds. Among these substances, most are beneficial to the human body. These substances can be broadly classified into several categories:
1. Alkaloids
2. Tea polyphenols
3. Aromatic substances
4. Vitamins
However, it is important to note that although tea contains a wide range of substances, the dosage is generally small, resulting in a mild and slow effect on the human body.
More than 40 trace elements can be analyzed in tea leaves. These elements have varying effects on the human body. Some are essential, some are not necessary, some have little benefit, and some are harmful, such as cadmium and lead. Of course, the content of these trace elements is small, and it varies depending on the tea variety, origin, picking season, and tea processing methods. Generally, it is believed that tea should not be steeped for too long, as excessive extraction of substances from the tea leaves may result in a loss of aroma and limited benefits to the human body.
Although modern science and technology are advanced, the evaluation of tea still relies on human intuition and sensory perception. Various machines and instruments are not as reliable. Furthermore, there can be significant differences in individual sensory perceptions. Therefore, if someone tells you whether a tea is good or bad, you should not blindly believe them. Trust your own senses to determine the true quality of the tea.
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