Geographic origins History of tea

brick tea

camellia sinensis originated in southeast asia, around intersection of latitude 29°n , longitude 98°e, point of confluence of lands of northeast india, north burma, southwest china , tibet. plant introduced more 52 countries, centre of origin .

on morphological differences between assamese , chinese varieties, botanists have long asserted dual botanical origin tea; however, statistical cluster analysis, same chromosome number (2n=30), easy hybridization, , various types of intermediate hybrids , spontaneous polyploids appear demonstrate single place of origin camellia sinensis—the area including northern part of burma, , yunnan , sichuan provinces of china.

yunnan province has been identified birthplace of tea...the first area humans figured out eating tea leaves or brewing cup pleasant. fengqing county in lincang city prefecture of yunnan province in china said home world s oldest cultivated tea tree, 3,200 years old.

according story of tea, tea drinking began in yunnan province during shang dynasty (1500 bc–1046 bc), medicinal drink. there, drink spread sichuan, , believed there first time, people began boil tea leaves consumption concentrated liquid without addition of other leaves or herbs, thereby using tea bitter yet stimulating drink, rather medicinal concoction.