China Travel Forum

[Aynur]

03 Apr 2006 09 Apr 2006

The history of the tea culture festival goes back to when the Revolutionary History Exhibition Hall in Zhabei District opened the Songyuan Teahouse. Making good use of the historical documents of Wu Juenong (1897-1989), China's modern tea master who lived in the district for seven years, the teahouse became an advocate of this traditional beverage - the get-togethers and seminars held at the Songyuan Teahouse became the inspiration for the tea culture festival.

An ancient Chinese book "Chuang-tzu" claims that Shennongshi, chief of the primeval tribe, developed farming and medicine. Around 5000 years ago, during his search for edible plants, he tasted many leaves, fruits, vegetables and roots. On one particular day he got poisoned 72 times. Fortunately he happened to eat some tea leaves also. They worked as an antidote for the poison. From then on, Chinese people discovered that the magical leaves could relieve thirst, refresh the mind and also cure some diseases. Thus they began to drink the liquid stewed with tea leaves and the legend of tea was born.