Chinese Tea The Chinese have enjoyed tea for millennia. It was likely that tea originated as a concoction valuable for its ability to keep people awake and medicinal properties. Records that mention the consumption of tea date from the first millennium BC. During the Song Dynasty (960-1279), a powdered form of tea was introduced although ancient loose-leaf and compressed styles maintained their popularity. Steaming the leaves has been the preferred method of preparation until the thirteenth century, when roasting and crumbling began to gain popularity. Most modern Chinese distributors choose to roast then compress tealeaves. In the 17th century, a technique of drying then fermenting leaves was developed, yielding Black Dragon and Oolong teas. Recently in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, influenced by innovations in preparation from Taiwan and Hong Kong, bubble tea served cold with tapioca balls have become very popular in the coastal provinces of China.	This painting was made in the Tang Dynasty (618 a.d.- 907 a.d.) of a Chinese tea ceremony. This was a time when the arts and culture flourished because of the stability of the Tang emperors. Citizens were able to enjoy a wide variety of foods and drinks, including tea.
Japanese Tea Tea was introduced to Japan around the 9th century and was limited to the religious class at first. They appreciated the beverage for its reputed health benefits and enchanting flavor. Several decades later, Emperor Saga encouraged domestication cultivation of tealeaves, thereby making it more accessible to those of lower classes. Tea became popular with the warrior class who gained prominence in Japan around the 12th century. They developed such an affinity for tea that entire ceremonies were conducted around its consumption and grand lavish houses were constructed to house these ceremonies. In the eighteenth century, a new, revolutionary method of preparation was developed. Soen Nagatani steam-pressed and rolled unfermented loose tea, then crushed the dried leaves into a powder, which is then mixed with boiling water to create the desired drink.	English Tea Although the English have one of the most prominent tea cultures in the world, tea was introduced relatively late in British society. Tea was one of the many goods that traversed the Silk Road, made its way through Turkish and Dutch traders, and eventually wound up in England around the 17th century. Ironically, British coffee houses were responsible for promoting the popularity of tea by advertising it as an elixir that would keep the body healthy and active well into old age. By the end of the 18th century, tea was the preferred drink of the British lower class. Around the beginning of the 19th century, the English aristocracy decided to have teatime in the afternoon in order to bridge a gap between lunch and dinner, which can be quite long sometimes. This custom eventually permeated to the working class of the subsequent industrial society as well.