The Chinese Tea Legends

There are several different versions of the discovery of tea in China. They differ only slightly, but originated in different regions. One Chinese legend would place the discovery of tea, around five thousand years ago. The book “Shennong Ben Cao Jing”, written in the Han Dynasty, attributes the discovery of tea to Shennong. We can surmise that it’s a legend by the mere description of the emperor, who was reported to have had the head of an ox and the body of a man. He was known as the God of Agriculture. Legend says that he discovered the five cereals, sometimes called the five sacred grains, rice, wheat, barley, soybeans and millet. Therefore, he was also called The Emperor of the Five Grains. The name Shennong translates to divine farmer.

It is said that Shennong discovered tea in 2737 B.C. He was also the inventor of Chinese medicine and tasted various herbs in his invention of the herbal medicines. When burning leaves from a tea twig were carried up from the fire by hot air, they dropped into Shennong’s cauldron of boiling water. He tasted the resulting liquid and found that it was an antidote against the poisonous effects of many herbs. It is believed that Shennong poisoned himself 72 times a day and drank tea to detoxify himself.

Even Shennong’s name has many versions depending on the region from where each legend originated.

The legend of Shen Nung is probably just another version of Shennong. Emperor Shen Nung was a scientist. For hygienic purposes, he required that all drinking water be boiled. During a visit to a distant region, he stopped to rest. His servants boiled water for the entourage to drink. That’s when the dried leaves from a nearby tea bush fell into the boiling water. Shen Nung found the resulting brown liquid interesting and drank some, finding it very refreshing.

In a very similar story, Emperor Chen-Nung, the Divine Cultivator, discovered tea accidentally, as well. He was boiling water under the shade of a wild tea tree. A gentle breeze rustled some leaves and they fell into the water. As the Emperor drank the tea, he felt an overwhelming sense of well-being.

Tea Legends
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