Tea in China - (Contributions to the Study of World History) by John C Evans (Hardcover)

About the Book

Tea is one of the world's most popular beverages, and the birthplace of tea is China. Until the 1830s, China was the only producer of tea, and today it remains the world's greatest producer and consumer. Tea in China is a history of China's national drink, where it came from, how it was drunk, and the place it has occupied in Chinese society from prehistory to the present.

Prehistoric use of tea by Peking Man and Laotian Man are discussed, as are the changing teas favored by the various dynasties. The role of tea in the spread of religions is reviewed, as is the impact of Chinese teas on societies as varied as the Japanese and Europeans. All aspects of tea and its socio-economic place in Chinese life are examined in detail. Tea in China will be of considerable use to scholars of Chinese history and culture and to those concerned with the folkways of food and drink.

Book Synopsis

Tea is one of the world's most popular beverages, and the birthplace of tea is China. Until the 1830s, China was the only producer of tea, and today it remains the world's greatest producer and consumer. Tea in China is a history of China's national drink, where it came from, how it was drunk, and the place it has occupied in Chinese society from prehistory to the present.

Prehistoric use of tea by Peking Man and Laotian Man are discussed, as are the changing teas favored by the various dynasties. The role of tea in the spread of religions is reviewed, as is the impact of Chinese teas on societies as varied as the Japanese and Europeans. All aspects of tea and its socio-economic place in Chinese life are examined in detail. Tea in China will be of considerable use to scholars of Chinese history and culture and to those concerned with the folkways of food and drink.

Review Quotes

.,."a well-informed and discursive walk through Chinese history in which much lore about tea is related."-The Journal of Asian Studies

?...a well-informed and discursive walk through Chinese history in which much lore about tea is related.?-The Journal of Asian Studies

?A major contribution to tea (and thus world) history and to understanding ancient and modern China and her most legendary elixirs, this instant classic by Paris-based independent scholar John C. Evans is a ripping good read for China history buffs. Highly recommended for the serious!?-TEA TALK

?An enjoyable book to read.?-Journal of Third World Studies

?An enjoyable book to read.??Journal of Third World Studies

..."a well-informed and discursive walk through Chinese history in which much lore about tea is related."-The Journal of Asian Studies

"An enjoyable book to read."-Journal of Third World Studies

"A major contribution to tea (and thus world) history and to understanding ancient and modern China and her most legendary elixirs, this instant classic by Paris-based independent scholar John C. Evans is a ripping good read for China history buffs. Highly recommended for the serious!"-TEA TALK

About the Author

JOHN C. EVANS is an independent researcher currently living in Paris. He has written on ancient and medieval European topics, and is presently involved in research on teahouses and tea in Japan.