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Tea tradition outside Asia

Tea from Asia in Europe

Tea was taken from China to Japan, becoming much appreciated by the Japanese as a daily beverage.

Prior to the XVI century, Europe was not familiar with tea, although the name was already known by the Turks and heard during the Silk trade period.
European knowledge about tea was very scarce, leading some to believe, that it was a sort of a drink prepared by eating, chewing, buttering or salting the tea leaves.

Macau: The first Portuguese trading station in Asia

In 1516, the Portuguese discovered the sea route to the East, reaching the shores of China. And in 1557, Macau became their first trading station in Asia.

The Portuguese Jesuits

The first mention to tea in Europe, was written by the Portuguese Jesuit Father Gaspar da Cruz in 1560.
The Portuguese Jesuits, were also the first religious order embarking on the discovery of Asia, Japan, China, Malaysia, Cambodia, Bhutan and Indonesia.
During a missionary visit to Cambodian king's court in 1555, Father Cruz tasted tea and was intrigued by this drink as a trading product.

The first European treatise on tea with Japan and China

The first European treatise on tea with Japan and China, dates from the early XVII century and was written by the Portuguese Jesuit João Rodrigues (1577-1612).
He lived over 35 years in Japan, and during this period he became acquainted and fascinated with the refinement of the tea ceremony, under the guidance of Zen masters.

And Portugal as a naval potency in the XVI century, had advanced ships and wide knowledge of the seas. This allowed the Portuguese to gain the first commercial mission on tea trade, shipping it directly from Asia (Macau) to Europe.

The Dutch interest for Asian tea

Later on, the Dutch were also involved in this trade and associated for some time with the Portuguese, transporting tea to other northern European capitals.

But, in the early years of the XVII century, the Dutch wanted to buy and ship their own tea without the Portuguese. And this was possible with their powerful fleet of ships.
Both Portuguese and Dutch were controlling the world tea commercialisation during the XVI and XVII centuries, having gained large sums of money with this trade.