Beijing Olympics 2008 'Game Time - Tea Time'
Tea originated in China and was first written about in 350 AD in a dictionary by Kuo Pa. The Chinese introduced tea to Japan in around 600 AD along with the introduction of Chinese culture and Buddhism by the Prince-Regent Shotuko. The long standing history of tea production in China makes it, without question, the source of all tea and tea knowledge.
The Olympic village has a traditional tea room alongside acupuncture and massage salons, and every afternoon tea experts perform three tea-themed classical dancing shows for athletes to promote Chinese tea, and it as so far been extremely successful in doing so.
The Chinese Traditional Medicine Association has also created a tea designed to cool both visitors and athletes who are in Beijing for the games. They began research last September and have created a tea of honeysuckle, ebony, green tea and citric acid for those affected by the heat to drink. Chinese medicine practiitioners have always recommended white tea to cool the body and treat diseases such as hives, so this introduction is not as strange as it may first sound!
China is right to be proud of the teas that it produces and its established tea culture. As the source of some of the world's finest teas, teas of particular note this year are 2008 Organic Dragon Well Green Tea, 2008 Organic White Peony White Tea, Wuyi Big Red Robe Supreme and 2008 Mo Gan Yellow Buds Yellow Tea.
The flavour of these teas truly reflect the skills of the artisans who create them, and in turn, these skills reflect the history and expertise that can be found in Chinese tea culture.
The spirit of Chinese tea conforms to the Olympic ideals of peace and respect. The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games provides a rare opportunity for the development of Chinese tea, and allows the world a better chance to understand a special part of Chinese culture.
