In parts of Asia, tea is more than a mere beverage: It is a social lubricant, a sacrament of complex rituals and a vital part of national identity. Throughout history, farmers and philosophers alike have treasured a steaming cup of cha. While there is some evidence of tea's health benefits, there is little debate over the calming effects gained from just a few warming sips. It has been said that "tea is drunk to forget the din of the world."
The history of tea in China dates back thousands of years. During the Tang Dynasty, however, tea became an art. The first authoritative book about tea, "Ch'a Ching (The Classic Art of Tea)," written by Lu Yu in the eighth century, helped fan the flames of popularity.
Through experimentation, many "colors" of tea were created. American-born Chinese William Lee, of the tea shop You Cha in Omotesando, explains that teas are classified as green, white, yellow, blue and black to signify the level of fermentation or oxidation. "For example," Lee says, "green tea has no oxidation, while oolong, a blue tea, is quite fermented."