Worlds of Tea

September 13 - December 16, 2005
Wilbur Room

The leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant were first used to produce a potent brew in the 3rd millennium B.C.E. According to Chinese legend, Sheng Nong (the Divine Farmer) initially encountered a tea bush while sampling herbs or, in an alternative discovery narrative, accidentally dropped some leaves into a pot of steaming water. Originally a medicinal therapy to aid digestion or counteract the effects of alcohol, tea gradually developed into a drink of leisure as it spread throughout Asia during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and eventually to Europe in the 17^th century. At first, tea was a precious commodity consumed only by the upper classes in Europe; however, as cultivation, processing, and trading methods advanced, the price of tea dropped precipitously and consumption quickly spread.

In both Asia and the West, distinctive brewing methods, utensils, and rituals took root, resulting in tea preparations that ranged from a frothy, whipped blend served in an unglazed bowl in China to a steeped brew served with cream and sugar in a matching porcelain or silver service in England. Drawing from the Museum's decorative arts collection, Worlds of Tea explores an array of objects and rituals associated with tea cultures across the globe.