The origins of tea date back to 2737 BC (Chow & Kramer, 1990). According to Chinese
legend, tea was discovered accidentally by Shen Nong, the Divine cultivator who also
supposedly invented agriculture and herbal medicine. He is honored as one of China's three
early mythical sovereigns. His predecessor, Fu-his, the first Emperor, had given humanity
knowledge of fire, cooking, and music, while the third Emperor completed the Promethean task
of human happiness by revealing the secrets of the vine and astronomy. The story goes that oneday
tea plant leaves fell into boiling water, and Shen Nong became interested in the new liquid,
which had a pleasing aroma and delightful flavor. Later he found the tea to have medicinal value.
This led to the culture of tea drinking in China