The first tea in Rus'. Russian tea drinking, how tea traditions were born
The history of the appearance of tea in Rus' is closely connected with the active promotion of Russians to the east, the conquest of Siberia, which took place in the late 16th - early 17th century. Cossack expeditions met on their way not only semi-wild peoples, hunters and reindeer herders. They were approaching the borders of a huge ancient empire, the homeland of gunpowder, paper and tea. The answer to the question of where tea came from in Russia is beyond doubt - the drink loved by our people came from China.
An old document, which many researchers consider a fake, tells about the Cossack expedition of 1567. Atamans Yalyshev and Petrov, who visited China, describe the custom of brewing the leaves of a special shrub for drinking. Even assuming the veracity of the information, it is impossible to start counting the history of tea in Rus' from this event, because then no one was interested in the outlandish drink.
Most researchers agree that The procession of tea across Rus' to the state began in 1638. It was then that the ambassadors of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich visited the ruler of the western Mongolian lands, Altyn Khan. Khan received rich gifts from them and, according to custom, had to answer the Russian Tsar no less expensive gifts. Together with sable skins and Chinese silk, the khan handed over to the ambassador bundles containing about 64 kilograms dried leaves plant unknown to Russians (Tea has been known to the Mongols since the 12th century). The ambassador was Vasily Starkov, the son of a Tomsk boyar. He did not immediately agree to accept a strange grass, fearing to drop the honor of his sovereign. However, the Mongols almost managed to convince him of the value of the gift.
In 1639, the ambassadors brought gifts from the Mongol Khan to Moscow. According to some sources, the tsar invited the boyars to taste the sent product. In dry form, the tea leaves did not impress the Russian nobles, however, after asking the ambassadors, the tea was brewed as expected. Both the ruler himself and his entourage liked the taste Reviver. But things didn't go any further. the tea ran out and they forgot about it for a while.
In 1654 Baikov Fedor Isakovich went to China on an embassy mission. The purpose of the trip was to establish diplomatic and trade relations with China. Baikov failed to complete this task, but before returning to Russia, he bought tea leaves, as he was used to drinking an invigorating hot drink every day during his stay in China.
The Spread of Tea and the Emergence of Tea Traditions
The next mention of tea dates back to 1665. Documents report that Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was treated for a cold with hot tea. The treatment turned out to be effective, the rumor about the miraculous herb began to spread throughout Moscow, where Chinese tea first appeared. From that moment on, we can talk about the growing popularity of the drink in Russia.
The first documentary information about the trade in tea leaves in Rus' dates back to 1674. Trade relations with China are beginning to be established, Moscow merchants are bringing raw silk, pearls, paints, and, of course, tea from the Celestial Empire. It is sold in Moscow pharmacies as a medicine.
Another date about which worth mentioning - 1689. It was then that an agreement was concluded with China, which determined the borders of states and laid the foundation for regular trade relations. Caravans loaded with valuable goods moved from Russia to China and back - there was no money circulation between the countries at that time, trade was in the nature of an exchange. Russian merchants brought expensive furs, caviar, and gold to the Celestial Empire. Caravans were returning with a cargo of Chinese fabrics, tea and other goods.
The duration of the caravan journey from the Chinese border to Moscow was several months, which led to very high prices for tea during this period (late 17th - first half of the 18th century).
The tea trade was almost entirely in the hands of Moscow merchants. Only very rich people could afford to buy a foreign delicacy. At the same time, the tea leaf infusion gradually ceases to be perceived solely as a medicine, it becomes favorite drink nobility and merchants, being a kind of evidence of prosperity. A special, Russian culture of tea drinking begins to take shape. Tea is available during this period mainly to wealthy citizens, for the periphery, the drink remains little known.
The beginning of the tea "boom" in Russia
Since 1728, when the so-called Treaty of Kyakhta was signed between Russia and China, trade from a caravan gradually turns into a frontier one. The tiny town of Kyakhta on the border of two worlds is becoming the center of a booming tea trade. The number of tea leaves imported into Russia is growing rapidly.
According to available data, in 1811, 80,000 poods of this product were imported into the country, and in 1820 - over 100,000 poods. It was tea that accounted for 88% of all Russian-Chinese trade in that period.
Not only Muscovites drink it. The drink becomes an integral part of the culture of the Russian population of Siberia (the neighborhood of peoples for whom the use of tea has long become a daily necessity, the Mongols and the Chinese, affects). It is very popular among the peoples of the Volga region, especially among the Tatars.
The attitude of Russians to the drink is clearly reflected in the notes of the merchant that have come down to us, dated 1764: “Tea is an indispensable product in our trade with China, we are used to Chinese tea, and we will not be able to give up this habit.”
Curious is the origin of the words denoting tea, in different languages. In the northern provinces of China, where Russian merchants bought the goods, it was called "cha", hence the Russian name for this plant and drink originated. To Europe or tea leaf was delivered by sea from the southern regions of the Celestial Empire, where it was denoted by the word “those” - that is why in European languages tea is called a consonant name.
Tea culture in Russia in the 18th-19th century
Near 19th century tea ceased to be elite drink available only to the rich. Its price dropped, and the drink appeared at ordinary people. Tea drinking has become an obligatory and favorite ritual both in secular living rooms and in peasant huts.
The use of tea rapidly acquired traditions - they drank it with honey and raspberries, with traditional sweet pastries. Tea drinking has firmly become part of the custom of receiving guests. In Russia, it is customary to brew tea in special small teapots, and then dilute the strong infusion with boiling water. This is a specific Russian way of making a drink, which appeared as one of the options to save valuable leaves.
Evidence of the wide spread of tea traditions in Russia is also found in the notes of European travelers: “Russians, even the poorest, have a kettle and a copper samovar at home and drink tea in the mornings and evenings with their families… The rustic simplicity of the dwelling forms a striking contrast with the elegant and delicate drink., which they drink in it, ”writes Astolf de Custune, who visited Russia during the reign of Nicholas I.
The spread of tea in Russia was not only forever imprinted in Russian culture and traditions, it gave impetus to the development of new types of industrial production. So, in the middle of the 18th century, the production of the first samovars began in the country, which became one of the most colorful and recognizable symbols of Russian life. Following the samovars, the production of special, unique Russian porcelain, intended for for the most part for the traditional ritual of tea drinking.
The modern life of a Russian is unthinkable without daily use tea. This product has been inseparable from Russian culture and traditions of hospitality for several centuries.
None Russian feast does not pass without a samovar and strong fragrant tea. But many people still do not know how tea appeared in Rus'. Even in ancient treatises there are such lines: “When a person drinks this wonderful drink, his body becomes lighter, his eyesight becomes sharper and clear thoughts come to mind.”
- Before the advent of real tea in Rus', there was already a tradition of tea drinking. brewed herbal teas from lime blossom, raspberries, currants, oregano and many other plants. They were dried and then boiled in boiling water. Such drinks not only quenched thirst, they were used to treat many diseases.
- The date of the first real tea party in Russia is 1638. It was in this year that Vasily Starikov, among the many gifts, brought to Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich small bags of tea, which were presented by the Western Mongolian khans. In September of this year, the first tea was brewed in Russia.
- In the middle of the 17th century, tea gained great popularity among the highest aristocracy, and a hundred years later the poor began to drink it. The poor drank a drink without sugar, and wealthy people - in a bite, that is, they alternated pieces of sugar and sips of aromatic tea.
- In 1818, the first tea bushes were grown in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, which is located in the Crimea. In Georgia, they began to grow tea on plantations, so the price for it began to decline, and this drink became available not only for the rich, but also for ordinary people.
In Rus', they always drank tea, but not the one to which we are all accustomed, but the primordially traditional Ivan tea. Modern people no longer know how to brew Ivan tea, and this drink, oh medicinal properties which was legendary, was very popular throughout Europe. Ivan tea was served at the imperial table, and people knowing secrets his preparations were always held in high esteem.
1. Fireweed angustifolium or Ivan-Tea is a medicinal herb that grows along roads and ditches, on hills and forest clearings. The peculiarity of this plant is that it does not absorb harmful substances, remaining healing, in almost all environmental conditions.
2. From 10 grams of Ivan tea, you can prepare up to 30 cups of the drink. For brewing, it is better to use natural or purified water.
3. For 500 ml of water, use two teaspoons of tea. If the dry grass is not crushed, then it must be crushed properly. Pour tea with almost boiling water and cover with a lid for 10-15 minutes, then mix the finished drink well.
4. Ivan-chai keeps all its healing properties throughout the week, from the moment of brewing. But still, a freshly brewed drink is considered the most useful.
5. There is another way of brewing Ivan tea, which is more suitable for gourmets and true connoisseurs of tea brewing, as a fresh, only plucked plant is used. Leaves of young fireweed should be put in enamelware so that they cover the bottom by 3 - 4 cm. Then pour warm water 10 cm. small fire bring to a boil, then let it brew for 10 - 15 minutes. All tea is ready.
The history of the appearance of tea in Rus' is closely connected with the active promotion of Russians to the east, the conquest of Siberia, which took place in the late 16th - early 17th century. Cossack expeditions met on their way not only semi-wild peoples, hunters and reindeer herders. They were approaching the borders of a huge ancient empire, the homeland of gunpowder, paper and tea. The answer to the question of where tea came from in Russia is beyond doubt - the drink loved by our people came from China.
An old document, which many researchers consider a fake, tells about the Cossack expedition of 1567. Atamans Yalyshev and Petrov, who visited China, describe the custom of brewing the leaves of a special shrub for drinking. Even assuming the veracity of the information, it is impossible to start counting the history of tea in Rus' from this event, because then no one was interested in the outlandish drink.
Most researchers agree that The procession of tea across Rus' to the state began in 1638. It was then that the ambassadors of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich visited the ruler of the western Mongolian lands, Altyn Khan. Khan received rich gifts from them and, according to custom, had to answer the Russian Tsar with no less expensive gifts. Together with sable skins and Chinese silk, the khan handed over to the ambassador parcels containing about 64 kilograms of dried leaves of a plant unknown to Russians. (Tea has been known to the Mongols since the 12th century). The ambassador was Vasily Starkov, the son of a Tomsk boyar. He did not immediately agree to accept a strange grass, fearing to drop the honor of his sovereign. However, the Mongols almost managed to convince him of the value of the gift.
In 1639, the ambassadors brought gifts from the Mongol Khan to Moscow. According to some sources, the tsar invited the boyars to taste the sent product. In dry form, the tea leaves did not impress the Russian nobles, however, after asking the ambassadors, the tea was brewed as expected. Both the ruler himself and his entourage liked the taste of a strong drink. But things didn't go any further. the tea ran out and they forgot about it for a while.
In 1654 Baikov Fedor Isakovich went to China on an embassy mission. The purpose of the trip was to establish diplomatic and trade relations with China. Baikov failed to complete this task, but before returning to Russia, he bought tea leaves, as he was used to drinking an invigorating hot drink every day during his stay in China.
The Spread of Tea and the Emergence of Tea Traditions
The next mention of tea dates back to 1665. Documents report that Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was treated for a cold with hot tea. The treatment turned out to be effective, the rumor about the miraculous herb began to spread throughout Moscow, where Chinese tea first appeared. From that moment on, we can talk about the growing popularity of the drink in Russia.
The first documentary information about the trade in tea leaves in Rus' dates back to 1674. Trade relations with China are beginning to be established, Moscow merchants are bringing raw silk, pearls, paints, and, of course, tea from the Celestial Empire. It is sold in Moscow pharmacies as a medicine.
Another date about which worth mentioning - 1689. It was then that an agreement was concluded with China, which determined the borders of states and laid the foundation for regular trade relations. Caravans loaded with valuable goods moved from Russia to China and back - there was no money circulation between the countries at that time, trade was in the nature of an exchange. Russian merchants brought expensive furs, caviar, and gold to the Celestial Empire. Caravans were returning with a cargo of Chinese fabrics, tea and other goods.
The duration of the caravan journey from the Chinese border to Moscow was several months, which led to very high prices for tea during this period (late 17th - first half of the 18th century).
The tea trade was almost entirely in the hands of Moscow merchants. Only very rich people could afford to buy a foreign delicacy. At the same time, the infusion of the tea leaf is gradually no longer perceived solely as a medicine, it becomes a favorite drink of the nobility and merchants, being a kind of evidence of prosperity. A special, Russian culture of tea drinking begins to take shape. Tea is available during this period mainly to wealthy citizens, for the periphery, the drink remains little known.
The beginning of the tea "boom" in Russia
Since 1728, when the so-called Treaty of Kyakhta was signed between Russia and China, trade from a caravan gradually turns into a frontier one. The tiny town of Kyakhta on the border of two worlds is becoming the center of a booming tea trade. The number of tea leaves imported into Russia is growing rapidly.
According to available data, in 1811, 80,000 poods of this product were imported into the country, and in 1820 - over 100,000 poods. It was tea that accounted for 88% of all Russian-Chinese trade in that period.
Not only Muscovites drink it. The drink becomes an integral part of the culture of the Russian population of Siberia (the neighborhood of peoples for whom the use of tea has long become a daily necessity, the Mongols and the Chinese, affects). It is very popular among the peoples of the Volga region, especially among the Tatars.
The attitude of Russians to the drink is clearly reflected in the notes of the merchant that have come down to us, dated 1764: “Tea is an indispensable product in our trade with China, we are used to Chinese tea, and we will not be able to give up this habit.”
The origin of the words denoting tea in different languages is curious. In the northern provinces of China, where Russian merchants bought the goods, it was called "cha", hence the Russian name for this plant and drink originated. In Europe, the tea leaf was delivered by sea from the southern regions of the Celestial Empire, where it was denoted by the word "those" - that is why in European languages tea is called a consonant name.
Tea culture in Russia in the 18th-19th century
Near 19th century tea ceased to be an elite drink available only to the rich. Its price decreased, and the drink appeared in ordinary people. Tea drinking has become an obligatory and favorite ritual both in secular living rooms and in peasant huts.
The use of tea rapidly acquired traditions - they drank it with honey and raspberries, with traditional sweet pastries. Tea drinking has firmly become part of the custom of receiving guests. In Russia, it is customary to brew tea in special small teapots, and then dilute the strong infusion with boiling water. This is a specific Russian way of making a drink, which appeared as one of the options to save valuable leaves.
Evidence of the wide spread of tea traditions in Russia is also found in the notes of European travelers: “Russians, even the poorest, have a kettle and a copper samovar at home and drink tea in the mornings and evenings with their families… The rustic simplicity of the dwelling forms a striking contrast with the elegant and delicate drink., which they drink in it, ”writes Astolf de Custune, who visited Russia during the reign of Nicholas I.
The spread of tea in Russia was not only forever imprinted in Russian culture and traditions, it gave impetus to the development of new types of industrial production. So, in the middle of the 18th century, the production of the first samovars began in the country, which became one of the most colorful and recognizable symbols of Russian life. Following the samovars, the production of special, unique Russian porcelain was developed, intended for the most part specifically for the traditional ritual of tea drinking.
The modern life of a Russian is unthinkable without the daily use of tea. This product has been inseparable from Russian culture and traditions of hospitality for several centuries.
Russian tea culture dates back centuries. It has always been and will always be cold in Russia, and therefore it is no secret to anyone that whole caravans of tea were brought to us from China.
Tsars, nobles, and peasants loved to eat this drink - the Russians fell in love with it very much. A
It is a mistake to think that tea appeared in Rus' solely at the behest of the "Western" reformer Peter I as another innovation. It is very likely that the Russians got acquainted with tea in the days of the Golden Horde. But it is safe to say that the history of Russian tea begins with Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov. The king, as a diplomatic gift, received some miraculous and healing herbs from Altyn Khan. The fact is that Altyn Khan, the heir to the Genghisides dynasty and the lord of the Mongol state, which vaguely resembled that huge empire of Genghis Khan, did not know how to present the Moscow ambassadors, and therefore he handed the guests bundles of grass from China. And tea has firmly entered into Mongolian cuisine since the XII century, when the nomads fought with the Chinese Song dynasty. Herbs from Mongolia came to Tomsk, and from there in 1639 to Moscow. So the drink ended up in our area and became inseparable from Russian life. It was drunk as a medicinal and tonic. For example, Alexei Mikhailovich was treated with it for a cold. Soon, tea herbs hit the pharmacies of Moscow. Actually, the entire Russian tea culture spread from this city, because Moscow merchants completely controlled the trade in this product. From 1689, China began to steadily supply tea to Russia in exchange for furs. And if we return to Peter I again, we will find that by 1725, about three thousand pounds of tea were imported into the country, which is about forty-eight tons every year.
Tea caravan from China
Tea appeared in Russia under Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov
Beijing and Moscow are separated by huge distances. But between them stands Kyakhta - a Chinese town on the border, from where huge caravans with tea leaves went to Russia. Now Kyakhta is nothing more than a small town in Buryatia, and earlier it was a real "tea capital". Here the goods were carefully packed into baskets and mounted on camels. Delivery of cargo across Siberia was possible only in winter, and the road along the route Moscow - Kazan - Perm - Yekaterinburg - Tyumen - Tomsk - Irkutsk took from seventy days, best case up to half a year. A tea merchant could earn 50 rubles in one trip. At the same time, the Russian customs also received a good deal from import duties. By 1854, 58 merchant houses were trading here with a total turnover of 10 million silver rubles. By the way, in the same year, as many as five thousand tons of tea herbs were transported through Kyakhta. And the peak of imports fell on 1907, when more than 90 thousand tons were brought to the Russian Empire.
Tea prices in pre-revolutionary Russia
Such an increase in imports can be explained by the "tea boom" that thundered, if not brewed, throughout the empire in the 19th century. Despite the high price, Chinese herbs fell in love with all classes without exception: from the emperor himself to the poor peasants. In 1821, the so-called decree of Alexander I was issued, which allowed "sale of tea in various tavern establishments from 7 am to 12 pm and keep tea in restaurants." Tea shops and taverns opened all over Moscow, where tea was brewed in batches.
Within a century, the amount of tea consumed in Russia has grown at least twenty times. These are the impressions Astolf de Custune, who visited Russia during the reign of Nicholas I, shares his impressions: “Russians, even the poorest, have a kettle and a copper samovar at home and drink tea in the family circle in the mornings and evenings ... The rustic simplicity of the dwelling forms a striking contrast with an elegant and delicate drink which they drink in it.
Warehouse in the tea capital Kyakhta
Ivan tea was an artificial substitute for Chinese
Indeed, Astolf de Custun is right. Tea was even included in the compulsory diet of a soldier during the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878. The widespread development of the tea industry also pushed the production of samovars. In Tula, 120 thousand pieces were produced per year. And when a railway was built along the tea route from Kyakhta to Moscow, the price of the goods fell sharply, because transport costs were significantly reduced, and herbal drink as such has become more. Along with this, the sea route through Odessa was also opened, but only tea was already from India and Ceylon. However, Chinese suppliers did not lose out in competition and retained the lion's share of all tea imports.Not surprisingly, by the beginning of the twentieth century, Russia became the world's largest tea consumer after China. Our country has developed its own culture of tea drinking. The drink was prepared in a samovar, they liked to drink it in saucers, black varieties were more valued than green or gray ones. He replaced alcohol, because he also had tonic properties. Often, instead of Chinese grass, they slipped their own - “import-substituted”. This was Ivan-tea or fireweed, whose dried brown leaves very much resembled real ones. A decoction of Ivan tea has long been used in Rus', it was dubbed as a "legal surrogate." Fireweed was even exported abroad as a contraband product and was often mixed with real tea, which was strictly prohibited. However, the trade police failed to completely get rid of Ivan-tea.
Overland supply routes Chinese tea passed through the whole of Siberia
The idea to grow your own tea has long lived in Russia. The Bolsheviks really got down to business when the ambitious task was set to reduce dependence on imports of foreign goods, including tea. For this, it was even adopted special program, founded the Research Institute of Tea and Tea Industry. There was an organization "Tsentrochay", which was engaged in the redistribution of confiscated goods.
In the USSR, they grew their tea in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Krasnodar Territory
In the Krasnodar Territory, in Georgia and Azerbaijan, tea factories and plantations were built - fortunately, climatic conditions allowed. Their products hit the shelves already in the thirties, and even confidently went for export. And the peak of tea production came in the seventies, when the plantation area reached 97 thousand hectares. It is clear that perestroika and the further split of the USSR reduced the production of domestic tea. But to this day, this drink remains an integral part of our lives.
Tea is one of the favorite drinks of most the globe. Tea quenches thirst, invigorates, and sometimes even heals. However, tea drinking has become a real tradition for Russia. Many proverbs and sayings, songs and poems have been composed about tea drinking. Even guests in Russia are invited for tea. So what is interesting about the culture of domestic tea drinking?
The history of tea drinking in Rus'
It is generally accepted that tea appeared in Rus' in the 17th century. It is known for certain that he came from China. Tea invigorated and helped fight drowsiness, so initially we used it for medicine. But later, the Russians fell in love with the drink so much that in the same century an agreement was signed between Russia and China for the supply of tea.
Especially desired drink tea became popular during the reign of Catherine II. I really liked the drink. Tea drinking became a whole ceremony. Over tea, the conversation at home went well, and the affairs of state were better resolved. Related industries helped tea to spread throughout the country. Samovars appeared, porcelain dishes, which were considered exclusively "tea".
Tea traditions and customs
Since tea was originally available only to the high class, many tea traditions in Rus' came from them.
- The solemnity of the moment. By the time of tea drinking, according to custom in Rus', they carefully prepared. They laid a light tablecloth, set up a shiny samovar and baked sweet and savory pastries.
- The rich decoration of the table is traditional for tea drinking in Rus'. Tea was drunk with milk or honey. And also washed them down with pastries and sweets.
- Tea drinking usually lasted a long time. Now the time of this process has been greatly reduced. And before you could drink from 5 to 20 cups of tea.
Tea for everyone
In Rus', there was far from one variety of tea. Because later tea began to be delivered not only from China, but also from India, as well as by sea. Varieties with additives appeared. Petersburg people liked to drink Chinese tea with jasmine. However, due to the high cost of the drink, fakes often occurred. Under the guise of Chinese tea, they could sell ordinary herbal preparations. Such "teas" were made from oregano, willow-herb, bark and leaves of trees, as well as crushed fruits and berries.
- Drinking tea from a saucer was considered vulgar among the aristocracy.
- In order for the tea to be brewed as soon as possible, a special “woman” was used on the teapot - a heating pad, which helped to keep the drink warm for a long time.
- Romance (a musical genre) appeared during tea parties. Since many topics were discussed at the table, it was not difficult to put "life" verses on music.
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