The Tang Dynasty marked a golden era for tea, with the beverage gaining popularity among scholars, monks, and the general population. Tea cultivation expanded, and new processing methods, including steaming the leaves to prevent oxidation (a crucial step for green tea), were developed. This period also saw the creation of The Classic of Tea (Cha Jing), a seminal text written by Lu Yu around 780 CE. It detailed tea cultivation, processing, and the art of tea drinking, further establishing tea as a cultural symbol.
During the Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE), tea culture evolved into an art form, with the introduction of powdered tea, similar to modern matcha. Tea competitions, where the quality of tea preparation was judged, became popular. The emphasis on tea aesthetics and rituals during this period laid the foundation for Japan’s later tea ceremony practices.
