The tea originated from the eyelids of…

This surprising title has its justification – according to one legend, tea was born from the eyelids of the Buddhist monk, Bodhidharma. He meditated in a cave near the Shaolin Monastery for nine years. After several years of intensive practice, he felt lethargic. Disappointed by his weakness, he cut off his eyelids and threw them away. After a while, out of the eyelids the shrubs grew, whose leaves helped him fight fatigue – Bodhidharma chewed them and this made him feel crisp.

Bodhidharma is credited with bringing Zen Buddhism from India to China. Around the year 500, this monk appeared at the Chinese court, but his teachings were misunderstood by the emperor who expelled him. Bodhidharma went to the Henan Province, to the Shaolin Monastery, where he also did not meet with acceptance, and the local monks did not let him inside the gates.

Eventually, Bodhidharma settled for nine years in a nearby cave (which still exists today) and meditated, gazing at the wall. His long period of meditation was unusual. Legend has it that his legs withered as a result of sitting in the zazen position for a long time, and in some versions of the story they stuck to his torso. He also cut off his hands, because they interfered with his meditation. According to the legend, from the severed eyelids a tea bush grew. However, his numerous amputations did not prevent him from writing a work entitled “Zen Teaching.”

In time, the monks from the monastery began to appreciate Bodhidharma and let him inside the gates. He thought they were too sleepy, so he introduced exercises that later evolved into today’s kung-fu.

The Buddhist monks were quick to recognise the tea’s flavour qualities, often drinking it while meditating. They learned how to cultivate and process it, creating a ritual of drinking this remarkable beverage. At that time a saying arose: “Meditation and tea have the same taste” – bitter and discouraging at first, but over time, after a few sips and gaining experience, it becomes full and enriching.