Of course, tea is not an original Russian drink. However, over the centuries that he was drunk in Russia, he greatly influenced the culture of the country, and not only culinary and etiquette. This hot drink contributed to the development of international trade, industry and crafts. Today, Russia is one of the first places in its consumption per capita. But despite this, few people know how tea appeared in Russia and who brought it home first. But the story is more than entertaining.
Legend only
Of course, the exact dates for the appearance of tea on Russian soil do not exist. However, all historians agree that this happened in the 16-17th centuries - even earlier than in England and Holland. According to one version, tea was first tried by Ivan the Terrible atamans Petrov and Yalyshev. According to the information of the famous collector of ancient texts I. Sakharov, this happened in 1567. However, later historians expressed a different version of who brought tea to Russia.
The first Russian tasters ...
So, in 1638, the Russian ambassador Vasily Starkov was sent on a mission to the Mongol Khan Altan Kuchkun. As a gift he was offered gold utensils, expensive sable furs, wild honey and cloth. Khan liked the Russian gifts so much that in response he sent a whole caravan. Among the gifts were four bales of tea.
However, Russian Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich did not immediately appreciate the dried grass, considering it unsuitable. Only after detailed inquiries by Vasily Starkov, the drink “tea” was appreciated, but quickly forgotten without regular deliveries from China.
They only remembered him almost 30 years later, when his son, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, was already sick. The court doctor offered tea as a healing drink. For a long time, tea was considered a medicine. Everything changed the further campaign of the Khan to Moscow. Since the end of the 17th century, tea drinking has become a part of Russian culture.
... and the first tea traditions
So, delivery to Russia, up to the 19th century, was carried out by land caravans that went from China for 16 months. The cost of tea was high. Such a drink was clearly not affordable for an ordinary Russian person. Mostly members of the royal family, boyars, nobles and wealthy merchants could afford it. It was at this time that the presence of tea in the house was considered a sign of prosperity and prosperity and their tea traditions appeared in Russia.
So, unlike China, it was customary to drink it in a large company, serving jam, pastries and other sweets to it. Brewed tea in special teapots, then diluted with boiling water. So this hot drink is drunk only in Russia - this is a national tradition. The appearance of tea in Russia led to the invention of a samovar, which was the best suited to Russian tea parties.
With the opening of the Siberian Railway (at the end of the 19th century) and the beginning of the export of tea from Ceylon and India, the cost of the drink dropped sharply and it began to be drunk everywhere. Of course, elite varieties from Northern China still preferred to know. Peasants and city dwellers preferred cheaper Indian varieties or even a surrogate. Tea was the first product to be faked in Russia.
Impact on industry and trade
The history of tea in Russia is closely connected with the development of international trade relations and the development of industry. For a long time, tea was brought from North China, making a long transition through Siberia, which greatly contributed to the development of this part of the country as an industrial and commercial center. The same Irkutsk, until the beginning of the 20th century, was a staging post for all tea caravans. In addition, cloth, furs and honey were brought from China to Russia in return. By the end of the 19th century, trade between the countries amounted to 6 million rubles — a third of all imports to the Russian Empire.
In addition, after tea appeared in Russia, new factories and plants began to appear. So, Tula has become a center for the production of samovars. Already in the middle of the 19th century, up to 120 thousand a year were made in 28 different factories. To this day, the Tula samovar is considered one of the symbols of Russia. Also at the end of the 18th century, the production of Russian porcelain begins, which was greatly facilitated by the Russian Empress Catherine II. There were many private manufactories manufacturing it for the mass market. The best products, which later also became part of Russian culture, were produced at the Imperial Porcelain Factory (today - Lomonosovsky).
Tea party in Russian
Today it is difficult to imagine Russia without tea. Its influence on Russian culture is difficult to overestimate. Every day, every resident of the country drinks at least 3-4 cups a day. There are also traditions. So, what kind of tea-party is it in Russian? And how is it so different from the eastern ceremony, where the main thing is immersion in your inner world? And why, after tea appeared in Russia, was it considered a symbol of hospitality?
Since the Russians were always distinguished by generosity and kindness, the warming tea quickly became perceived as an opportunity to show their location to a dear guest. That is why in Russia always served him all kinds of goodies - kalachi, bagels, homemade jam and wild honey. Also, only in Russia it was customary to drink tea "bite." It was believed that the only way to enjoy its unique taste. And tea with lemon is called Russian all over the world. Another national tradition is to drink tea from glass glasses with cup holders.
In general, one can say that Russian tea drinking is, first of all, a long, leisurely conversation. It was for tea that friends, relatives and colleagues were invited and invited when they want to establish or strengthen relations.
Own production
The Chinese and Indian origins of tea imported into Russia made the country dependent on imports. However, for a long time it was believed that it was impossible to grow Russian tea due to adverse environmental conditions. For the first time it was possible to do this only in 1817 in the territory of Crimea. However, things did not go further than experimental and exhibition samples.
Industrial production was established only in the Soviet Union. A lot of this contributed to the love of JV Stalin for this drink. At the beginning of the 20th century, the first crop of Russian tea in Georgia was successfully harvested. Then they began to grow it in Azerbaijan and the Krasnodar Territory. The peak of the popularity of the national product came in the 70s. However, the desire of management to reduce the cost of production has led to a sharp decline in the quality of the drink. As a result, the demand for local tea among the population fell.
Impact on culture
Today, tea is an integral part of the Russian heritage. It was enjoyed with pleasure by L. Tolstoy, F. Dostoevsky and A. Pushkin. A mass of stable expressions about him appeared. Perhaps the most famous of them is "give for tea." And Kustodiev’s painting “The Merchant” completely became a kind of hymn to Russian tea drinking. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of this drink for Russia. It doesn’t matter how tea appeared in Russia, but without it the country would have been completely different.