TEA originated in China and spread to the rest of the world long ago. It is more than a popular beverage—it is a delicacy which can be both eaten and drunk, and around which many customs and rituals have been formed. Historical records show that tea leaves were first eaten, starting from the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C.). They were not steeped as a beverage until the early Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-23 A.D.). More formal tea-drinking rituals TEA originated in China and spread to the rest of the world long ago. It is more than a popular beverage-it is a delicacy which can be both eaten and drunk, and around which many customs and rituals have been formed. The tea leaves were first eaten, starting from the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). They were not steeped as a beverage until the early Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-23 AD). More formal tea-drinking rituals