TRIBUTE TEA - "Tea"

The modern Chinese word for tea is cha. Why, then, do we call it "tea"? The answer lies in the means of export. European countries, such as Britain, France, Germany and Spain (and later the United States), received tea originally by ship from the port of Amoy (now Xiamen) in Fujian province.

In the local dialect of Amoy, tea was referred to as "tay" and was exported under that name, while in countries such as Russia, Turkey, and India (where tea is called "cha" or "chai"), tea arrived via over-land routes and thus was sold under the more common name of cha.

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	The modern Chinese word for tea is *cha. Why, then, do we call it "tea"? The answer lies in the means of export. European countries, such as Britain, France, Germany and Spain (and later the United States), received tea originally by ship from the port of Amoy (now Xiamen) in Fujian province. In the local dialect of Amoy, tea was referred to as "tay" and was exported under that name, while in countries such as Russia, Turkey, and India (where tea is called "cha" or "chai"), tea arrived via over-land routes and thus was sold under the more common name of cha*. (RETURN)
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