Upon visiting a Chinese home, the first thing a guest is offered is a steaming cup of tea. Both quotidian and essential, tea has been one of the pillars of Chinese culture for thousands of years. Its rise to prominence in Western culture traces the evolution of global trade routes. Having inspired, at various points in history, myriad cultural rituals as well as imperialism and even war--tea is for its enthusiasts the stuff of obsession, and for billions around the world, an elixir for everyday life.

Pearl River invites you to explore the many facets of tea in history and modern times with our overview of tea. Browse any of the sections of this newsletter using the table of contents, or follow the links at the bottom of each page.