The Historical Story of Leicha

Smashing tea, also called loose tea or shaking tea, is one of the traditional ways of drinking tea in China. Its history can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty.

According to legend, in the Tang Dynasty, there was a poet named Li He who liked drinking tea very much. One day, when he was drinking tea, he felt that the tea was too broken, so it was better to pound it into powder to drink. He put the tea in a stone mortar and slowly pounded it into mud with a stone pestle. Mashed tea leaves turn into powder, which tastes better and richer. This is the origin of smashing tea.

Later, tea smashing gradually spread to the south of China, becoming a very common way of drinking tea. In the Song Dynasty, folk artists in the south began to smash tea as a performing art. They performed in the market, mashed tea with stone mortar and wooden sticks, and added various seasonings. Finally, they pour the tea into a bowl with a bamboo tube, add boiling water, stir and drink. This kind of performance was appreciated and loved by people and became the cultural characteristic of the south at that time.

By the Qing Dynasty, smashing tea had become popular in southern society. People drink tea smashing not only to quench their thirst, but also to enjoy the fun and health benefits of tea smashing. Today, as a traditional tea culture in China, Leicha still maintains a popular position in the south of China.