A short story about how tea appeared in Rus'. What did they drink in Rus' before the advent of tea? History of tea in Rus'. Tea in Rus' among the people

Tea is a traditional drink in Russia, and it has been such for quite some time. However, every person should understand that tea was not always present in our country. A couple of hundred years ago, no one had ever heard of such a drink. Therefore, you will most likely be interested in learning about how tea appeared in Russia. And, of course, you should find out what they drank in Rus' before the advent of tea. The territory of modern Russia has always been quite cold), so there has always been a need for warming drinks. How did our ancestors escape the cold? They had their own set of drinks, which will be discussed now. You will find out what they drank in Rus' before the advent of tea, and also, of course, when exactly tea came here, how its culture developed and when it became the most common drink.

Mead

If we talk about what they drank in Rus' before the advent of tea, then first of all, naturally, it is worth mentioning mead. In general, in those distant times, honey was cheaper than sugar, so a lot was prepared using this product, and it is not surprising that mead gained such popularity. Initially, it was prepared through pure fermentation of honey in a barrel with berry juice. Unfortunately, this process took an incredibly long time; the drink could wait up to twenty years. However, everything changed when yeast was introduced, as it greatly speeded up the process of making mead, which could now be made in just two months. But this is not the only thing that was drunk in Rus' before the advent of tea.

Sbiten

You already know that honey was the most popular product in Rus' in ancient times, so you will not be surprised that another drink that served as a substitute for tea before it came to the territory of modern Russia was also made from honey. Only this time the cooking process did not include fermentation, the recipe was completely different. Many today call sbiten the Russian analogue of mulled wine, and now you will understand why. The fact is that when preparing this drink, water was used, which was boiled with various seasonings, such as ginger, pepper, cloves, nutmeg and so on. Then honey was added to this broth and actively stirred until the resulting mixture reached a boil again. Then the “digest” was considered ready, and it was served to the table. It is worth noting that it has existed for perhaps more than a thousand years. The first official mention of this drink in chronicles dates back to 1128. As you can see, the predecessors of tea performed their duties perfectly for many years.

Kvass

Naturally, we cannot fail to mention another drink that was extremely popular in Rus' and, by the way, is still very popular today. We are talking about kvass, which is known to absolutely everyone. When summer comes, this drink can be found everywhere, and the process of its preparation is no secret to anyone. Kvass is a fermentation product, which is most often based on bread. It would seem that something like this can in no way be tasty, but many centuries of practice have shown that this drink is a favorite among many residents of Russia (and previously, Rus').

Rus' without tea

Well, now you know what drinks were popular in Rus' before tea appeared there. But when was this? It turns out that for an impressive amount of time in the territory of modern Russia, no one had even heard of tea. Rus' was a state without tea until the mid-seventeenth century. Yes, your distant ancestors did not know what tea was, a drink without which it is difficult to imagine modern life.

Well, now you know the answer to the question about in what century tea appeared in Rus'. However, his story is so interesting that you definitely shouldn't limit yourself to just one number. Read on to find out where tea came from in Rus', what barriers there were to its spread, and when it took on its important and indispensable position in the lives of Russian people.

When did tea first appear?

The history of tea in Rus' is very interesting. Of course, people tried to brew some kind of tea even earlier, when they prepared healing potions from various herbs. However, there was no analogy between the modern drink and those tea leaves, so they cannot be considered as the ancestors of tea in Rus'. When and under what circumstances did tea come to where it is now one of the key drinks? This happened, as mentioned above, in the seventeenth century. To be more precise, the year of the appearance of this drink in Rus' is considered to be 1638. It was then that Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich received from one of the Mongol khans a strange herb, the origin and use of which was not clear to anyone, in exchange for sable skins.

Time to experiment

So, now you know when the first tea appeared in Rus', but there is one incredible story connected with it. The fact is that the resulting herb was unknown to either the tsar himself or his boyars. The boyars received a decree from the tsar: to find out what it is, and in practice. Naturally, the boyars rushed to carry out the instructions of their king, but they were faced with an insurmountable obstacle. They tried to chew, sniff and do many other things with the leaves received from the khan, but this did not work. They still tasted just as unpleasant and bitter. Of course, the king was offended by the khan and wanted to start sorting things out, since he considered such a gift in exchange for sable to be a full-fledged insult, but he figured out in time that it was worth consulting with the ambassador, who brought him this gift. It was the ambassador who shed light on the mystery, saying that the khan himself boiled these leaves and then drank the resulting decoction. Having tried this method, the king came to the conclusion that the gift was really worthwhile, so he did not quarrel with the khan. And tea began its journey to the pinnacle of success in Rus'.

Low supply period

Of course, the demand for tea was very high, but the supply did not at all match the demand. The fact is that leaves were imported from distant countries for a very long time, so the price for them was very high. Almost until the very end of the eighteenth century, only the wealthiest residents could afford this drink. Tea drinking was a holiday tradition, and noble guests were invited to it.

First Russian tea

When did the turning point occur? This happened at the beginning of the nineteenth century, when Russian scientists managed to grow their own tea in the warm climate of the Crimean Peninsula, in the local botanical garden. This was a real breakthrough, which allowed tea to become more than just a drink for the nobility. From that moment on, the popularity of tea began to grow, more and more people could afford it, but today, as you already know, every person has access to this aromatic drink.

Of course, tea is not a native Russian drink. However, over the centuries that it has been drunk in Russia, it has greatly influenced the culture of the country, and not only on cooking and etiquette. This hot drink contributed to the development of international trade, industry and folk crafts. Today Russia occupies one of the first places in its consumption per capita. But despite this, few people know how tea appeared in Rus' and who first brought it to their homeland. But the story is more than entertaining.

Only a legend

Of course, there is no exact date for the appearance of tea on Russian soil. However, all historians agree that this happened in the 16th and 17th centuries - even earlier than in England and Holland. According to one version, tea was first tasted by atamans Petrov and Yalyshev under Ivan the Terrible. According to the information of the famous collector of ancient texts I. Sakharov, this happened in 1567. However, later historians expressed a different version about 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 given gold utensils, expensive sable furs, wild honey and cloth. Khan liked the Russian gifts so much that he sent a whole caravan in response. Among the gifts were four bales of tea.

However, the Russian Tsar did not immediately appreciate the dried grass, considering it unsuitable. Only after detailed questioning of Vasily Starkov was it appreciated, but without regular supplies from China it was quickly forgotten.

They remembered him only almost 30 years later, when his son, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, fell ill. The court physician suggested tea as a healing drink. For a long time, tea was considered a medicine. Everything changed with the Khan’s subsequent campaign against Moscow. Since the end of the 17th century, tea drinking has become part of Russian culture.

...and the first tea traditions

Thus, delivery to Russia, until the 19th century, was carried out by land caravans that traveled from China for 16 months. The cost of tea was high. Such a drink was clearly beyond the means of an ordinary Russian person. It was mainly affordable by members of the royal family, boyars, nobles and wealthy merchants. It was at this time that the presence of tea in the house was considered a sign of wealth and prosperity, and tea traditions appeared in Rus'.

So, unlike China, it was customary to drink it in a large company, serving it with jam, pastries and other sweets. We brewed tea in special ones and then diluted it with boiling water. This hot drink is drunk only in Russia - it is a national tradition. The appearance of tea in Rus' led to the invention of the samovar, which was perfectly suited to Russian tea drinking.

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 people began to drink it everywhere. Of course, the nobility still preferred elite varieties from Northern China. Peasants and city residents preferred cheaper Indian varieties or even surrogates. It was tea that was the first product to be counterfeited in Russia.

Impact on industry and trade

In Rus' it is closely connected with the development of international trade relations and the development of industry. For a long time, tea was brought from Northern China, making a long journey 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 transit point for all tea caravans. In addition, cloth, furs and honey were brought to China from Russia in exchange. By the end of the 19th century, trade turnover between the countries amounted to 6 million rubles - a third of all imports into the Russian Empire.

In addition, after tea appeared in Rus', new factories and factories began to appear. Thus, Tula became a center for the production of samovars. Already in the middle of the 19th century, up to 120 thousand of them were made per year at 28 different factories. To this day, the painted Tula samovar is considered one of the symbols of Russia. Also at the end of the 18th century, the production of Russian porcelain began, which was greatly promoted by the Russian Empress Catherine II. There were many private factories producing it for the mass market. The best products, which later became part of Russian culture, were produced at (today Lomonosovsky).

Tea drinking in Russian

Today it is difficult to imagine Russia without tea. His 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 is it like - tea drinking 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 Rus', did it begin to be considered a symbol of hospitality?

Since Russians have always been distinguished by generosity and kindness, warming tea quickly began to be perceived as an opportunity to show one’s affection to a dear guest. That is why in Rus' they always served all kinds of delicacies with it - rolls, bagels, homemade jam and wild honey. Also, only in Russia was it customary to drink tea “with a bite.” It was believed that this was the only way to enjoy its unique taste. And it is even called Russian all over the world. Another national tradition is to drink tea from glass glasses with cup holders.

In general, we can say that Russian tea drinking is, first of all, a long, leisurely conversation. It was to tea that friends, relatives and colleagues were and are invited when they want to establish or strengthen relationships.

Own production

The Chinese and Indian origin 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 unfavorable natural conditions. For the first time this was done only in 1817 on the territory of Crimea. However, things never went further than experimental and exhibition samples.

Industrial production was established only in the Soviet Union. I.V. Stalin’s love for this drink contributed a lot to this. Already at the beginning of the 20th century, the first harvest of Russian tea was successfully harvested in Georgia. Then they began to grow it in Azerbaijan and the Krasnodar region. The peak of popularity of the national product occurred in the 70s. However, management's desire to reduce costs led to a sharp decline in the quality of the drink. As a result, the demand for local tea among the population has fallen.

Impact on culture

Today tea is an integral part of Russian heritage. L. Tolstoy, F. Dostoevsky and A. Pushkin drank it with pleasure. A lot of stable expressions about him appeared. Perhaps the most famous of them is “tip.” And “The Merchant’s Wife” has become a kind of hymn to Russian tea drinking. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of this drink for Russia. And it doesn’t matter how tea appeared in Rus', but without it the country would be completely different.

Strong aromatic tea and a samovar are obvious attributes of Russian culture. This drink is considered the best antidepressant; it helps calm the nervous system, improve brain activity and simply relax. I wonder when tea appeared in Rus'? The question is very interesting and informative. Before it appeared on the territory of Rus', people brewed twigs and leaves of linden, currants, and raspberries. They were dried and used as tea leaves.

Where did this drink come from in Rus'?

Not a single celebration was complete without drinking hot drinks. The tradition has reached modern society. Real tea appeared in Rus' in the 17th century. There is a legend that once the Mongol Khan Kuchkun in 1638 gave a rich reception. Among the guests were Russian ambassadors. One of them was Vasily Starkov, who brought expensive jewelry and other gifts to the khan. Kuchkun made a response gesture.

Among the Khan's gifts were at least four pounds of tea, which in those days was called “Chinese grass.” However, the Russian ambassadors were not eager to accept the unknown herb as a gift. This had to be done, taking into account the diplomatic side of the issue, so as not to offend the khan, the gifts had to be accepted.

In Rus', the drink was tried in a ceremonial setting. Surprisingly, the boyars and the tsar reacted positively to the overseas drink. After a while, they completely forgot about him.

Many years later, tea reappeared in Moscow. This happened during the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich. It was brought by foreign merchants. The royal court again liked the tea and did not interfere with its sale. Gradually the drink began to spread throughout Rus' and after a while became national.

Until the 18th century, only aristocrats and nobles drank the drink, since it was inaccessible to the lower strata of the population. In those days, tea cost a lot of money. Gradually the cost began to decrease. Tea plantations were established in Georgia and some other southern regions of Russia. Since the mid-18th century, the drink has become available to almost everyone. Tea is still in demand and popular among the population of our country. Not a single celebration is complete without it, be it a birthday celebration or simple get-togethers with neighbors.

In Rus' there were a lot of drinks that were consumed before the appearance of the well-known tea. Great-grandfathers were very fond of infusions and decoctions of fragrant herbs, drank berry fruit drinks, made kvass, compotes and from tree bark. For a beautiful color, dried carrots and beets were added to such decoctions, which were pre-fried. Fermented milk products included yogurt and whey.

But truly Russian drinks have always been:
- sbiten,
- brewer,
- mead,
- kvass,
- to be full or full.

Sbiten is a hot drink made by infusing honey with water. Honey dissolved in water with the addition of spices was boiled for half an hour. We drank this drink both cold and cold.

Tea was first brought to Russia in 1638 by the Russian boyar and ambassador Vasily Starkov as a gift from the Mongol ruler. It was not the usual drink of today, but the famous Altyn-Khaan: tea with milk and lard.

Brew and mead

Vzvarets was a thick (jelly-like) decoction - hence the name. Raspberries and beaks were most often used for cooking. The cooking process was that one pot could be simmered in the oven for up to a day, after which it was filtered and left to settle overnight.

Mead, like sbiten, was prepared using honey. By the way, sugar in Rus' not so long ago - a couple of centuries ago, and therefore honey was added to all drinks until the 18th century. The honey drink was brewed in a Russian oven with the addition of hops, after which it was taken out and left in a warm place for three days, at which time the fermentation process began.

Mead was considered ready only when air bubbles stopped floating through the liquid. The drink was poured into bottles and stored underground. It is worth noting that mead is considered a low-alcohol drink; it was served on holidays and taken to the fields during mowing.

Kvass

For the first time in Rus', kvass began to be produced and consumed as a drink in 996. It was prepared on the basis of oats, rye flour and rye sourdough. Any of these components was poured with warm boiled water with the addition of honey. The drink was infused for several days.

Thanks to Domostroy, today more than 500 types of kvass are known that were prepared in Rus'. Contrary to popular belief, this drink was drunk not only by peasants, but by boyars and even tsars.

Satiate

And finally, satiate or satiation in Rus' in ancient times replaced tea in its properties and characteristics. This drink was prepared simply: honey was diluted with boiling water and drunk hot or chilled. Aromatic herbs were often added for flavor.

It is also known that in Rus' they drank Ivan tea or Koporsky tea, which was prepared from the leaves of the fireweed plant. This drink tasted like modern tea. Interestingly, this drink is still very popular today due to its healing properties.

Did you know? Tea was tried in Russia earlier than in England and Holland. It was supplied to Europe by sea, and to us by land caravans. The “route of tea” from China to Moscow took 16 months! Being initially expensive, it almost completely replaced the traditional Russian kvass at the beginning of the 19th century! Want to know more? Read the history of the emergence and spread of tea in Russia below!

The first attempts to “graft” tea

Already in 1567, the Cossack atamans Petrov and Yalyshev, who visited China with an expedition, described a strange drink, hitherto unknown in Russia. After the Cossack expedition to China, no one showed interest in tea then, except for the members of the expedition itself. During this period, there was an active conquest of Siberia, and, consequently, a rapprochement of the borders of China and the Russian Empire, opening up opportunities for new trade directions.

For the first time in western Russia, tea was tried in 1618, when Chinese ambassadors presented several samples of tea to Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich (the first tsar of the Romanov dynasty). But this event again went unnoticed.

The appearance of tea in Russia

The beginning history of tea in Russia can be considered the year 1638, when the Russian ambassador Vasily Starkov brought tea as a gift from the Western Mongolian Altyn Khan. The eastern neighbor literally imposed 64 kg of tea in exchange for sable skins. The ambassador felt deeply deceived when he presented the khan’s gift in the form of “some leaves” to the king. “How so? Exchange furs and silver for 2 pounds of some hay dust? But soon the situation became clearer in a different way. “We don’t know what kind of tree or herb the leaves are, but they boil them in water.”– Starkov reported to the sovereign. Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich invited the boyars to a tasting of “dried leaves” - everyone sitting at the table was fascinated by the aromatic invigorating drink. And the king did not remain indifferent.

So tea appeared in Russia and began to actively penetrate Russian everyday life, but due to its rarity it was accessible only to the highest strata of society. 30-40 years after the first Russian tea party, rare tea could already be bought at fairs.

A good reason for reducing the price of tea and meeting demand was the Nerchinsk Trade Treaty, signed in 1698, according to which the border between Russia and China along the Argun River was determined. A little later, a new trade agreement was signed with China, implying private duty-free trade between states.

At the insistence of the Chinese side, trade passed through one point on the established border. In 1728, the Kyakhta trading settlement was built on the Russian border, and in 1730, on the Chinese side, “Maimachen” (in Chinese Mǎ imà iché ng(買賣城) – “trading settlement”)

Mainly furs were exported to China through Kyakhta, and tea from China. Silk and cotton fabrics and porcelain products were delivered in small quantities. For about a century, it was Kyakhta that supplied tea to all of Russia.

Despite the trade union, the cost of tea remained high, which is why it was still affordable only for the rich layer of the Russian population. After the death of Catherine the Great (1796), the price of Chinese tea fell, causing it to spread throughout Russian, at first, urban society, gradually replacing the traditional Russian drink - kvass. It was from the beginning of the 19th century that the mass distribution of tea throughout the Russian Empire began.

It is interesting to note that Moscow was the dominant distribution market for tea in the European part of Russia throughout the 19th century. Even to the capital, St. Petersburg, tea was brought from Moscow.

Tea, or rather the method of preparing it, fit perfectly into the Russian mentality: cordiality, warmth and intimacy - all this created its own.

Already in 1814, Russia made attempts to cultivate tea in Crimea, but the new culture did not take root. The second attempt was made in 1847 in Ozurgeti (now Southwestern Georgia) and was crowned with success. Soon after this, tea began to be grown in the regions of the North Caucasus (now it is Krasnodar tea)

By the way, do you know why in Russia there is “Tea”, and in Europe “Tea”? This comes from China itself, or more precisely, from Chinese dialects and different pronunciations in different provinces of the Celestial Empire. Read more about this in the previous entry “”. And here are the notes on and about.

Another interesting fact: it seems that 20 years ago, any tea other than Indian or Ceylon was in short supply in Russia. It was impossible to find either green or even tea with fruit additives (“compotes”). But in pre-revolutionary times, green tea was known to connoisseurs much better than is commonly thought. Since the 70s, for political reasons, the import of Chinese tea was replaced by Indian and Ceylon tea.

"The Great Tea Route"

Monument “Great Tea Route”

By the end of the 19th century, the Siberian Highway could no longer satisfy the demand and needs of Russian society, so the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway began. The completion of the construction of the highway sounded like a “funeral hymn” for the colorful Russian caravans and the great tea route along with the Kyakhta trading outpost. Transportation costs and expenses dropped sharply, making tea cheaper and more accessible to everyone.

Interesting news! Since 2012, the great tea route will be opened as a tourist route for motorists.

This is the history of tea in Russia until the beginning of the 20th century! What can you say about this?