Spies, Smugglers, and How a Bitter Plant Became the World's Favorite Drink

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Who was the first to start planting tea? When and why did we start drinking it, and why does half the world call it "cha" or "chai," and the other half "tea"? These might sound like simple questions, but the answers explore thousands of years of wars, conflicts, controversies and even acts of espionage. From the spread of Buddhism to the American Revolution, the story of tea is a wild ride through our global history.

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0:00 - Introduction
1:05 - The Necessity of Life
3:37 - Shennong
5:05 - Tu vs. Tea
7:51 - Laphet Thoke
13:27 - The Real Start of the Story
14:59 - Mahayana
17:06 - Lu Yu
19:51 - The Tea Ceremony
24:39 - Japan and Korea
28:25 - The Tea Horse Road
31:11 - Yak Butter Tea
36:33 - All the Tea
40:44 - The Trade Begins
44:16 - London and Boston
47:38 - Afternoon Tea
50:17 - Opium Wars
53:51 - The Spy
56:12 - India and Beyond
1:00:34 - Masala Chai
1:02:14 - Everything About Everything
1:08:09 - Credits and Post-Credits

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Video Credits:

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