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Linking East and West through Trade Routes: Teas of ASEAN
By Jeong Seung-ho (Director, Korea Tea Sommelier Institute)

Tea fields of Chiang Mai, Thailand, enshrouded in early morning fog

The 10 countries of ASEAN, which are located throughout the Indochina Peninsula, Malay Peninsula, Indian Ocean, and over the South China Sea’s many islands, have a diverse tea culture that is based on the region’s unique historical background.

The Indochina Peninsula, which is made up of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam, is known as the home of India’s Assam tea as well as wild tea trees (as is China’s Yunnan Province). The peoples of ASEAN have a long history of using tea leaves not only as a beverage but also a food source via fermentation. Teas of ASEAN were distributed through the Ancient Tea Route, also known as “Tea Horse Road,” which began in Pu’er County in Yunnan Province. Tea Horse Road eventually became a major trade route that connected East and West, stretching as far as India and Arabia.

Malaysia and Indonesia’s Java and Sumatra, located between the Indian Ocean and South China Sea, were major stops in sea trade routes. In the 17th century, the Dutch took on the role of importing tea from China and Japan and selling it across Europe. This resulted in high-quality ASEAN teas spreading worldwide by both land and sea, making tea an important part of many different cultures.

Article may not reflect the opinion of the editorial board of the ASEAN Culture House Monthly.