Tea today is the second most consumed beverage in the world, just after water. The history of tea is long and complex, spreading across multiple cultures over the span of thousands of years. The stories around tea are often religious or royal in nature. One legend is that Emperor Shen Nung of China came across the Camellia Sinensis plant back in 2737BC; a few leaves stirred by the wind fell in to a pot of boiling water as his troops took refuge under the tree, giving the world its first taste of tea. Others claim that tea originated in 1500 BC–1046 BC in China and was discovered by the Shang Dynasty as a medicated drink. Whether or not these legends have any real facts attached to them or not, one can safely assume that that tea has played a significant role in Asian culture for centuries and became a staple beverage.
We found an interesting video on History of tea on ted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaLvVc1sS20