**1. The history of Korean tea**

Tea plant seeds were brought to Korea from China in 828 CE and planted on Jiri Mount in southern Gyeongsang Province. Korean tea history started from the Three Kingdoms, Goryeo and Joseon Dynasties to present for about 1200 yearold tradition. Now, Korean tea culture has been developed to Korean pottery, tea books, and people who like tea and lantern festivals, etc. However, Korean people employ tea as the symbol for communication, reflection, social justice, loyalty, filial piety and manners, etc. Korean Darye translates to "etiquette for tea," which is a way of slowing down and relaxing the mind in everyday life with tea. Almost all of South Korea's tea is grown in the peninsula where people enjoy sea breezes from the Korean strait and the East Sea at the Boseong, Hadong, Jeju and Jangheung regions. Most of the tea produced is green tea picked up from April to May by

hand and machine. Nowadays, green tea (powder green tea), yellow tea, black tea, post-fermented tea and blending tea are produced in the southern region and its consumption have increased every year.

Byeongcha was popular during the Tang Dynasty (China). It is rapidly spread beyond Korean nobles. A small piece of Byeongcha was dug at an ancient tomb of Goguryeo. It is the representative of Korean tea, which has developed uniquely for long time in terms of Korean climate, custom and preferences. The Borimsa temple served as the main during the Three Kingdoms Dynasty. Historical Borimsa records about tea in Jangheung [1]. The Chungtaejeon is post-fermented tea that is a kind of Byeongcha (mold) and looks similar to the coin that is called Doncha (shape).
