"Sick of tea? That's like being sick of breathing!" — Iroh.[1]

Tea is a commonly served beverage in the World of Avatar, seen mostly in the provinces of the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation archipelago.^[2] It is made from a variety of leaves and herbs, which are steeped in hot water and drunk. Additives, such as milk or sugar, are not commonly added to the brew.

Almost every person in the world has had tea at some point, due to its availability. Though relatively common, tea is not actively consumed in the Water Tribes.

The most notable drinker of tea was Iroh, who enjoyed it on a common basis, and had a lifelong dream of opening a tea shop,^[2] something achieved when he opened the Jasmine Dragon in Ba Sing Se.^[3]

Contents 1 Varieties 1.1 Chi-enhancement 1.2 Ginger 1.3 Ginseng 1.4 Green 1.5 Jasmine 1.6 Leechi 1.7 White jade 1.8 Spiced tea 1.9 Tapioca 1.10 White dragon 2 Customs 3 Notable tea houses 3.1 Pao Family Tea House 3.2 Jasmine Dragon 4 Real world connection 5 Trivia 6 References 7 See also

Varieties Edit

Chi-enhancement Edit

Chi-enhancing tea is a natural stimulant. When drunk by members of the military, it improves strength and increases energy ten-fold. In an attempt to induce the Avatar State, General Fong gave Aang this tea, though he simply became hyper-active as a result.^[4]

The ingredients involved in the creation of this brew are not specified, though the intended effects and those seen on Aang suggest it may be the Avatar World's equivalent to caffeine.

Ginger Edit

An herbal concoction, ginger tea is made through the use of ginger roots. It is primarily used as medicine.

Ginseng Edit

A Fire Nation favorite, Zuko and Iroh were served ginseng tea during their stay at Zhao's base. Iroh enjoyed many cups of this tea, and claimed it to be his favorite upon leaving.^[5]

Green Edit

Green tea is one of the many teas served in Iroh's teashop. It is enjoyed primarily by citizens of the Earth Kingdom.

Jasmine Edit

Said to be a relatively soothing brew, jasmine tea is a favorite of Iroh's. He offered it to Zuko right after he saw the light in the sky resulting from Aang being freed from the iceberg.^[6]

Leechi Edit

A tea available in Iroh's teashop, this brew is vastly enjoyed by the citizens of the Earth Kingdom, specifically of Ba Sing Se. This tea is made from leechi nuts, and as such, is commonly found in many parts of the globe, due to the fruit's availability.

White jade Edit

This is a tea made from the white jade bush. Ming served a cup of this brew to Iroh when he was held detained in the Capital City Prison, stating that she knew how much he liked rare teas.^[7]

Spiced tea Edit

A spiced tea commonly served in the Fire Nation archipelago.

Tapioca Edit

Invented by Iroh, this kind of tea is made by cooking balls of tapioca until they become soft and tender. The tapioca sit at the bottom of the cup of tea and the server adds a little milk.^[8]

White dragon Edit

The white dragon bush is a plant that grows in the eastern Earth Kingdom. It produces tea that Iroh describes as "so delicious, it's heartbreaking". Apparently, it is often confused with the poisonous white jade due to the plants' similar appearances and coloration.^[9]

Customs Edit

Tea is customarily served to people of all statuses, whether royalty or poverty-stricken citizens. As hinted by Iroh, pouring someone's tea may be a sign of respect, or merely an act of politeness.

Notable tea houses Edit

Pao Family Tea House Edit

Main article: Pao Family Tea House

The Pao Family Tea House is a tea house in the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se owned by Pao. It enjoyed commercial success during the short period that Iroh worked there.

Jasmine Dragon Edit

Main article: Jasmine Dragon

The Jasmine Dragon was a tea house owned by Iroh and located in the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se. It was frequented by the wealthy due to Iroh's reputation of being the best tea-maker in Ba Sing Se.

Real world connection Edit

Tea is also a very common drink in the real world, especially in Asia and England, the former being a culture from which the television show draws a lot of influence. Many types of tea in the Avatar World also exist in the real world.

Trivia Edit

• During his temporary reign as Fire Lord in 101 ASC, Iroh declared there would be a "National Tea Appreciation Day".^[10]

References Edit

↑ "City of Walls and Secrets". Tim Hedrick (writer) & Lauren MacMullan (director). Avatar: The Last Airbender. Nickelodeon. September 22, 2006. No. 14, Book Two: Earth ↑ 2.0 2.1 Throughout Avatar: The Last Airbender. ↑ "The Guru". Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko (writers) & Giancarlo Volpe (director). Avatar: The Last Airbender. Nickelodeon. December 1, 2006. No. 19, Book Two: Earth ↑ "The Avatar State". Aaron Ehasz, Elizabeth Welch Ehasz, Tim Hedrick, John O'Bryan (writers) & Giancarlo Volpe (director). Avatar: The Last Airbender. Nickelodeon. March 17, 2006. No. 1, Book Two: Earth ↑ "The Southern Air Temple". Michael Dante DiMartino (writer) & Lauren MacMullan (director). Avatar: The Last Airbender. Nickelodeon. February 25, 2005. No. 3, Book One: Water ↑ "The Boy in the Iceberg". Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko (writers) & Dave Filoni (director). Avatar: The Last Airbender. Nickelodeon. February 21, 2005. No. 1, Book One: Water ↑ "The Day of Black Sun, Part 1: The Invasion". Michael Dante DiMartino (writer) & Giancarlo Volpe (director). Avatar: The Last Airbender. Nickelodeon. November 30, 2007. No. 10, Book Three: Fire ↑ Gene Yang (w), Gurihiru (a). The Promise Part 3 (September 26, 2012), Dark Horse Comics ↑ "The Cave of Two Lovers". Joshua Hamilton (writer) & Lauren MacMullan (director). Avatar: The Last Airbender. Nickelodeon. March 24, 2006. No. 2, Book Two: Earth ↑ Gene Yang (w), Gurihiru (a). The Search Part 1 (March 20, 2013), Dark Horse Comics

See also Edit

• Cuisine in the World of Avatar

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