When was tea invented?

The earliest record of tea drinking is from China during the Shang dynasty (16th–11th century BC). Tea was first used as a medicinal drink, but it gradually became a popular beverage. By the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD), tea drinking had spread to Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Tea was introduced to Europe by the Portuguese in the 16th century, and it quickly became a popular drink in England, France, and the Netherlands.