History of matcha tea: from Song diancha to the legacy of Uji

The matcha we enjoy in a bowl today has a history that begins centuries earlier in Song Dynasty China. There, a method of preparing powdered tea was established, laying the foundation for what would eventually flourish in Japan as matcha.

Chinese origins: powdered tea and the diancha method

During the Song Dynasty, tea was finely ground, sifted, and brewed with hot water in a process known as diancha. This method, with its well-defined set of steps such as grinding the tea, sifting it, and heating the water, occupies a key transitional place in the history of tea and is the direct antecedent of Japanese matcha.

Song dynasty tea culture also left its mark on the selection of teaware. Emperor Huizong, author of the treatise Da Guan Cha Lun, praised blue-black glazed bowls and particularly valued the hare-fur glaze effect, an aesthetic associated with the renowned Jian pottery, known today as jian zhan . In everyday use, black, green, and white glazed bowls were common among Song users, with black bowls achieving great prestige .

A revealing anecdote about cultural exchange: Japanese monks studying in China brought these Jian bowls from the Tianmu mountain area to Japan. There they began to be called tenmoku, a name that was generally adopted to refer to these black-glazed pieces, reflecting the profound Song dynasty influence on Japanese tea service .

Why black bowls were the kings of whipped tea and the direct bridge to matcha

Imagine a fragrant wooden table, oil lamps, and two tea masters facing each other. Each whisks their powdered tea with a firm, elegant rhythm. The judges don't just look at the flavor: they seek a dense, white foam, free of marks on the bowl. In Song China, that foam was the pride of the diancha technique. And that's where the black bowl comes in.

Why did they prefer their tea this way, and what role did the black bowl play?

• The foam is king: in the competitions of that era, the whiter, finer, and more persistent the foam, the better. The deep black of Jian zhan's bowls made that "snow" stand out at first glance. The contrast wasn't a whim; it was a criterion of excellence.
• Heat well retained: the Jian bowls, thick and with iron-rich enamels, retained the temperature better. The stable heat helps the batter emulsify and the foam last longer, just like today when we prepare a good usucha.
• Designed for whisking: a wide mouth, walls that capture the whisk's movement, and a bottom just deep enough to allow the tea to develop body without splashing. Preheating the bowl was a key step to ensure the foam adhered cleanly, without leaving watermarks on the walls.
• A texture that enhances the light: those dark glazes with "hare's fur" or "oil eye" effects weren't just beautiful. Their shine and micro-texture made the white film left by the foam when the whipping is perfect shine.
• Status and refined taste: Emperor Huizong explicitly praised dark tea bowls for "making the color of the tea shine." It wasn't a passing fad: it was the official aesthetic of an art form.

From Jian Bowls to Tenmoku and Matcha Chawans: Japanese monks who traveled to China fell in love with this winning trio: powdered tea, vigorously whisked, and a black bowl to enhance the foam. They brought Jian bowls back to Japan from the area around Mount Tianmu, and over time, these bowls became known as tenmoku. Initially, when matcha was taking root in monasteries and courts, the tenmoku was the bowl of choice. Over the centuries, the tea ceremony developed other chawan designs, but the visual and functional principle remained: an interior that aids in whisking and allows one to "read" the foam.

From China to Japan: Eisai and the birth of the matcha path

At the end of the 12th century, the Zen monk Eisai returned from China with tea seeds and, above all, with knowledge about powdered tea and its health benefits. In Japan, he wrote Kissa Yojoki, a work that explained the virtues of tea and guidelines for its cultivation and consumption .

The most frequently cited scene in this story occurred in 1214: Shogun Minamoto no Sanetomo was suffering from a severe hangover. According to the medieval chronicle Azuma Kagami, Eisai offered him a cup of tea and presented him with his treatise, whereupon the ruler recovered. This episode solidified tea's prestige at court and marked a turning point in its spread throughout Japan .

Uji and the consolidation of matcha: from tencha to the tea ceremony

Over time, the Uji area, in what is now Kyoto Prefecture, became a central hub. There, the practice of producing tencha—specially processed leaves that, once ground, become matcha—culminated. The matcha beverage was refined alongside the tea ceremony culture, key to understanding its identity and its association with Uji.

The Uji tradition not only preserved artisanal techniques such as the classic shading of tea gardens, but also maintains historical equipment in use. Factories still employ Horiishi-type tencha drying kilns, a living rarity that testifies to technical continuity from earlier times .

Meanwhile, on the global map, the Chinese legacy from which this story originates has received contemporary recognition: in 2022, traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in China were inscribed on UNESCO ’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage , underscoring the historical depth and cultural relevance of these traditions .

Quick timeline

• 10th-13th centuries, Song Dynasty China: the diancha method is codified with ground and sieved tea, a bridge stage in the history of tea and a direct antecedent of matcha .
• Late 12th century, Japan: The monk Eisai returns from China with seeds and knowledge of powdered tea, and composes Kissa Yojoki .
• 1214, Kamakura: Eisai offers tea and his book to Shogun Sanetomo, an episode recounted in Azuma Kagami that boosts the prestige of tea in Japan .
• Muromachi and Sengoku: In Uji, tencha production is consolidated, and the matcha drink is integrated and perfected alongside the tea ceremony .
• 20th-21st Centuries: Uji preserves traditional methods of shade and tencha drying; China sees its living tea heritage internationally recognized .

Frequently Asked Questions

• What was the diancha method in Song China? It was the preparation of powdered tea after grinding and sifting, with a well-established protocol that places it as a key link between ancient cooking methods and later practices, and as a direct antecedent of matcha .

• What is the difference between tencha and matcha? Tencha is the specially processed leaf which, when finely ground, becomes matcha.

• Why were black bowls used during the Song Dynasty? For aesthetic reasons and visual contrast with the drink, and because of the appreciation for the glazing effects of Jian's pieces; this preference was recorded by Emperor Huizong himself and generated prestige for black bowls, later called tenmoku in Japan.