Popular belief dates the debut of tea as an aromatic, brewed drink to approximately 4,700 years ago in China. According to legend, when dried leaves from an adjacent bush fell into Emperor Shen Nungs water, which was being boiled to ensure potability, the discovery of the resulting infusion initiated the spread of tea throughout the known world. Today, while the story of the birth of tea remains unproven, the humble evergreen shrub has risen through the ranks to become the second most consumed beverage in the world after water.