Tea has deep roots in Chinese history, and its trade has transformed alongside China's ever-changing landscapes. In ancient times, tea wasn't usually bought with money. Instead, goods or services were exchanged for it. One of the best examples of this is the "Tea-Horse Road," where Tibetans would trade horses with the Chinese in exchange for bricks of tea. As cities and trade networks grew, especially during the Tang and Song dynasties, specialized tea markets and shops started popping up. Here, people could pick from a range of teas, either as loose leaves or traditional tea bricks. The cost of tea wasn't static; it could vary based on its quality, origin, and form. It's tough to pin down the exact prices from those times, but it's known that high-quality teas, like the famous Dragon Well, were pretty pricey. Additionally, not all teas made it to the market. The best ones, known as "tribute teas," were reserved for the emperor and his court. These weren't bought in a typical sense but were more of a gift to win the emperor's favor. Over time, the way tea was graded and its quality assessed became more refined, with factors like leaf size, aroma, and taste coming into play. By the time of the Song dynasty, tea drinking had become a sophisticated affair, with innovations in preparation and even dedicated writings like "The Classic of Tea" by Lu Yu, making tea an integral part of Chinese culture.

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