LEGEND OF THE TEA PLANT.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVI, Issue 49, 30 November 1909, Page 6

LEGEND OF THE TEA PLANT.

Tho following is extracted from Miss Emily Cox's "Popular Geography of Plants": —Shouw relates an amusing Japanese myth concerning the origin of the tea plant, which, as 1 e remarks, contains a symbolical indication of its effects on tho nerves. A. Buddhist saint, Darma, an historical personage who lived in the sixth century, came from India to China with the intention of spreading his doctrines in that country. To strengthen himself in his mission and to give distinction to his religion lie made a vow to pass night and day in uninterrupted religious exercises. But sleep at length overtook him. When he awoke, in anger at his fault, and in atonement of his broken vow, ho cut off his eyelids and throw them on the ground. But these grew up into a plant wholly unknown before, the leaves of which he tasted; after which he felt strengthened and in a condition to withstand sleep better. He rocommended tho valuable plant to his disciples, chiefly with a view to the same ascetic purpose "