Hyson Tea Drinking Man

The brass sculptures of tea drinking Chinese men, named "Hyson" and "Bohea" were inspired by 18th-century tea accoutrements held by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, for Chinese teas were popular in 18th-century Virginia. The historical impact of tea cannot be understated. British demand for tea wares sparked the Industrial Revolution, and a British tax on tea led to the American Revolution. Colonial Williamsburg's bountiful collections of 18th-century tea wares - made to accommodate the new social ceremony—which are designed with a "Trend Meets Tradition" approach that keeps them fresh. The English have been smitten with Asian goods and designs "in the Chinese taste" since Catherine of Braganza brought a dowry of Asian trade routes to her marriage to King Charles II of England in 1662. The WILLIAMSBURG "Bohea" and Hyson" sculptures were motivated by a print in the Colony