Introduction:Is coffee really invented by the Chinese? In fact, this myth hides an extraordinary journey from Ethiopia to the Arabian Peninsula. This article will delve into the evolution of coffee, from its discovery to its transformation—including how Zheng He’s maritime expeditions indirectly led to the creation of coffee leaf tea, and how Arabs turned coffee cherries into the globally beloved beverage we know today. From qishr to gahwa, and even coffee cups inspired by Chinese porcelain, let’s explore the origins and development of coffee culture.

The idea that coffee might have originated in China actually stems from the observations of a Frenchman, but if we dig deeper, there is almost no direct connection between the birth of coffee and China. However, one thing is absolutely true: the inspiration for the coffee cup indeed comes from the profound influence of Chinese porcelain.

A recent French-language coffee book mentions that during the seventh voyage of the Ming Dynasty’s Zheng He to the Western Seas, he reached Aden in Yemen and the Arabian Peninsula. At that time, he hoped to trade exquisite Chinese porcelain for local medicinal herbs and specialty products. During this cultural exchange, tea was also introduced to the Arab world, especially in areas like Yemen, where it became a favorite among the Muslim community.

Chinese Muslims, for religious reasons, often needed to pray for long hours at night, and the stimulating effects of tea helped them stay awake during this time. As a result, the tea-drinking culture gradually took root among this group. When they migrated to the Arab world, they brought this habit with them, further influencing local beverage choices.

However, after Zheng He’s fleet departed, the once available supply of tea began to dwindle. Due to climatic and geographical limitations, the Arab and African regions simply could not grow tea plants. As a result, people began searching for alternative plants, and coffee leaves became a notable candidate.

According to oral history, the first person to make a drink from coffee leaves was a Muslim named Jamaican Latin. After being exposed to Chinese tea culture, he was deeply impressed by the stimulating effects of tea. When he became a local religious leader, the tradition of serving tea to guests had to change due to a shortage of tea leaves. He then began roasting coffee leaves and brewing them in water, creating a beverage called ‘Kati/Kotea,’ which sounds like a blend of the Arabic words ‘Gahwa (coffee)’ and ‘Tea (tea).’ Additionally, a drink made using fresh coffee leaves was called ‘Amertassa.’

Jamaican Latin’s choice of coffee leaves may be related to his place of origin—Ethiopia. Among the Oromo ethnic group there, even before coffee cherries were widely used for stimulation, it was common to mix coffee leaves with fat to make small balls or cake-like foods, and to eat fresh coffee cherries directly.

They even boiled coffee cherries into a liquid called ‘Bunchum,’ which was said to relieve headaches, though excessive consumption could lead to insomnia and mental confusion. Perhaps for this reason, Jamaican Latin realized that coffee leaves also had a stimulating effect similar to tea, and thus experimented with using them as a substitute for traditional tea leaves.

It’s worth mentioning that some botanists speculate that Arabs may have indirectly acquired coffee leaves, fruits, and even seedlings by capturing Oromo people. These items later made their way to neighboring Yemen and, through the movement of pilgrims, spread further to Muslims and merchants across the Arab world.

Before coffee became famous for its beans, Arabs were already experimenting with various uses of the coffee plant. One such beverage, called ‘qishr,’ was popular in Yemen’s Mocha and Aden ports between 1400 and 1500. This drink was made by drying ripe coffee berries, using only the flesh (the coffee bean, or pit, was usually discarded), lightly roasting the flesh over a low flame, crushing it, and adding spices like ginger and cinnamon before brewing it with hot water.

Although the caffeine content in the fruit flesh was only about 1%, it was enough to provide a stimulating effect, and its flavor was sweeter and smoother than chewing coffee cherries directly. People likely discarded the pits because the raw beans were too hard and bitter to be palatable.

Around 1450, it was discovered that roasting the pits for a longer time and then boiling them with the fruit flesh not only produced a richer aroma but also significantly enhanced the stimulating effect. To distinguish it from the original qishr, this new beverage was named ‘gahwa,’ the predecessor of the Arabian coffee we know today.

Looking at the overall development of coffee, coffee was not invented by the Chinese—at most, one could say that Chinese tea culture indirectly contributed to the birth of coffee beverages to some extent. The true discovery of coffee is credited to the Ethiopians, while its cultural and technical dissemination was largely driven by the efforts and innovations of the Arabs.

As gahwa became more widespread, it gradually became an indispensable part of Arab religious ceremonies. Before the ceremony, worshippers would pass around a small bowl called a ‘Madjur,’ each taking a sip from the rim in turn. The design of these small bowls—whether in shape, size, or decorative patterns—clearly reflects the influence of Chinese porcelain teaware.

To this day, the coffee cups used by Arabs evolved from the traditional ‘Madjur.’ Even in modern times, we can still see the profound impact of Chinese porcelain on global beverage culture through these exquisitely crafted cups.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.