Waubonsee Community College

Robert Fortune, the tea thief, by Diane Perelsztejn

eng

videorecording

For High School; College; Adult audiences

Robert Fortune

electronic resource

747799307

by Diane Perelsztejn

52

Global business and economics in video

the tea thief

This fascinating film chronicles the role that tea played in the expansion of the British Empire as it sought to dominate trade throughout the world. It follows the audacious espionage mission of a botanist, Robert Fortune, who in the mid 18th century was entrusted by the East India Trading company to wrest the secret of tea production from Imperial China, the sole supplier of this prized beverage. China had been growing tea for over 5,000 years and fiercely guarded its monopoly. To satisfy Europe's taste for the beverage, Britain had to buy tea with silver because it had no commodity the Chinese wanted to exchange for tea. But then opium came into the picture. By growing opium in India and exporting it to China the British turned a quarter of the Chinese population into addicts. When the Chinese Emperor banned the importation of opium, the infamous Opium Wars began. The British then turned their attention to tea, engaging Robert Fortune to steal the prized plants along with the secrets of how to grow it in the Himalayas. In Fortune's own words from his journal, the film details how this mission was accomplished. It also reveals the importance of such a commodity to the economy of three major Asian nations will interest not only students of Asian history, but tea lovers everywhere!

general