Tea is one of the greatest cultural treasures of Chinese civilization. Tea was historically discovered by the legendary emperor, Shennong, who believed that water was safe to drink only by first boiling it. One day he noticed some leaves had fallen into his boiling water. The ever curious monarch took a sip of the brew and was pleasantly surprised by its flavor and its restorative properties. Tea remained in Chinese hands for centuries, before foreign explorers brought this to an enthusiastic public in Europe and other places. Tea drinking then became a standard feature of the Chinese culture. Regions famous for Chinese tea in the south have produced much of the world's tea. China for centuries has been acting as the first nation of tea because of its outstanding products. Today, Chinese tea must compete against foreign teas from many other places in the world. China has an advantage in this, however, because of her long history and the quality of her teas. Rituals have even appeared in the preparing and drinking of tea. This tea culture places emphasis on the taste and color of the tea as well as on the presentation of the tea set. Tea has become more than a mere drink. Rather, it is a symbol of the Chinese people and culture.