茶樹樹種雖非地球上最古老的植物，但對於涵蓋韓半島的遼闊東方世界而言，茶葉在緜邈歷史的推移與演進下，卻帶有截然不同於西方世界的強大文化因素及特質。韓半島地處中國大陸的東北隅，易於接受中國昌盛的文明，來自中國茶文化的傳入韓半島，自不能例外。茶樹種子最初由唐文宗（C.E. 827～841）賜予新羅的入唐廻使大廉，使之帶回新羅，韓民族從而開始種植茶樹於韓半島的南方，茶文化並不因韓半島漫漫歷史的推移與朝代反覆的變遷而朝榮夕衰。茶文化已把它內在的本質，賦形於韓民族所擁有的文明與文化創造的基因裏，亦也構成韓民族堅強有力且盤根結節的文化風格。韓半島的茶文化，絕對隸屬於人類心靈睿智的深思層次，其投射在文明理解的畛域，諸如：宗教、政治、外交、社會、文化、藝術、哲學時，則必然灌注或自然流露出茶文明的智慧與光彩。是故，韓半島的茶文化，亦絕非蟲虱之微，而係歸屬於東方文化絕對不尋常的必要象徵與深湛文明的符號。

Despite the fact that camellia sinensis is not one of the oldest species, tea, with the historical progress and development, carries a cultural significances distingushing from those of the Western transplants. Located in the north-eastern side of mainland China, Korean Peninsula inclines to receive the prospering Chinese culture, which tea culture is one of its best part. After the first tea seeds, bestowed by Emperor Wenzong of Tang (C.E. 809-840), were brought back to Silla by the envoy Dalien, Koreans started to cultivate tea trees in the south of Korean Peninsula. Instead of declining with the historical changes, tea culture is embedded in the Korean culture and creativity, constituting a powerful and complicated cultural style. Tea culture in Korean Peninsula belongs to a profound aspect in human mind, projecting its wisdom and splendor onto many civilized domains, including religion, politics, diplomacy, society, culture, art, and philosophy. Therefore, tea culture in Korean Peninsula should never be regarded as a daily trifle, but a necessary symbol in the Eastern culture as well as a sign of grand civilization.