Since tea spread（传播）from China to worldwide, it has become one of the most popular drinks in the world. Different countries have their own tea cultures, like afternoon tea in England.
The tradition of afternoon tea is a very special part of English culture. The custom (风俗) of drinking tea became popular in England during the 1660s. It was not until the mid-19th century that the idea of "afternoon tea" first appeared.
People drink afternoon tea in the mid-afternoon, between lunch and a late dinner. The idea came from Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, in 1840. At that time, many families would eat a late dinner at about 8 p.m, which was one of only two main meals each day, and the other was a mid-morning meal.
With a long time between breakfast and dinner, Anna would become hungry around 4 o'clock in the afternoon. So she asked her servants to bring some tea, bread, butter and cakes to her room during the late afternoon. This became a habit of hers and then she began inviting friends to join her.
Later, Anna continued it, sending cards to her friends asking them to join her for "tea and a walk in the fields".
Others soon picked up on the idea. By the 1880s, afternoon tea became an event for many ladies. They would be dressed beautifully to be served in the sitting room between four and five o'clock, talking about the latest news, their everyday life and fashion.
Today's afternoon tea is simpler than traditional afternoon tea. It is just a biscuit (饼干) or small cake and a cup of tea. However, there is one thing that has never changed—the meaning of afternoon tea.
