The Chinese custom of drinking tea has existed for a long time.
Tips
history
Appears in the Liu-Song era 《世说新语·德行》 in the Wang Xianzhi entry, where a Daoist priest asks about 「由来有何异同得失」 — what from the beginning had been right or wrong. The phrase hardened into 由来已久 to mean 'has been so from the start.'
usage
Often used about customs, conflicts, or grievances. Neutral to slightly negative tone — frequently frames a problem as deeply rooted and therefore hard to fix.
