Top Ten Famous Teas in China
1. West Lake Longjing
2. Dongting Biluochun
3. Xinyang Maojian
4. Lushan Clouds
5. Liu'an Guapian
6. Junshan Silver Needle
7. Huangshan Maofeng
8 , Wuyi rock tea
9. Anxi Tieguanyin
10. Keemun black tea
West Lake Longjing tea
West Lake Longjing tea, due to its production It is named after Longjing in the West Lake Mountain area of ??Hangzhou. It is customarily called West Lake Longjing, or simply called Longjing. Longjing is not only the name of a place, but also the name of a spring and tea.
According to legend, when Emperor Qianlong went to the south of the Yangtze River, he tasted Longjing tea at Hu Gong Temple under the Longjing Lion Peak. After drinking it, he praised the tea and named the eighteen tea trees in front of the temple "Imperial Tea". , after generations of tea growers have worked hard to cultivate and strive for excellence, the output of Longjing tea has continued to increase, and the quality has improved day by day. Now it is fragrant and famous all over the world. The Longjing tea area is located in the West Lake Scenic Area, which has "good scenery in spring, summer, autumn and winter, and rain, snow, sunshine, and shade." It has beautiful mountains and rivers and beautiful scenery. It borders Xizi Lake to the east, Qiantang River to the south, Zhuantang to the west, and Gudang to the north among the lush forested hills and slopes, with well-protected vegetation. The mountain slopes from northwest to southeast, slowly extending to the banks of the Qiantang River and West Lake. In the northwest, there are Beishan, Beigaofeng and Tianzhu Peak as barriers to protect against cold currents. In the south, regulated by the humid monsoon of the Qiantang River, the climate within the territory is mild and rainfall is high. Abundant, rich in diffuse light, slightly acidic soil, deep soil layer, good drainage, and excellent climate conditions in the community. On Shifeng Mountain, in Meijiawu, next to Yunqi Road, by Hupao Spring, Manjuelongzhong, around Lingyin Temple, and along the Nine Streams and Eighteen Streams, there are undulating green hills and whirling green trees. What’s more, the production area is picturesque and uniquely endowed by nature.
Place of Origin: Ranked according to "Lion", "Dragon", "Cloud", "Tiger" and "Plum":
Lion - also known as Shifeng, has the best quality and the most prestigious reputation (place name)
Dragon--Longjing (place name)
Cloud--Yunqi (place name)
Tiger--Hupao (place name)
Plum - Meiwu (place name)
Taste: fragrant with bean flowers, fresh and sweet.
Color: Clear
Shape: Take one bud and one leaf, no longer than 2.5 cm
Picking period: early April to early October.
The Longjing tea picked during the Qingming Dynasty is called "Mingqian Longjing" and is the best Longjing tea. The output is small and precious. According to the germination status of the tea buds and the size of the picked buds and leaves, Longjing vegetables were historically divided into colors such as "Lotus Heart", "Flag Gun" and "Sparrow Tongue".
Modern high-end Longjing tea is based on one bud and one leaf. The fresh leaves are spread in a green pot, sorted and shaped, "return to the lake" (two green leaves are screened and spread to cool), dried tea is screened, piled, and ash collected. The finished product is famous for its green color, rich aroma, sweet taste and beautiful shape, and is known as the "national tea". The shape is flat and straight like a bowl nail, the color is slightly yellowish like brown rice, the taste is sweet and mellow, the aroma is elegant and noble, the soup is green and clear, and the bottom of the leaves is tender and blooming. Longjing tea has the reputation of "green color, fragrant and sweet taste, and beautiful shape", so there is a metaphor that "the three coincidences make all the four best".
Dongting Biluochun
Biluochun is produced in Dongting Mountain in Taihu Lake, Wuxian County, Jiangsu Province. It is also called Dongting Biluochun. Wu County (belonging to Jiangsu) is also called Suzhou Biluochun. The shape is curly like a snail, with a natural floral and fruity aroma, making it the quintessence of tea.
According to legend, the tea-picking girl put the picked tea leaves in the lapel of her chest. The fresh young leaves received the heat of body temperature and emitted a very strong fragrance, so it "scares people with their fragrant fragrance". Later, Emperor Kangxi went south to Suzhou and stationed at Taihu Lake. Suzhou local officials presented local famous tea to frighten people. Kangxi was quite talented in literature and thought the name was inelegant, so he named the tea Biluochun. Biluochun is very delicate to pick, and its production is very seasonal. Tea picking begins at the Spring Equinox and ends at Grain Rain, less than a month before and after. High-end and top quality teas are all picked before or after Qingming Festival. The time is shorter and the seasonality is stronger.
Biluochun tea strips are tightly knotted and curled into snails, with dense white covering, silvery green and emerald green. Known as the "three delicacies", it means fresh and strong aroma, mellow taste, bright color, floral and fruity flavor, refreshing and unique charm.
The harvesting and production process of Biluochun is exquisite. The first unfolding buds and leaves are picked as raw materials. After harvesting, they are sorted and impurities are removed, and then dried, kneaded, rolled into balls, and fried to dry. The key points of frying are "Keep your hands on the tea, keep the tea on the pot, knead while frying, and operate continuously so that the hair does not fall off and curls into a snail."
The quality characteristics of Biluochun are: slender cords, curled into snails, covered with fine hairs, silvery green and emerald green, elegant and fragrant, rich and mellow, fresh and refreshing, and long aftertaste.
To taste Biluochun tea, put 3 grams of tea leaves in a white porcelain tea cup. First soak the tea leaves with a little hot water. After the buds and leaves expand slightly, continue to brew with hot water for 2-3 minutes, and you can smell it. Smell, look at color, and evaluate. The green and slender buds and leaves float in the cup, and the aroma is fragrant. After drinking, it is refreshing and refreshing.
Xinyang Maojian
Xinyang Maojian is produced in the Dabie Mountains of Xinyang, Henan. It is my country's famous domestically sold green tea, famous for its tender raw materials, exquisite workmanship, beautiful shape, high aroma and long taste. Xinyang has produced tea for more than 2,000 years. The tea gardens are mainly distributed among the valleys of Cheyun Mountain, Jiyun Mountain, Tianyun Mountain, Yunwu Mountain, Zhenlei Mountain, Heilongtan and other mountains. The terrain here is steep, usually more than 800 meters high, with green mountains, crisscrossing streams, and lots of clouds and mist. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, someone said: "When the clouds go, the green mountains are empty, and when the clouds come, the green mountains are white; the white clouds only stay in the mountains and always accompany the guests in the mountains." There are also the "Black Dragon Pond" and "White Dragon Pond", the first springs in southern Henan, with wonderful scenery. The poet praised: "Under the cliff, there are waterfalls and springs flying in the sky. Flowers and mist are flying, and rocks are shining towards the sunny sky. I am surprised that the Milky Way is pouring down, and I wonder if the jade cave is opening in the distance." This wisp of mist nourishes and nourishes the fat and tender tea buds, providing natural conditions for making unique style tea.
Xinyang Maojian has a unique style, high quality and aroma, clear soup color, mellow taste, and tender green leaves. After drinking, it returns sweetness and promotes body fluids. After brewing four or five times, it still maintains a long-lasting aroma of ripe chestnuts. If you want to get the unique style of Maojian, you need to be careful and skillful in roasting it. Picking is the first step in making good hair tips. It is usually mined from mid to late April. It lasts for ninety days throughout the year and is divided into twenty to twenty-five batches. It is collected every two or three days. A bud with one leaf or a bud with two leaves in the beginning will make special and first-grade hair tips, and a bud with two or three leaves will make a second- or third-grade tip. The buds and leaves are picked, graded for acceptance, graded spreading, and graded frying. The place where they are spread must be ventilated and clean. The thickness of the spread leaves should not exceed five inches, and the spreading time should not exceed ten hours. After the fresh leaves are spread, they should be fried, and stir-fried twice in a raw pot and a cooked pot. The main function of the wok is to cook and lightly knead. Put the fresh leaves into a tilted pot, 750 grams of leaves each time, stir and stir-fry rhythmically with a broom bundled with bamboo thatch. After 3-4 minutes, when the leaves become soft, use the end of a broom to sweep up the leaves and shake them in an arc shape in the pot to make the leaves initially form strips. The stir-frying pot is shaken back and forth in an arc with a broom to tighten and organize the tea leaves to achieve a tight, thin, straight and smooth shape. Then spread the tea leaves on the baking cage, wait for about half an hour, and then put them on the pit stove for baking. Until the finished product
The Xinyang area’s superior climate, soil, and flavor conditions are an ideal environment for green tea production. The handmade tea-making technology that has been inherited for thousands of years makes “Xinyang Maojian” unique and unparalleled. Tea Saint Lu Yu In his "Tea Classic", Guangzhou tea (Xinyang Maojian) was listed as the best tea. Su Dongpo, a great writer in the Song Dynasty, once said that "Huainan tea is the best in Xinyang".
Xinyang Maojian won the Certificate of Quality Famous Tea at the Panama International Exposition in 1915; in 1959, it was listed as one of the top ten famous teas in my country; in 1982, it was again rated as a national and ministerial-level high-quality famous tea; In 1985, it was selected to be exhibited at the National High-Quality Agricultural Products Exhibition and Evaluation Conference. It is sold to 20 provinces and autonomous regions in China and more than 10 countries including Japan, Germany, the United States, Singapore, and Malaysia, and is very popular.
Huangshan Maofeng
Huangshan is located between Shexian, Taiping, Xiuning and Qianxian counties in Anhui Province. It has majestic and unique peaks, vigorous and colorful pines, and clear and unturbulent mountains. The mountain springs and the undulating sea of ??clouds are known as the "Four Wonders" of Huang, which are fascinating.
Xu Xiake, a famous traveler in the Ming Dynasty, ranked Huangshan as the top of my country's famous mountains. He left a famous saying: "When you return from the Five Mountains, you don't see the mountains; when you return from Huangshan, you don't see the mountains." The Huangshan area has high mountains, good soil quality, and is warm and humid. "When it is sunny, it is foggy in the morning and evening, and when it rains, the mountains are covered with clouds." The misty clouds are very suitable for the growth of tea trees and have a long history of tea production. According to historical records, Huangshan tea was quite famous more than 400 years ago. "Huangshan Chronicles" says: "Tea is grown in the stone crevice next to the Lotus Temple. It has a refreshing fragrance and cold rhyme, which can hit people's jaws. It is called Huangshan Cloud and Mist." Legend has it that this is the predecessor of Huangshan Maofeng. "Huizhou Prefecture Chronicle" records: "Tea production in Huangshan began in Jiayou of the Song Dynasty and flourished in Longqing of the Ming Dynasty." When was the real Huangshan Maofeng tea created? According to the "Huizhou Chamber of Commerce Information", it originated during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty (around 1875). In order to cater to the market demand, before and after the Qingming Festival, he personally led people to famous mountain gardens such as Chongchuan and Tangkou to select fat young buds and leaves. After careful roasting, he created a high-quality tea with good flavor. Because the tea is covered with white pekoe, , the tip of the bud resembles a peak, so it was named "Maofeng", and later the place name was "Huangshan Maofeng".
The origin of Huangshan Maofeng has high altitude, green peaks, high mountains and deep valleys, streams and waterfalls, beautiful trees and wild trees, mild climate, abundant rainfall, and year-round clouds and mist, with the peaks hidden in the sea of ??clouds. , "When it's sunny, it's foggy in the morning and evening, and when it's cloudy and rainy, the sky is full of clouds." Under the steaming clouds and mist, the tea trees have plump buds and leaves that remain tender. In addition, the mountain flowers are blooming and the fragrance of flowers is everywhere. The buds and leaves of tea trees are influenced by the fragrance, and the fragrance of flowers is natural. Such a unique ecological environment has established the excellent natural qualities of Huangshan Maofeng. The main production areas are in the Huangshan Scenic Area and the adjacent Tangkou, Chongchuan, Gangcun, Fangcun, Yangcun, and Changtan areas. Among them, Taohuafeng, Yungu Temple, Ciguang Pavilion, Gangcun, Chongchuan, etc. have the best quality.
The picking of Huangshan Maofeng is very delicate, and the special-grade tea is picked from Qingming to Guyu. The picking standard is based on the first bud and one leaf. The picked buds and leaves must be sorted and made on the same day. .
Huangshan Maofeng is divided into special grade and first, second and third grade. Special grade Huangshan Maofeng is picked before and after the Qingming Festival. 1 bud and 1 leaf are picked for the first time. For other grades, 1 bud, 1, 2 leaves or 1 leaf are picked. Buds with 2 and 3 leaves. Choose high-grade tea with strong and hairy buds. It is made by spreading it lightly and then carrying out high-temperature fixing, frying and baking. The super-grade Huangshan Maofeng is shaped like a bird's tongue, with exposed white hair, ivory-like color, and golden fish leaves. After brewing, the fragrance is long and fragrant, the soup is clear, the taste is fresh, rich, mellow and sweet, the bottom of the leaves is tender yellow, and the flowers are plump. Among them, "golden fish leaves" and "ivory-like color" are two obvious features that make the appearance of the special Huangshan Maofeng different from other Maofeng. To drink Huangshan Maofeng, the water temperature should be about 80℃ when brewing. Glass cups or white porcelain teacups can be used. After brewing five or six times, the aroma will still remain.
Lushan Yunwu
Lushan Yunwu, known as "Wenlin Tea" in ancient times, has been called Yunwu since the Ming Dynasty and has a history of at least more than 300 years. Lushan Mountain, known as "Kuanglu Mountain is the most beautiful in the world", borders the Yangtze River to the north and Poyang Lake to the east. It rises from flat land and has deep canyons. Clouds and fog are formed due to the transpiration of water vapor from rivers and lakes. It is common to see vast seas of clouds, with as many as 195 foggy days per year. Due to the slow temperature rise and late waiting period, tea trees must germinate after Grain Rain, from late April to early May. The germination period coincides with the most foggy days, which creates the unique quality of Yunwu tea. Especially between Wulao Peak and Hanyang Peak, the clouds and fog never disperse all day long, so the tea produced there is the best. The main tea areas are in Hanpokou, Wulao Peak, Hanyang Peak, Xiaotianchi, Xianren Cave and other places above 800 meters in Lushan Mountain. Tea cultivation in Lushan began with the famous monk Hui Yuan in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Lushan was the center of Buddhism in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. Huiyuan lived in the mountain for more than thirty years, teaching Buddhism and developing tea cultivation. It was listed as a "tribute tea" in the Song Dynasty. In the 1950s, Lushan Yunwu developed rapidly and now has more than 5,000 acres of tea gardens.
Due to weather conditions, Yunwu tea is picked later than other teas. It is generally picked between the period after Grain Rain and the beginning of summer. One bud and one leaf is used as the initial development standard, and the length is about 3 cm. The finished tea has a plump and beautiful appearance, tender and smooth color, and exposed buds.
Lushan Yunwu buds are fat, beautiful, fragrant and sweet, and the soup is clear. It is a fine product among green teas. It has long been famous for its "mellow taste, beautiful color, fragrance and clear liquid". Selling well at home and abroad.
Tasting it carefully, you will find that its color is like Tuocha, but lighter than Tuocha, just like jasper in a bowl. If you use the springs of Mount Lu to make tea and bake it, it will be more fragrant and delicious.
Due to the cool and foggy climate of Mount Lushan and the short duration of direct sunlight, the Yunwu tea with unique flavor has thick leaves, many millimeters, is mellow and resistant to brewing, and contains tannins and aromatic oils. It is rich in vitamins and other characteristics. It not only has a rich and refreshing taste, is refreshing and diarrhea, but can also help digestion, sterilize and detoxify, prevent gastrointestinal infections, and increase resistance to scurvy.
Zhu De once wrote a poem praising Lushan Yunwu Tea: "Lushan Yunwu Tea has a strong flavor and pungent nature. If you drink it for a long time, it will prolong your life."
Lu'an Guapian
The famous green tea is produced in the Dabie Mountain Tea Area in western Anhui. Among them, the products from Lu'an, Jinzhai and Huoshan counties are the best, so it is named Liu'an Guapian. Lu'an melon slices are picked every spring, and the resulting tea is in the shape of melon seeds, hence its name. It is green in color, has a clear aroma, is sweet and fresh in taste, and is resistant to brewing. It first originated from Qiyun Mountain in Jinzhai County, and the quality of Guapian tea produced in Qiyun Mountain is the best, so it is also called "Qiyun Guapian". When the tea is brewed, the mist evaporates and the fragrance overflows, so it is also known as "the mountain of clouds and melon slices".
Lu'an produces tea and has a long history. According to historical records, Lu'an tea began in the Tang Dynasty and became famous in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. As early as the Tang Dynasty, the great poet Li Bai once praised "the water in the Yangtze River and the tea on the top of the mountains." In the Song Dynasty, it was even known as the “high quality” tea. In the Ming Dynasty, it was once presented as a tribute to the court. In the Ming Dynasty, I heard a book in "Tea Notes": "It is a fine product from Liu'an and the best for medicinal purposes." After liberation, it was rated as a national high-quality famous tea three times and exported to Hong Kong, etc.
According to Qiao Jinwang, a bodyguard of Premier Zhou Enlai, when the Prime Minister was seriously ill, he suddenly asked for a drink of Liuguapian tea, and the people in the General Office went through a lot of trouble to satisfy the old man's wish. After drinking tea, the Prime Minister explained that in the early days of the Anti-Japanese War, Ye Ting, commander of the New Fourth Army, once gave him a large tube of Lu'an Guapian tea. After drinking this tea, it was like seeing General Ye Ting, which showed the position of Lu'an Guapian in their hearts.
Among the melon slices in Qiyun, the melon slices produced in the Bat Cave of Qiyun Mountain are the best among the famous products. Because around the bat cave, thousands of bats gather here all year round. Feces are rich in phosphorus, which is beneficial to the growth of tea trees, so the melon slices here are the sweetest and most delicious. However, due to production constraints, many tea drinkers have only heard of the name but have not seen the finished product of Lu'an melon slices. The back is rolled up in the shape of a melon seed, which is very different from other green teas. After brewing, the tea has a bright green color, a clear aroma, and a sweet and mellow taste. It also has the effects of clearing the mind and improving eyesight, refreshing the mind, and dispersing wind. Such excellent quality. Due to the unique natural conditions, it is also inseparable from the meticulous harvesting and processing process. The picking time of melon slices is generally between Grain Rain and the beginning of summer, about half a month later than other high-grade teas. When picking the slices, the first part of the broken tips must be removed. Climb down the third and fourth leaves and tea buds one by one with your hands. The first leaf is made into "lifting slices", the second leaves are made into "melon slices", the third or fourth leaves are made into "plum slices", and the buds are made into "silver needles". Pan-fry. After frying the slices, bake only 2-3 slices at a time. First "lower heat" and then "higher heat" until the white frost on the leaves is exposed and the color is emerald green, then serve while hot. Store it in a sealed container. As Mei Yaochen of the Song Dynasty said in his "Ming Fu": "At this time, women waste time on silkworm weaving and men waste time on farming. The night has no rest and the day has no rest." It is the best in Guapian tea. A precious variety.
Junshan Silver Needle
Junshan Silver Needle is a treasure among Chinese yellow teas. It is produced on Qingluo Island in the vast Dongting Lake of Yueyang. It has been known as " The description of the Dongting Emperor's "spring grows longer, and the grass grows longer in two thousand years" is a traditional famous tea with a history of more than a thousand years. The finished tea buds are strong and uniform in length and size. The inner surface of the tea buds is golden yellow, and the outer layer of pekoe is fully exposed. , and the packaging is firm, and the tea buds look like silver needles, hence the name. In the Tang Dynasty, Princess Wencheng chose to bring Junshan tea with her when she married in Tibet, and it was listed as a tribute tea in the later Liang Dynasty. It has been said that Miaoyu's "Laojun Mei" brewed with the next year's plum blossom snow is the Junshan Silver Needle.
Junshan Yinzhen is made entirely of fat and tender shoot tips without leaves, covered with vellus hairs, bright in color, with a refreshing aroma, orange-yellow soup, and a mellow taste. Even if it has been stored for a long time, its taste will not change. The requirements for picking and processing are very high. For example, tea leaves can only be picked within 7-10 days before and after Qingming Festival. It is also stipulated that tea leaves cannot be picked under nine conditions, namely rainy days, windy and frosty days, insect damage, thin, bent, hollow, and tea buds. Opening, purple tea buds, out of size, etc. There are also special features in the drying process. Drying is divided into four steps: initial drying, initial wrapping, re-drying and re-draping, which takes three days. The initial baking temperature is 80 or 90 degrees Celsius. After baking to 70% dryness, wrap it in kraft paper and place it in a wooden box, which is called the first package. After two days, take it out and bake it again. The re-drying temperature is low. When it is 90% dry, wrap it in paper and leave it for a day until the bud color turns light yellow and emits a fresh aroma. Then bake it at low temperature until it is fully dry and then store it in an iron box. . Using this process, the effective chemical substances contained in the buds and leaves can undergo good changes as the water in the leaves slowly loses, and the color, aroma and shape of the tea will be more perfect.
When brewing, the tip hangs upright towards the water surface, and then slowly sinks. This happened for the first three times. When it stands upright, it looks like fresh bamboo shoots emerging from the ground; when it sinks, it looks like falling snowflakes. When you drink it, it also has high appreciation value.
Wuyi Rock Tea
Wuyi Rock Tea is produced in Wuyi, a famous mountain in the "Southeast of Xiujia" in northern Fujian. The tea trees grow in the rock crevices. Wuyi rock tea has the fragrance of green tea and the mellowness of black tea. It is the best among Chinese oolong teas.
Wuyi rock tea has a long history. According to historical records, people in the Tang Dynasty had already used it as a gift. It has been listed as a "tribute" during the Song and Yuan Dynasties. In the Yuan Dynasty, "Baking Bureau" and "Imperial Tea Garden" were also established in Wuyi Mountain. During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, it began to be exported to Western Europe, North America and Southeast Asian countries. At that time, Europeans used it as the general name for Chinese tea.
Wuyi rock tea is famous both at home and abroad, which is inseparable from its excellent natural environment. Wuyi Mountain is located at 27°35′-27°43′ north latitude and 117°55′-118°01′ east longitude. It has a radius of 120 miles and an average altitude of more than 650 meters. It is surrounded by streams and ravines, which are not connected to the outer mountains. It is composed of thirty-six peaks, ninety-nine rocks and Jiuqu River, forming a self-contained whole. The rock peaks are towering, beautiful and majestic, and the continuous peaks are tilted towards the east, like thousands of horses galloping, which is a wonder. The clear green Jiuqu River lingers in it and turns into nine bends and eighteen bays. The mountains turn back and forth and the streams twist and turn, truly giving the appearance of "winding mountains turning around, peaks and peaks embracing water". Along both sides of the stream, the reflections of the peaks are reflected in the blue waves, and the mountains, lights and water complement each other. It is really a fairyland on earth called "Blue Water and Dan Mountain". The predecessors wrote, "Wuyi's mountains and rivers are amazing in the world, with thirty-six winding peaks, nine winding streams pouring out clouds, and clear ripples of mountain light." This summarizes the outline of Wuyi Mountain. Famous mountains and scenic spots cultivate the natural aura of rock tea.
Wuyi Rock Tea Area has a mild climate, with warm winters and cool summers. The annual average temperature is between 18 and 18.5 degrees. It also has abundant rainfall, with an annual rainfall of about 2,000 mm. There are quiet streams and springs between the peaks and rocks. The mountains are filled with clouds and mist all year round, and the annual average relative humidity is around 80. Just as Shen Han said in "Xie Wang Shi'an Hui Wuyi Tea Poetry": "The fragrance contains the jade girl's peak head, moistening the clouds at the entrance of the pearl curtain." Most of the tea gardens are located in rock ravines and secluded streams, surrounded by mountains as barriers. The sunshine is short and there is no wind damage. The superior natural conditions give birth to the unique flavor of rock tea.
The geology of Wuyi Mountain belongs to the Cretaceous Wuyi Formation. The lower part is quartz banyan, and the middle part is composed of conglomerate, red sandstone, shale, tuff and volcanic conglomerate. The parent rock of the tea garden soil is mostly composed of volcanic conglomerate, red sandstone and shale. The "Tea Classic" states that in tea mountains, "the upper part grows rotten stone, the middle part grows gravel soil, and the lower part grows loess." The soil in Wuyi Tea Garden is rotten rock or gravel soil. Xu Huobo's "Tea Research" of the Ming Dynasty stated that "the rustic atmosphere in Wuyi Mountain is suitable for tea." Suitable soil creates the excellent inner quality of rock tea. Blue water and Danshan Mountains, steep peaks and deep ravines, high mountain springs, rocky gravel soil, mist and rain, morning sun and frequent clouds are "favored by the elites of mountains and rivers for their beauty." Wuyi Rock Tea enjoys the benefits of nature exclusively, and it is dedicated to People use their unique "flower-scented rock bones" to make others feel inferior to them.
Wuyi rock tea can be divided into rock tea and continental tea.
The one in the mountains is rock tea, which is the top grade; the one in the foothills is continent tea, which is the second best. In terms of varieties, it includes Luxian tea, Dongbin tea, Narcissus, Dahongpao, Wuyi Qizhong, cinnamon, white cockscomb, oolong, etc. Most of them are named according to the origin, ecology, shape or color, fragrance and characteristics of the tea tree.
Among them, "Dahongpao" is the most valuable. There are several different theories about the origin of the name Dahongpao. One is that a scholar from the Ming Dynasty who went to Beijing to take the exam suddenly fell ill while passing by the Wuyi Mountains. He had unbearable abdominal pain. By chance, he met a monk who brewed the famous tea and drank it with him. The pain stopped. . After he passed the imperial examination, he came to thank the monk and asked about the origin of the tea. After learning, he took off his Dahongpao and walked around the tea bush three times and draped it on the tea tree, hence the name "Dahongpao". There is another saying that it is said that the officials sent by the imperial court every year wear Dahongpao, and the robes are untied and hung on the tea tribute trees, so they are called Dahongpao. It is more widely spread that whenever tea is picked, incense is burned to offer sacrifices to the sky, and then the monkeys are asked to put on red vests and climb to the tea trees on the cliff to pick tea leaves. Therefore, in Cantonese, this kind of tea picked by monkeys is called "Ma Liu" (Cantonese people call monkeys Ma Liu). Due to its scarcity and difficulty in picking, this tea is an expensive treasure in the market.
Wuyi Narcissus is another rock tea variety. Because the leaves themselves have a fragrance, they can be made into fragrant and extremely precious tea, so it is called Narcissus. It is one of the largest-selling oolong tea varieties in Japan. one.
In addition, Fenghuang Mountain east of Guangzhou in Guangdong Province is rich in an oolong tea called "Fenghuang Dancong". Because the tea tree is one foot tall and looks like it stands out from the crowd, it is called Dancong. When picking, the conditions are very strict. There is a saying of "five no-picks", that is, no picking when the sun rises, no picking when the weather is hot, no picking when the buds are not strong in the early stage, no picking on cloudy days, and no picking on rainy days. It is characterized by thick and straight cords, light and straight, thick and thin, soft texture, and a unique and elegant fragrance.
Wuyi rock tea is a semi-fermented tea with "green leaves and red edges". Its characteristics are most succinctly summarized by Liang Zhangzao of the Qing Dynasty, namely "live, sweet, clear and fragrant" (see "Miscellaneous Notes on Returning to the Fields"). Its strip shape is strong and even, and its color is green-brown and fresh. After brewing, the tea soup is deep orange-yellow, clear and gorgeous; the bottom of the leaves is soft and bright, the edges of the leaves are vermilion, and the center of the leaves is light green with yellow; it has the glycolic content of black tea and green tea. The tea is mild in nature but not cold, and does not deteriorate after being stored for a long time. The fragrance becomes clearer over time, and the taste becomes more mellow over time. When brewing, small pots and small cups are often used because of its rich aroma and lingering aftertaste after brewing five or six times. This kind of tea is most suitable for brewing Gongfu tea, so it is very popular because of its unique quality. After it was introduced to Europe in the 18th century, it was deeply loved by local people and was once known as the "medicine for all diseases".
Anxi Tieguanyin
Anxi Tieguanyin is native to Yaoyang, Xiping, Anxi County. It is located on the southeastern slope of the Daiyun Mountains, with the terrain tilting from northwest to southeast. The west is mainly mountainous, with many mountains and mountains. The highest peak reaches an altitude of 1,600 meters, commonly known as "Nei'an River". The eastern part is dominated by hills and is commonly known as "Wai'an River". In the past, the tea areas were concentrated in Nei'anxi. Since the 1950s, the tea areas have continued to develop and expand. Now they cover the entire county. The annual tea production accounts for more than 10% of the total tea production in Fujian Province, ranking first in the province. The annual average temperature in various altitude areas of Anxi County is 15-21℃, the extreme minimum temperature is minus 0.9-5℃, the extreme maximum temperature on the ground is 39.3℃, the stable accumulated temperature of ≥10℃ is 4725-7315℃, and the annual rainfall is 1700-1900 mm. , relative humidity is 76% to 80% or more.
The people in the tea area of ??Anxi County attach great importance to the selection and breeding of improved varieties and have mastered the means of asexual reproduction. The number of clonal tea tree varieties is the highest in the country. According to the county tea tree variety census, there are more than 50 tea tree varieties. . Among them, the commonly planted ones include Tieguanyin, Benshan, Huangdan (Huangdan), Hairy Crab, Oolong, Meizhan, Qilan, etc. Tieguanyin, Hairy Crab, Meizhan, Huangdan, Daye Oolong, and Benshan were recognized as nationally improved tea varieties at the National Tea Tree Variety Appraisal Conference held in Xiamen in 1984.
Starting in the 1950s, in order to facilitate classification and classification, Anxi Oolong tea was divided into three categories: Tieguanyin, color type and oolong. Except for Tieguanyin and oolong, other varieties were classified into color type. In recent years, yellow and light varieties have been listed separately.
According to Zhuang Canzhang's statistics in 1937, oolong varieties accounted for 38% of the county's output. At present, most of them have been replaced by Tieguanyin, hairy crab, etc., and a small amount of oolongs are mostly mixed with colored varieties for sale. Now Anxi color varieties account for more than 80% of the total output of Anxi oolong tea. According to 1983 data, of the Anxi tea tree planting area in the county, Benshan accounted for 12%, hairy crab accounted for 21.2%, oolong accounted for 16.4%, plum accounted for 10.5%, Qilan accounted for 2.7%, and other color varieties accounted for 21.2% (Tieguanyin accounts for 13.1% and Huangdan accounts for 2.9%)
There are two legends about its origin: one is "Wei Shuo" according to legend, around the third year of Yongzheng in the Qing Dynasty (1725), the Yaoyang Pine Forest in Xiping Wei Yin (1703-1775), an old tea farmer in Tou (now Songyan Village, Xiping Township), was diligent in growing tea and believed in Guanyin. He would offer a cup of tea in front of Guanyin Buddha every morning and evening for decades. One night, Wei Yin was asleep and dreamed that he went out with a hoe and walked to a stream. He found a tea tree in the crevices of the rocks, with strong branches and lush leaves, and an attractive fragrance. Wei Yin felt strange. Just as he was about to lean over to pick, there was a sudden sound of dog barking, which disturbed him from his sweet dream. The next morning, Wei Yin followed the path in his dream, and sure enough, he found a tea tree like the one he saw in his dream among the rocks in Guanyinlun's stone pit. After careful observation, he found that the leaves were oval, the mesophyll was thick, and the buds were purple-red and green. , different from other species. He was overjoyed, so he transplanted the tea tree into a broken iron tripod at home and cultivated it carefully. After several years of propagation by pressing branches, the plant grew strong and the leaves were bright green. After harvesting and brewing the tea at the right time, it turned out that the tea had unique quality and extraordinary fragrance. It was regarded as a family treasure and kept in a secret jar. Whenever distinguished guests come to brew and taste the tea, everyone who has tasted this tea is full of praise. One day, a private school teacher drank this tea and asked in surprise, "What kind of good tea is this?" Wei Yin told the private school teacher in detail what he encountered in his dream and the transplantation process, and said that this tea was found in a cliff. The stone is as powerful as an Arhat. After transplantation, it was planted in an iron tripod and I wanted to call it "Iron Arhat". The school teacher shook his head and said: "Some Arhats are ferocious and terrifying. How can good tea be called a common name? This tea was obtained by Guanyin in a dream, so it is elegant to call it 'Iron Goddess of Mercy'!" After Wei Yin heard this, he cheered continuously.
The second is "Wang said". According to legend, Wang Shirang, an official in Yaoyang Nanyan (now Nanyan Village, Xiping Township) in Xiping, Anxi, served as deputy tribute in the tenth year of Yongzheng (1732) in the Qing Dynasty. In the tenth year of Qianlong (1745), he served as the general magistrate of Qizhou, Huangzhou Prefecture, Huguang (now Hubei). He once built a study at the foot of Nanshan Mountain, named "Nanxuan". In the spring of the first year of Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty (1736), Wang and his friends often met in Nanxuan. Every time the sun set in the west, they would wander beside Nanxuan. One day, I saw a tea tree different from other species in the stone garden, so I transplanted it to Nanxuan's garden. I managed it day and night, cultivated it carefully, and multiplied it every year. ; After brewing and drinking, the aroma is fragrant and mellow, refreshing the heart. In the sixth year of Qianlong's reign, Wang was summoned to Beijing to visit Fang Wangxi, the minister of the Ministry of Rites, and presented him with this tea as a gift. Fang Shilang tasted its extraordinary taste and presented it to the inner court. Emperor Qianlong was very happy after drinking it. He summoned Shi Rang to ask about the history of Yaoyang tea. He found that the tea was dark, moist, firm, heavy "iron", tasted, fragrant and beautiful, just like "Guanyin", so he named it "Iron Goddess of Mercy".
The Tieguanyin plant is a shrub type, with medium leaves and late buds. The tree has an open posture, the branches are oblique and sparse and uneven; the leaves are oval, dark green in color, thick and crisp, with wavy leaf margins, slightly turned backwards, sparse and blunt serrations, and purple-red buds. Profuse flowering and high fruit setting rate. The budding period is before and after the vernal equinox, the cessation of growth period is before and after frost, and the annual growth period is seven months. They are delicate by nature and have poor resistance to stress. They are said to be "good to drink but not good to plant". Oolong tea is of excellent quality, with a mellow and sweet taste, a fragrant and elegant aroma, a clear and golden water color, and thick, soft and shiny leaf bases. It is often distinguished from other oolong teas by its natural orchid fragrance and special "Guanyin charm". The quality of red and green tea is medium.
The production process of Tieguanyin is very complicated. The tea leaves are tightly knotted and the color is dark and sandy green. Good Tieguanyin, during the production process, the caffeine will evaporate with the water and condense into a layer of white frost; after brewing, it has a natural orchid fragrance and a pure and rich taste. Use the small Gongfu tea set to drink, smell the aroma first, and then taste it. Your mouth will be full of fragrance and the aftertaste will be endless.
In the 22nd year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1896), brothers Zhang Naimiao and Zhang Naiqian of Fumei in Anxi introduced Tieguanyin to Muzha District in Taiwan.
And it has spread to Yongchun, Nan'an, Hua'an, Pinghe, Fu'an, Chong'an, Putian, Xianyou and other counties in Fujian Province and Guangdong and other provinces. In recent years, after it was discovered that oolong tea has fitness and beauty effects, Tieguanyin has become more popular in Japan and Southeast Asia.
Qimen Black Tea
Keemun Black Tea is also called Qihong. Produced in Qimen, Dongzhi, Guichi, Shitai, Yixian County of Anhui Province, and Fuliang area of ??Jiangxi Province. The natural quality of tea is best in Likou, Shanli and Pingli areas of Qimen.
The Qimen area has been rich in green tea for a long time in history, and there are many tea practitioners. In the third year of Xiantong in the Tang Dynasty (862), Sima Tu's "Records of the New Changjiang River in Qimen County" said: Qimen "Within a thousand miles away, there are seven or eight people who are engaged in tea business. ...Qi's tea is yellow in color and fragrant." Qimen did not produce black tea before Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. According to legend, in the first year of Guangxu (1875), there was a man named Yu Qianchen from Yi County who resigned from Fujian and returned to his hometown to do business. Because he was envious of the good sales of Fujian black tea (Min Red), he wanted to trial production of black tea on the spot, so he established a factory in Zhide County A black tea shop was set up on Yaodu Street (now Dongzhi County), imitating the Fujian red tea making method, and achieved success. The next year, he went to Likou and Shanli in Qimen County to set up teahouses and successfully made Qihong. At the same time, Hu Yuanlong, a native of Qimen at that time, was conducting a "green to red" campaign in Guixi, Nanxiang, Qimen, and set up the "Rishun Tea Factory" to trial production of black tea, which was also successful. Since then, "Qihong" has continued to expand production and has become an important black tea producing area in my country.
The Qihong production area has superior natural conditions, with many mountainous forests, warm and humid soil, deep soil, abundant rainfall, and lots of clouds and fog, which is very suitable for the growth of tea trees. In addition, the main variety of local tea trees - the tangerine leaf species Rich in content and high enzyme activity, it is very suitable for the production of Gongfu black tea.
The harvesting and production process of Qihong is exquisite. The buds and leaves with one bud and two or three leaves are picked as raw materials. After withering, rolling and fermentation, the buds and leaves turn from green to copper red, and the aroma is revealed, and then simmered Bake until dry. After the red tea is made, it must be refined. The refining process is complicated and time-consuming, including sifting, shaking sifting, sifting, tightening the door, sifting, cutting, winnowing, picking, filling, clearing, blending, and packaging. Made from boxes.
The high-grade Qihong tea has tight, slender strips and a dark color. After brewing, the tea soup will be red and strong. The aroma is fresh, fragrant and long-lasting. It has an obvious sweet aroma, sometimes with the fragrance of roses. The unique fragrance of Qihong is called "Qimen fragrance" by many foreign consumers. Qihong is known as "high-end black tea" in the international market. Especially in the London market, Qihong is listed as a "hero" among teas. Whenever a new Qihong tea comes on the market, everyone rushes to buy it. They think "In the fragrance of Chinese tea, the fragrance of spring is found."
Qihong tea is suitable for drinking clear, but it is also suitable for mixing with milk and sugar. Qi Hong was favored by the royal family and nobles in the UK, who praised Qi Hong as "the best of all".