Tea要点

Chinese Tea Culture
I. General Introduction
three major beverages of the world：tea, coffee and cocoa
vary in China: Scented tea in northern China; Green tea in eastern China; Black tea in Fujian and Guangdong
II. Classification
1.Green Tea : with the longest history
About 50% of China's teas is Green tea.
not fermented during processing: keeping the original color of the tea leaves
Most famous green tea: 浙江龙井; 黄山毛峰; 洞庭山碧螺春
黄山毛峰、太平猴魁、华顶云雾、高桥银峰、大方、雨花茶、松针、Sword-shaped tea in Zhuji (诸暨剑茶)绿剑、云剑
2.Black tea :fermented tea
1. not lose its fragrance easily, suitable for long-distance transportation
warm the stomach and good in autumn and winter
2. Famous black tea
best brands of black tea：祁红（安徽祁门红茶）、滇红
Other brands of black tea：闽红、英红(广东英德市英红镇)、川红、湖红(Hunan)、湖北宣红、江西宁红、浙江越红、江苏苏红
中国三大著名出口红茶: 滇红、祁红、英红
Mount Wuxi area was the home of black tea.
India and Sri Lanka now produce the best black tea. ---80% of the world black tea
世界四大红茶：Keemun 祁门红茶、assam tea 阿萨姆红茶、Darjeeling 大吉岭红茶、Pekoe 锡兰高地红茶
世界三大红茶：中国祁门红茶Keemun、印度大吉岭红茶Darjeeling、斯里兰卡乌巴Uva 3.Oolong tea: semi-fermented 青茶
three major oolong growth areas: Fujian, Guangdong, and Taiwan.
used to make gongfu tea
most precious: 大红袍；the representative of oolong tea: 铁观音、水仙、凤凰
4.White tea
to dry in the air; good in its shape, fragrance and taste; precious
the growth areas: Fujian, Taiwana, Zhejiang
白豪银针茶、白牡丹茶、福鼎大白茶、贡眉、寿眉, 安吉白茶
5.Yellow tea: Similar to green tea, but be kept until yellow
君山银针、沩山毛尖、温州黄汤、广东大叶青
6.Scented tea : a mixture of flowers with green tea, black tea or oolong tea
The most popular is jasmine tea.
Other flowers: orchid兰花, plum梅花, gardenia栀子花, rose, honeysuckle金银花and sweet-scented osmanthus 桂花
pressed tea / Brick tea/ dark tea/ Pu erh tea
blended tea dried and hardened into a certain shape --- most in the form of bricks--easy to transport
mainly produced in Yunnan, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan，esp. popular among ethnic minorities in the border areas of the country ---for making yak butter tea or milk tea
8.Tibetan Tea: Ingredients: butter, brick tea, and salt
to drink slowly three bowlfuls of butter tea; to leave a little
III. Tea wares
Green tea goes with white porcelain or celadon without a cover;
Scented tea with celadon青瓷or blue and white porcelain with a cover;
Black tea and oolong tea goes well with purple clay ware with white inside glaze, or with white porcelain or warm colored wares;
The best purple clay teapot is made in Yixing, Jiangsu Province.
IV. Tea-Producing
A new tea-plant must grow for five years before its leaves can be picked.
The bush is cut off every 30 years to force new stems to grow out of the roots in the coming year.
Dragon Well Green Tea
Picking: lasting seven month: late March or early April---end of October
each tea bush can be picked more than 30 times. picked and dried by hand
16 degrees according to tea-picking season; Size of the leaves; Tea color; aroma
keep in a dry cool place, avoiding direct sunshine. Avoid putting teas of different aromas too close. --- an airtight container
Brewing Tea: Best temperature: 80-90 centigrade; If over 100,vitamins killed
Do not cover immediately. In winter, cover five minutes later
four basic steps to select quality tea:
1. Observe: green in color;
2. Smell: fragrance in smell
3. Taste: good in taste;
4. See: smooth in shape。