Chinese tea "Longjing": description, properties, history and reviews

This green leaf, perhaps, number one in the Middle Kingdom. And one of the products that Cha Chin mentions is an ancient book about tea (the first millennium AD). "Longjing" tea - "Dragon Well" (this is the Chinese name for this name) is famous and popular in China, and in other countries around the world. And it has its own centuries-old history, even its own philosophy. And by tradition, when visiting the Republic of China celebrities are treated to this particular drink.

A bit of history

The first Chinese "Talmud" about tea says: "Longjing" tea was first cultivated on the site at the foot of two temples: Tian Hu, and also Lin Yuen. They called it "Dragon's Well of Xi Hu" (Lake of the same name). For many years of cultivation, the tea "Longjing", thanks to a magical taste with aroma, confidently spreads over most of China's territories, deserves fame and honor at the imperial courts of the Ming dynasty, reaches its "peak of destiny" under the Qing dynasty. Tea "Longjing" in those old days is included in the list of compulsory tax collection. There was also a ceremony of offering a drink to the emperor. More than a millennium, it spread worldwide. But even today, China remains the only state in the world that exports its national pride - this tea. This increases both material value and cultural uniqueness.

"Gong"

In China, there are many varieties of this tea product, but the rating is in the lead 4 categories. And among them - "Gong" (Tribute), and he holds the championship with honor both in quality and in value. All because the most valuable variety is grown only in one, perfectly protected area, on the plantations of Si Hu, the western lake. The total area of the fields is 163 kilometers (the settlement of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province). "Gong", nurtured in another locality, is not considered authentic.

Favorite tea Mao

Gong was one of Chairman Mao's favorite drinks. At the time of his visits to Lake Xi Hu, he collected a few tea buds with his own hands, and they were later brewed on the best water from the Running Tiger stream. The aroma and taste of this tea impressed Mao. He said that there is nothing more beautiful than the "Longjing Gong" tea made on the water from this source. And then, after the death of the Great President, the tea tree from where he collected the kidneys was planted in the courtyard of the tea production company "Hangzhou", where it continues to grow to this day.

Milk Oolong

This "Gong" is grown on the western slopes of the hills, near Lake Si Xu. These places are famous for fertile soils, a damp climate, dull rain, fog and low clouds, which densely covers the western hills almost all year round. The characteristics of Gong tea are affected by the selection of shrubs, and timely collection of what should be done from 10.03 to 05.04, as well as the method of manual roasting, which lasts for as long as 10 hours. Approximately 26,000 kidneys per kilo of tea raw material. Chinese tea "Longjing" brand "Gong" bears its title of the most famous brand in China and abroad. In 1991 he was awarded the corresponding prize at the international festival, in 1992 - the gold medal and the title "The most purchased goods for tourists", in 1994 he was named the most famous food product in China, the benchmark of agricultural products.

Green tea "Longjing". Other varieties

Depending on the qualities of the leaf pairs, as well as the kidneys, according to the collection time, the Chinese manufacturers of Longjing singled out several subspecies. About "Gong" has already been mentioned a little above. This is an expensive quality sheet. It consists of the upper buds of a tea bush. His collection is carried out in the first 2 weeks from the very beginning of the harvest period. "Gong" has a strong, fresh, delicate aroma of flowers, which is more saturated with secondary brewing. The color spectrum of the finished drink is dark green.

• Next: class "A". His fees are held at the 3rd and 4th weeks after the start of the harvest period. This tea raw material is from the kidneys plus one starting to open the leaf. In this case, the kidney is larger than the leaves themselves. "A" class also belongs to the categories of quality and has a delicate and refined taste, a bitter aftertaste that fills the oral cavity of the taster. And, which is typical: "A" -class does not change the taste and aroma for ten brews! The color of the tea is dark green.
• "AAA" is a class. It also belongs to the category of high-class teas and meets a week later than "A". The raw material contains unopened kidneys and a couple of barely unfolded leaflets. Its aroma is thin, with a sweet aftertaste of grass meadows. After five brews, a bitter taste is more pronounced. The color spectrum of the drink is yellow-green, jade.
• Jing Pin. This tea raw material is collected in the late terms of the harvest period - 7 days before the final.

Falsifications

Exclusive and excellent quality product can not cost cheap: in order to grow it, you need to carry out quite serious and temporary and financial costs. This is not always combined with the wishes of impure producers. "Longjing" tea also does not bypass the fate of falsifications - it is forged immediately outside the region. The frying of cheap varieties is used, so that to achieve a branded shade of authentic lunjine, a mixture of a small amount of authentic variety with others, a cheaper treatment of real raw materials.

"Longjing" (tea): properties and use. Reviews

Tea drinking is a whole ritual, including traditions, worked out over the years. And many of them are even protected by the tea laws of the country. According to the reviews, "Longjing" tea requires the right attitude during the process. You can not destroy the "spirit of tea", so the preliminary washing is performed at a temperature of no higher than 70 degrees. Brewing is at 85. The amount of the product should not be more than 5 grams per volume of standard brewers. The drink lasts about ten minutes, after which you can drain the tea and repeat the repeated brewing. The utensils with which tea is in contact must be made of glass, porcelain, jade, then the risk of changes in the original taste and aroma is excluded. Feedback is advised to use a divine drink better from small cups. This tea is not recommended to mix with and do not jam. Have a nice tea party to you!