The Sweet Fragrance of Spring Wafting from Tea

4 min read

Though tea is just an everyday beverage，it has a unique personality of its own.People from the north are fond of jasmine tea，which tastes fragrant and strong.People from the south prefer green tea.

People from the provinces in southwest China are used to drinking pu’er tea，which has a pure and unadulterated taste.People from Fujian，Guangdong and Taiwan Provinces love to make”kung fu tea”with oolong tea.Herds-men from the pastures need to drink milk tea，which is made by boiling horse milk，cow milk，and ewe milk together with fermented brick tea.People say that green tea represents the character of the literati in south China-slightly bitter，simple but profound；black tea has the character of a young lady-quiet and leisurely；oolong tea symbolizes the senior people’s wisdom-unsophisticated，mellow and full；while jasmine tea seems like the philistines-buzzing with activity, thick, strong and straightforward. In light of this, judging by what kind of tea a person drinks,a rough idea can be gleaned about where hi lives, as well as his individual personality and sense of taste.

Tea drinking in different regions is not only marked by distinct, local characteristics, but also by the different times that tea is drunk during the day. If it is assumed that green tea is a good for giving a boost at 10 o’ clock in the morning, drinking black tea is then the most adequate choice after 3 o’ clock in the afternoon. In the warmth and fragrance of a cup of afternoon black tea, the body and mind is slowly relieved of lethargy.

As black tea is fermented, the black tea that is made in boiled water is of different shades of red: warm in quality, thick and strong in taste, and pure and sweet in smell.

The earliest black tea in China, which was grown in the place of happiness for tea, the Wuyi Mountains, came into existence in Fujian Province in the 16h century. Inthe beginning, this type of tea was known as “small seed black tea,”and the “Zhengshan small seed”produced in the northern part of the Wuyi Mountains was regarded asauthentic. Small seed black tea should possess the aroma of the smoked pinewood and appear like the longan soup when made in boiled water. In the mid-18th century, small seed black tea evolved into “kung fu black tea,”which instantly became popular in many parts of China and was sold overseas. The processing technique of kung fu black tea was then passed to India, Sri Lanka and other countries, where”crushed black tea”was derived. The leaves of crushed black tea are in bits and scraps, tasting fresh and strong when made in boiled water. Sugar and milk are often added to the crushed black tea, and, by doing so, the crushed black tea is made more suited to the taste and usual practice of the Western people. In addition to this, it is also appropriate for tea in bags.

Many peoples’ knowledge about black tea is limited to Lipton’s Yellow Label Tea, and they don’t know that the highly honored British tea culture had been set outto sea from Fujian, China and then passed to the British Isles. While the English gentlemen were adding sugar and milk to their silver teacups on a misty afternoon, the Chinese were still holding fast to the traditions that had lasted for 1,000 years, enjoying kung fu tea with ease and leisure with mini-sized Yixing teapots. The two words “kung fu”in kung fu tea refer to both the kung fu(the skil1) required in tea processing and the kung fu(the period of time) spent on tea drinking. The process of tea processing covers withering, rubbing, fermenting and drying, which naturally takes time. Tea drinking should also follow the practice of being fully and slowly sipped.

First, its shade should be appreciated; second, its pleasant fragrance should be enjoyed; and, finally, its taste shouldbe savored. There are various homes to kung fu black tea: Fujian is home to Min kung fu black tea, Sichuan home to Chuan kung fu black tea, Jiangxi home to Ning kung fu black tea and Guangdong is home to Yue kung fu black tea. However, Dian hong(Dian black tea) produced in Yunnan and Qi hong(Qi black tea) produced in Anhui are the two that have long enjoyed the greatest reputation. Dian hong tea is pleasantly strong, mellow and full.

A gold ring always appears on the surface of the best quality Dian hong. Qi hong is among the top 10 famous brands of tea in China. Only when it is drunk slowly and quietly can its freshness, sweetness, fragrance and unusual charm be felt. Best-quality Qi hong often send off an aroma of orchids and roses. People from the west call this aroma Qimen fragrance. The English people like to drink Qi hong most, saying,”In the aroma of Chinese tea, we can feel the scent of spring.”