Lingering Fragrance of the Spring Tea

Mingqian tea and Yuqian tea

In China, Mingqian tea is known as the best kind of green tea. It is picked and processed right before the Pure Brightness, the fifth solar term. As Mingqian tea has tender buds and rich, fragrant substance, it is regarded for its superb quality. However, as the temperature before the Pure Brightness is generally low, tea buds are limited in number, making it especially rare.

Meanwhile Yuqian tea is picked and processed after the Pure Brightness and before the Grain Rain — the period from April 5 to 20. Though Yuqian tea is not as tender as Mingqian tea, it grows faster and contains a richer substance, making it fresh and thick in taste.

Tea processing

Nowadays, tea is mostly processed manually through four processes — baking, stir-fry, rolling and drying, all of which are done in the same pan. Every year, when it’s time to process the tea, tea peasants have to work from dawn to dusk. Top-quality tea has to be picked in the morning, selected in the afternoon, and baked in the evening — all procedures must be done within one day to maintain its tenderness and fragrance.

The infusion of spring tea

As green tea is light in taste, it is not suitable to be infused with boiling water nor should be covered with a lid while being infused. While you are gazing at the transparent glass and see the drifting tender buds in the water, many inspirations would emerge.

Zisha (purple clay) teapot is one of the best kind of tea sets. After being brewed in a Zisha teapot, the tea has a thick and lingering taste. The Zisha teapot has a small mouth, a tight lid, and rough inner wall to contain the fragrance of the tea.

Drinking tea to enhance physical fitness

One of the most popular teas in China is green tea, which contains higher nutrients and chlorophyll due to the absence of fermentation during processing. However, excessive chlorophyll irritates the stomach; therefore, those suffering from gastric ulcer should not drink green tea.