Tieguanyin, doesn't the name sound a bit classical and mysterious? It is not only a kind of tea, but also a piece of history and cultural heritage. Tieguanyin is an oolong tea, one of the ten most famous teas in China. It is between green tea and black tea, belongs to the semi-fermented tea, both green tea's fragrance, and black tea's thick, is a unique tea.
Origin of Tieguanyin
The origin of Tieguanyin can be traced back to the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, between about 1725 and 1735. Its birthplace is Xiping Town, Anxi County, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province. Legend has it that tea farmers at that time discovered a uniquely scented tea tree in Anxi, the leaves of which were able to emit an unforgettable aroma after a special tea-making process. This aroma, like the water from the Yangzhi branch in the hands of the Goddess of Mercy, is refreshing and divine, hence the name "Tieguanyin".
Characteristics of Tieguanyin
Tieguanyin belongs to the oolong tea category, which is a semi-fermented tea. It is between green tea and black tea, with the fresh fragrance of green tea and the mellow flavor of black tea. The production process of Tieguanyin is very delicate, including multiple steps such as picking, withering, shaking, killing, kneading and baking. Each step requires careful handling to ensure the quality of the tea.
High-quality Tieguanyin tea is fat and tightly knotted, bright and moist in color, golden soup color after brewing, rich and long-lasting aroma, and it has the reputation of "seven bubbles have residual fragrance". Tieguanyin's leaf bottom is thick and bright, with unique aroma, sweetness in the mouth, and a special flavor known as "Guanyin rhyme". Due to the different production process, the fermentation degree of Tieguanyin can be divided into light fermentation, medium fermentation and heavy fermentation, and the taste is also unique.
Types of Tieguanyin
Tieguanyin can be categorized into three main types according to the degree of fermentation and different production processes: clear-scented, strong-scented and aged.2 Clear-scented Tieguanyin has a light taste and fresh aroma; strong-scented Tieguanyin has a strong aroma and mellow flavor; and aged Tieguanyin has a unique woody and honeyed aroma, and is made after a long period of storage and reprocessing.
Production process
The production process of Tieguanyin is very complicated and requires several steps. It mainly includes the steps of cool greening, sun-drying, greening, shaking, stir-frying, kneading, initial roasting, re-roasting, wrapping and kneading, and slow roasting. Each step requires delicate handling, especially during the shaking and fermentation process, which requires repeated shaking and drying of the tea leaves to promote enzymatic oxidation of the tea leaves and to develop a unique aroma and taste.
Origin and growing environment
Tieguanyin is mainly produced in Anxi County, Fujian, where the mountainous terrain, warm and humid climate and fertile soil provide superior conditions for the growth of the tea plant. Besides Anxi, Tieguanyin is also grown in other parts of Fujian such as Hua'an County, Nanjing County, Yongchun County and Zhangping City.
Drinking Style
In Quanzhou, Xiamen, and Zhangzhou in Fujian Province, as well as in Chaoshan in Guangdong Province and Taiwan, people usually drink Tieguanyin in the form of "Gongfu Tea". With a small ceramic pot, a small teacup, first warm the cup with boiling water, and then put in the right amount of tea leaves, brewed with boiling water, the first two channels of tea used to wash the tea and warm the cup, the third channel before the formal drinking. This way of drinking tea is not only a better way to savor the aroma and flavor of tea, but also a part of savoring life.
concluding remarks
Tieguanyin, behind this name lies hundreds of years of history, the wisdom and sweat of countless tea farmers, an attitude and philosophy of life. It is not only a kind of drink, but also a kind of cultural heritage and development. We hope that through today's introduction, we can let you have a deeper understanding and knowledge of Tieguanyin, and also hope to inspire your interest and love of Chinese tea culture.
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