Longjing tea ( Chinese trad. 龍井茶 , ex. 龙井茶 , pinyin : lóngjǐngchá - dragon's well) is a type of green tea from Hangzhou , Zhejiang Province , China . It is usually made by hand, as a result of which the price of this variety is higher compared to most varieties. Marked with the honorary title of Famous Tea of China .
| Longjing | |
|---|---|
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| View | Green |
| Other names | 龙井, 龍井, Lung Jing, Dragon Well |
| Origin | Zhejiang Province , China |
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Content
General characteristics
For the production of longjing, only the tops of shoots with two upper leaves are used. A kilogram of tea of such shoots can be up to 100 thousand, and since manual collection and processing are very laborious and require high qualifications, high-grade longjing is very expensive and sold in small quantities.
During the manufacturing process, longjing is roasted to stop the fermentation process (oxidation of the tea leaf substances by its own enzymes during drying) and special mechanical processing, which gives the tea leaf tenderness. Longjing is fried in special boilers: the sheet is pressed with a palm against the heated surface of the boiler, flattened and at the same time finally dried. Tea prepared in this way does not require sorting; it is the final product and must be sealed. Longjing is not aromatized.
Longjing gives a yellow-green infusion with a delicate delicate aroma and rich taste. Tea contains vitamin C , amino acids and catechins , the content of which is superior to all other types and varieties of tea.
Tea got its name from a mountainous region in Zhejiang province, which in turn derives its name from the village of Longjing, which means “Dragon Well” in Chinese. It is said that in a village well, the water in which, due to its high mineralization, differed in its light-refracting properties, during the rain optical effects arose that reminded the locals of the movement of the mythical sacred animal. The well was considered miraculous and came to him in a drought to ask the dragon for rain.
It is believed that in order to reveal all the qualities of Longjing, it needs to be brewed with water from the source of Khupao-chuan, boiled and cooled to 80 degrees. There are 6 varieties of Longjing: “highest”, and from the 1st to the 5th, and sometimes use the gradation AAA, AA, A.
History
According to legend, the grandson of the Qing emperor Xuanje - Emperor Hongli - visited Lake Xihu during one of his famous holiday trips.
In the Khugong temple at the foot of the Lion Mountain Shi Fengshan, near which 18 tea bushes grew, a cup of local tea was brought to the emperor. Appreciating the quality of tea, Qianlong granted these 18 bushes a special title, and the highest grade of Longjing has since been considered guncha (tea-offering to the emperor). [one]
And today, the famous 18 imperial tea bushes grow near the Hugong Temple.
Tasting
To distinguish a real Longjing, you need to pay special attention to the color, aroma, taste and shape of the leaves.
Color . Top grade tea has a yellow-green color; medium grades - light green; low-grade tea has a dark green color.
The aroma . Brew 3-5 grams of tea in gaiwan, pour the infusion and smell the tea. The aroma should be pronounced, but gentle and unsharp.
The taste . High-quality longjing leaves a sweet (not bitter) aftertaste. To prevent sour taste, do not brew Longjing too strong (no more than 5 grams per cup).
Form . The dry leaf of Longjing of the highest grade is flat, even, with a smooth surface, about 2 cm long, in shape resembles pine needles. Too long or too short leaves may indicate poor quality tea.
Fakes
There is evidence that most of the longjing sold is not from Zhejiang. [2] Suppliers who care about their reputation provide their goods with special protective labels [3] or openly declare that their tea is not from Zhejiang.
According to the Longjing technology, tea is produced in the provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan.
There are often cases when sellers mix low-grade tea with expensive varieties, passing off such a mixture as high-quality tea.
Varieties
- Shihu Longjing is an example of strict adherence to naming standards. Xihu (West Lake) is the place of growth of this species of Longjing. It is Longjing of the West Lake from Zhejiang - holder of the title "Famous Tea of China." The area near Xihu Lake, where sihu is cultivated, is strictly limited; its area is 168 square kilometers. Historically, this territory was divided into 4 regions: Leo (Shi), Dragon (Lun), Cloud (Yun) and Tiger (Hu). Over the years, the borders of the districts have erased, and today the following varieties of shihu longjing are distinguished: shi feng longjing, mei chia longjing and just shihu longjing, which includes all other varieties of tea in this territory.
- Shi feng longjing is a type of shihu longjing. This tea is considered the best in China. To imitate the yellow-green color of Shi Feng Longjing, some unscrupulous manufacturers overcook the tea leaf.
- Mei Jia Longjing is a type of shihu longjing, famous for its beautiful green color. The cost of first-crop tea from manufacturers reaches 6,000 yuan per kilogram ( 2005 data).
- Lun Longjing . Grown in the area of Wenjia village.
- Hu Longjing . Tiger Longjing. Grown in the south of Hangzhou, near the spring of Hu Pao Mei Quan.
- Bai Longjing . Actually, this is not Longjing, but Baipiang . It is produced in Anji , Zhejiang . This tea, bred in the early 80's. XX century, refers to white tea - the original variety of green tea, characterized by an unusual appearance and taste and a high content of amino acids.
- Qiantang Longjing . This tea is grown outside the territory of Xihu Longjing, in the Qiantang area; generally, it is cheaper than shihu longjing.
- Yes Fo Longjing . A kind of high quality longjing. Grown, like the original Longjing, in Zhejiang , but not in the area of Lake Xihu , but in Xinchang County.
See also
- Chinese tea culture