bi luo chun
bi luo chun, one of the top ten famous teas in china, is produced in dongting mountain, suzhou city, jiangsu province. it is also known as "amazingly fragrant". since the tang dynasty, it has been listed as a tribute. bi luo chun tea leaves resemble gourds and are known for their "gourd head" and "two dragons playing with pearls" shape. with its unique production process and excellent quality, it is hailed as a treasure among teas...
- historical development
china is the birthplace of tea with a long history. according to historical records, as early as the tang dynasty, bi luo chun was already listed as a tribute.
according to "research on bi luo chun tea", it states: "bi luo chun produced in dongting mountain is harvested in march, and it goes through picking and drying to become the finished product...".
due to its complex processing procedures, meticulous craftsmanship, and excellent quality, mingqian bi luo chun has always been a tribute. it was not until the kangxi period of the qing dynasty (1662) that it became a commonly consumed tea among the general public.
bi luo chun tea not only enjoys a good reputation in china, but also abroad. as early as the early 20th century, it was produced and sold in some european and american countries.
- quality characteristics
bi luo chun has slender twisted leaves, resembling a snail, covered with down, and a silver-green color that displays an emerald hue. its fragrance is elegant and long-lasting.
bi luo chun is generally divided into large leaf bud and small leaf bud varieties. the best quality of dongting bi luo chun tea usually consists of one bud with one leaf or one bud with two leaves.
dongting mountain is the birthplace of chinese green tea, and the tea leaves grown here are known for their unique geographical location and natural environment, earning the title of "dongting bi luo".
according to tests, this tea has an amino acid content of over 7.1%; the content of tea polyphenols accounts for only about 2.8%; while the soluble sugar content is as high as over 2.3%.
- tea-making process
1. picking: in the spring season, when the tea buds are just sprouting, tea farmers pick a batch of fresh leaves before the grain rain period and then start the manufacturing process.
2. fixation: the hand-fried tea leaves undergo processes such as killing the green, shaping, and drying.
3. shaping: the well-made tea leaves are processed into fried green tea through waist-tying and shaping, and then can be dried.
4. roasting: during the roasting process, the tea leaves need to be constantly turned over, which helps the volatilization of the substances inside the tea leaves.
- classification
bi luo chun, because its raw materials are harvested from fresh leaves in dongting mountain, suzhou (now taihu in wu county), is also called "dongting bi luo chun".
according to "dongting xishan tea classic", it states: "the production method of bi luo chun uses fresh white-haired silver needle tea produced in taihu, and it is dried after stir-frying large white steamed bread tea."
in the twelfth year of the qing emperor yongzheng's reign (1734), when emperor kangxi toured southern china, he tasted "bi luo chun". emperor qianlong also drank this tea during his southern tour.
feng cha bi luo chun is produced in the tea region of dongting west mountain in jiangsu province, also known as dongting bi luo chun.