China Tea ep. 16 – Huangshan Mao Feng, Lu’an Gua Pian – Sunday Tea Book – Sip-a-long – Dian Lü Pan Fired

Huangshan Mao Feng

Most of the famous mountains in the south of China produce famous teas. This is especially true for Anhui Province.

The Misty Mountains produce good teas

Huangshan Mao Feng originates from Huangshan, Anhui Province, mainly located around Yungu Temple, Songgu Temple, Diaoqiao Temple, Ciguang Pavilion on Mount Taohua. The natural environment of these places are ideal for tea growing, high on the mountain with great forest coverage, and shorter sunlight with sufficient cloud and mist protection and no extreme heat or cold in the summer or winter. These conditions guarantee good quality tea.

Top grade Huangshan Mao Feng is the pinnacle among Mao Feng tea. The tiny dry leaves are flat and curved, like a sparrow’s tongue, covered with silver fuzz. The distinctive character of Huangshan Mao Feng is “yu ye (fish leaves) are gold, the color of ivory tusks”, which differentiate Huangshan Mao Feng from Other Mao Feng. Yu ye is the small leaf located below the spring’s one bud and one leaf. This tiny leaf wintered with the plant and only appears in pinnacle Huangshan Mao Feng. It’s also known as “cha sun (tea bamboo)” or “jin pian (gold piece/leaf)”. Color like tusk as mentioned above describes the color of pinnacle Huangshan Mao Feng, which has “no radiance, is a bit yellow, a bit white and a bit green”. If you’ve been to the Huangshan Mountains, sipping this tea again will remind you of the stunning view of the mountains. If you’ve never been there, the taste of the tea might help you imagine the poetic views there.

Mengding Gan Lu

Mengding Gan Lu comes from Mengshan Mountain in Mingshan County, Sichuan Province. Mengshan Mountain has been producing tea since the Han Dynasty (202BC – 220AD). Mengding Gan Lu was named after the year name designated by Emperor Han Xuan Di, Gan Lu (years were tracked by an imperial naming system called “nian hao”, so 10 years after Gan Lu is named is called 10 Gan Lu or “Gan Lu shi nian”). Legend has it that the first cultivated tea bushes were the 7 tea bushes planted on Mengshan Mountain by Wu Lizhen. Wu Lizhen is known as “tea ancestor (cha zu)” or “Master Gan Lu (Gan Lu da shi)”.

Shape: curly.

Color: jade green covered with silver fuzz

Liquor: yellowish-green, bright

Taste: tender, rich, complex

Brewed Leaves: yellowish green, soft.

Lu’an Gua Pian

Lu’an (Liu An) Gua Pian also known as Pian Cha is a special green tea (te zhong cha). It’s also a national historical famous tea, one of the 10 classic Chinese green teas. It is the only green tea that gets rid of stems and buds. Originating from Lu’an City, Anhui Province, it is processed in an unique traditional way which makes this tea look like sunflower seeds.

Shape: single leaf, curled

Color: green to deep green with white “frost”

Liquor: green

Taste: refreshing

Brewed Leaves: yellowish-green.