What is Tieguanyin tea?

Tieguanyin tea, a traditional Chinese tea, belongs to the green tea category and is one of the top ten famous teas in China. It is native to Xiping Town, Anxi County, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province and was discovered in 1723-1735. "Tieguanyin" is not only the name of the tea, but also the name of the tea tree variety. Tieguanyin tea is between green tea and black tea. It is a semi-fermented tea. Tieguanyin has a unique "Guanyin charm", a delicate fragrance and elegant charm, and has a natural orchid flavor after brewing. It is fragrant, has a pure and strong taste, and has a fragrant and long-lasting fragrance. It has the reputation of "seven bubbles have a lingering fragrance". In addition to the general health care functions of tea, it also has anti-aging, anti-arteriosclerosis, prevention and treatment of diabetes, weight loss and bodybuilding, prevention and treatment of dental caries, clearing away heat and reducing fire, and sobering up smoke and sobering up.

Tieguanyin contains high levels of amino acids, vitamins, minerals, tea polyphenols and alkaloids. It has a variety of nutritional and medicinal ingredients and has health care functions. In the 8th year of the Republic of China, it was introduced to Muzha District from Anxi, Fujian Province for trial planting. It is divided into two types: "Red Heart Tieguanyin" and "Green Heart Tieguanyin". In the main production areas, during the Wenshan period, the tree is of the horizontal type, with thick and hard branches and sparse leaves. , with fewer buds and thicker leaves, the yield is not high, but the quality of Baozhong tea is high, and the production period is later than that of Qingxin Oolong. It has a slightly tree shape with oval-shaped leaves that are thick and fleshy. The leaves are spread flat.

Chinese name Tieguanyin
plant kingdom
phylum angiosperms
Class Dicotyledons
Camellia sinensis
Theaceae
Primitive perianth of subclass
Distribution area: Southern Fujian, Northern Fujian, Guangdong, Taiwan
Foreign name Tieguanyin
Tie Guanyin
Tea is between green tea and black tea and is a semi-fermented tea.
Efficacy: Anti-aging, anti-arteriosclerosis
Started in AD 1723-1735
Origin: Anxi County, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province
Geographical location: 24°-25° north latitude, 117°-118° east longitude
The main production areas are Shirase, Gande, Longjuan, Xianghua and Changkeng


Table of contents
1Historical development
▪Era of Creation
▪Origin of name
2Origin distribution
3 varieties classification
4 Processing technology
▪Production process
▪Shaking technology
▪Drapping acid production method
5 value functions
▪Nutritional content
▪Main functions
▪Miracles for life
6 tea tasting guide
▪How to drink
▪Brewing tips
▪Tea tasting steps
▪Identification
▪National standard
7Storage methods
8 Awards and Honors
9Tea Culture
▪Learn tea skills
▪Tea Fighting Conference
▪Stories and legends


History development

Creation era
"Qing Shang Ming Tea Preparation Method" records: "The origin of green tea (i.e. oolong tea): The working people of Anxi, Fujian Province created and invented green tea in the third to thirteenth year of Yongzheng in the Qing Dynasty (1725-1735). It was first introduced to northern Fujian. Introduced to Taiwan Province.”
Due to its excellent quality and unique fragrance, Tieguanyin has been imitated by various places and has spread throughout southern and northern Fujian, Guangdong, Taiwan and other oolong tea areas.
In the 1970s, Japan had an "oolong tea craze" and oolong tea became popular all over the world. Some green tea areas such as Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Anhui, Hunan, Hubei, and Guangxi have introduced oolong tea production technology and carried out "green to oolong" (that is, green tea to oolong tea).
There are four major oolong tea production areas in China: southern Fujian, northern Fujian, Guangdong, and Taiwan. Fujian has the longest production history, the largest output, and the best quality. Anxi Tieguanyin and Wuyi rock tea are especially famous at home and abroad.
Origin of the name
At the end of the Tang Dynasty and the beginning of the Song Dynasty, there was an eminent monk surnamed Pei (common name) who lived in Anchangyuan in Shengquanyan, east of Sima Mountain in Anxi. He made tea himself and taught it to the villagers. The villagers called tea a sacred tree. In the sixth year of Yuanfeng (1083), there was a severe drought in Anxi. Master Puzu was invited to pray for rain and the results came true. The villagers kept Master Puzu in Qingshuiyan. He built temples and roads to benefit the villagers. He heard about the medicinal effects of holy tea and traveled hundreds of miles to Shengquanyan to ask the villagers for advice on how to grow and make tea, and to transplant the holy trees.
One day, after bathing and changing clothes and burning incense, Master Puzu went to the sacred tree to prepare for picking tea. He found beautiful red buds of Phoenix genuine tea. Soon, mountain Qiang (commonly known as small yellow deer) came to eat tea. When he saw this scene, I sighed very much: "The creation of heaven and earth is really a holy tree." Patriarch Qingshui returned to the temple to make tea and brewed tea from the holy spring. He thought: God birds, beasts and monks share holy tea, which is holy. Since then, Tiansheng Tea has become his holy prescription for treating villagers.
Patriarch Qingshui also passed on his own methods of growing and making tea to the villagers. At the foot of Nanyan Mountain, "Oolong", a retired hunting general, accidentally invented the tea-shaking process and fermentation process when he went to the mountains to pick tea for hunting. As a result, the Tiansheng tea produced was more fragrant and sweeter in taste. The villagers learned from him, and from now on, the tea made using this technique is called oolong tea.
Wang Shirang took leave to return to his hometown to visit relatives and friends, and discovered this tea at the foothills of Nanyan Mountain. In the sixth year of Qianlong's reign (1741), Wang Shirang was called to the capital to pay a visit to Fang Bao, the Minister of Rites, and brought tea to him as a gift. After Fang Bao tasted it, he felt that it was a treasure of tea, so he presented it to Qianlong. Qianlong summoned Wang Shirang to inquire about the origin of the tea. Wang explained the origin of the tea in detail. When Qianlong took a closer look, the shape of the tea resembled the Avalokitesvara and its face was as heavy as iron, so he named it "Iron Goddess of Mercy".

Origin distribution
Anxi County in Fujian Province is not only the hometown of world-famous tea, but also the birthplace of the national famous oolong tea, and the base county and city for the export of oolong tea in Fujian Province. Anxi has a long history of tea production, unique natural conditions and excellent tea quality.


Variety classification
Tieguanyin finished products can be roughly divided into three types according to the degree of fermentation and production technology: light aroma, strong aroma, and aged aroma.
Light-flavor Tieguanyin: The light-flavor type has a relatively light taste and a slightly sweet taste on the tongue. It prefers modern manufacturing methods and has the largest share in the market. The fragrance type Tieguanyin is emerald green in color, with clear soup, fragrant aroma, obvious floral fragrance and mellow taste. Because new tea is cold in nature, you should not drink too much, otherwise it will cause stomach upset and insomnia to a certain extent.
Strong-flavor Tieguanyin: The strong-flavor Tieguanyin has a mellow taste, a long aroma, and a relatively sweet aftertaste. It is a product made from tea leaves fried by traditional techniques and then roasted. Strong-flavor Tieguanyin has the characteristics of "fragrant, strong, mellow, and sweet", with bright black color, golden soup color, pure aroma, and thick taste. Compared with the light-flavor type, strong-flavor Tieguanyin is warm in nature, has the functions of quenching thirst, promoting body fluids, and strengthening the body. The spleen warms the stomach and other effects.
Aged-flavor Tieguanyin: Aged-flavor type is also called old tea or cooked tea. It is made from strong-flavored or light-flavored Tieguanyin after long-term storage and repeated processing. It is also a semi-fermented tea. The aged-flavor Tieguanyin has the characteristics of "thickness, mellowness, moistness and softness", which is characterized by black color, rich soup, sweetness and mellowness, and agarwood condensation. Its characteristics and taste are close to Pu'er tea, black tea, and dark tea, and it has heavy historical and cultural deposits.
Charcoal roasted Tieguanyin is a type of Tieguanyin with a strong aroma. This is also the last quality-changing process in the processing of finished oolong tea. It is the roasting process of Tieguanyin light-flavored tea leaves with charcoal. The baking time, frequency and heat depend on personal taste and the market.

Processing technology

Production process
pick
It sprouts in late March and is harvested in four seasons of the year. Spring tea is from Grain Rain to Beginning of Summer (mid-to-late April to early May), and its output accounts for 40-45% of the total annual output; The first ten days of August) is summer tea, accounting for 15-20% of the output; the beginning of autumn to the end of summer (early August to late August) is summer tea, and the output accounts for 25-30%; the autumnal equinox to cold dew (late September to early October) is summer tea, and the output is Autumn tea accounts for 25-30% of the total output. The fresh leaves of tea trees in different growing areas should be separated, especially early green tea, noon green tea, and late green tea should be produced strictly separately, with noon green tea having the best quality.
The harvesting technology of Tieguanyin tea is special. Instead of picking very young buds and leaves, 2-3 leaves of mature shoots are picked. Commonly known as "open-face picking", it means picking when the leaves have all expanded and formed buds.

Liang Qing
The fresh leaves are collected according to the standard and brought to the factory, cooled and then sun-greened. The best time to dry is at 4 o'clock in the afternoon when the sun is soft. The leaves should be spread thinly to avoid losing their original luster, the leaf color will turn darker, and the leaves will be soft when molded by hand. The parietal lobe is drooping, and the weight loss is about 6-9%, which is moderate. Then move it indoors and cool it for greening.

make green
Shaking and spreading are done alternately, collectively called making green. Greening is highly technical and flexible, and is the key to determining the quality of Maocha. Shaking causes the edges of the leaves to be rubbed, causing damage to the edge cells. After being laid out, under certain temperature and humidity conditions, as the leaves gradually lose water, the polyphenols in the leaves are slowly oxidized under the action of enzymes and cause A series of chemical changes form the unique qualities of oolong tea.
The fresh leaves of Tieguanyin are thick and thick, so shake them again and extend the greening time. Shake them 3-5 times in total, and the number of turns each time is from less to more. The spreading time after shaking is from short to long, and the thickness of the spreading leaves is from thin to thick. The second and third shaking must be done until the green flavor is strong, the fresh leaves are stiff, commonly known as "returning Yang", and the water in the stems and leaves is redistributed and balanced. The fourth and fifth shakes can be flexibly controlled depending on the changes in color and aroma of the green leaves. The leaves are moderately green, with cinnabar-red edges and yellow-green central parts (the color of half-ripe banana peels). The leaves are convex and the leaf edges are curled on the back. They are spoon-shaped when viewed from the back of the leaves. They emit the fragrance of orchid and the leaves appear. The base is green, the belly is red, and the edges are slightly shiny. The leaf margins are bright red, and the stem epidermis is wrinkled.

Fried green
Stir-fry the green leaves in time, as soon as the green smell of the green leaves disappears and the aroma first appears. Kneading and baking: The kneading of Tieguanyin is repeated many times. Knead for about 3-4 minutes for the first time, then bake for the first time after breaking up the lumps. Bake until it is 50% to 60% dry and not sticky to your hands. Bake it while it is hot. Use techniques such as kneading, pressing, rolling, grabbing, and shrinking. After three kneadings and three bakings, bake slowly at 50-60℃. The aroma of the finished product is concentrated, the taste is mellow, the surface is shiny, and there is a layer of white frost on the surface of the tea sticks. Kneading, rolling and roasting are repeated many times. Until the appearance is satisfactory. Finally, the finished product is baked and dried.
winnowing
The slow-roasted tea leaves are finally sorted, and the stems and impurities are removed to obtain the finished product.

Shake green technology
A detailed explanation of the initial Tieguanyin shaking technique as an example:
1 "Getting away with water" is the key to obtaining high fragrance and "maintaining greenness"
Shaking green is the key to making Tieguanyin, and "moving water" is one of the main purposes of shaking green. The so-called "water-draining" means that by shaking the green leaves, "a considerable amount of aromatic substances contained in the tender stems" and amino acids and non-ester catechins whose content is 1-2 times higher than that of the buds and leaves diffuse to the leaves with the water. , combining it with the effective substances in the leaves, and transforming them into higher and stronger fragrance substances.
2 "Three defenses, one offense and one supplement"
The operation of Tieguanyin is known as "three defenses, one attack and one supplement", that is, the first and second shaking should be light, the number of revolutions should not be too many, and the stop time should be short. Generally, the first shaking should be 3 minutes. , shake the green leaves for a second time for 5 minutes to avoid excessive water loss and maintain the physiological activity of the green leaves so that the withered leaves can slowly "resurrect". In the third and fourth time, shake the green leaves vigorously and enough so that the leaf edges are damaged to a certain extent and green and smelly smells are released. Generally, the third and fourth shakes are done for 10 minutes and the fourth time for 30 minutes. . "One supplement" means that when the fourth shake of green is not enough and the leaves are not "red" enough, shake again. The number of revolutions of each shake should be from less to more, and the stopping time should also be from short to long. Stop greening for the first, second, and third times until the green air disappears and the surface leaves become soft. Shake them in time to prevent the leaves from losing too much water and becoming "dead green".
3. Mastering the degree of "water elimination"
"Water loss" refers to the water loss of tea leaves. Moderate control of "water elimination" is the key to Yaoqing's technique. Varies with season, climate and species. Tieguanyin shakes green to "dispel water" appropriately and master the principle of "spring eliminates, summer wrinkles, and autumn water maintains".
4. Mastering the degree of “fermentation”
Mastering the degree of "fermentation". The principle of "equal fragrance to spring and autumn, and equal redness to summer and heat" should be followed, because the temperature in spring and autumn is relatively low, and the leaves turn red slowly. Shake the green stems and leaves until the water in the stems and leaves is "dissipated", and a higher fragrance of fresh flowers is revealed. Let’s finalize it again. However, the temperature of summer tea is higher, and the leaves are "fermented" while shaking, so you can't wait for "the stems and leaves to disappear and the fragrance will be high". The main thing is to see if the redness of the leaves becomes moderate, and it must be finished immediately, otherwise it will "ferment" excessively and reduce the quality.
5 North windy day with low temperature and humidity
North windy days are good weather for making high-grade tea. Because in this kind of weather, the enzymatic oxidation of polyphenols in the leaves proceeds relatively slowly, and the fermentation of the leaves is relatively slow. Shaking the green leaves can "dissolve the stems and leaves", so that the contents in the leaves can be fully converted into ingredients. The aroma and taste substances of tea. At the same time, under low temperature and low humidity conditions, the chemical changes of the leaf contents are relatively slow. The transformation and accumulation of substances are greater than the consumption, and it is conducive to "maintaining the greenness" during shaking and causing "water leakage". "It goes smoothly. The rich effective substances in the stems can be fully utilized, so the "northern wind" is a good weather for making tea.

Drag acid production method

The first is to return the green, the second is to pull out the green, and the third is to drag the green. Compared with fried tea, the differences are as follows:
1.
Stir-fried tea: Stir-fry (kill) the green tea before 11-12 noon on the second day after picking. The green tea is round and round in shape, dark green in color, strong in aroma, with orchid fragrance, mellow in taste but slightly astringent, and has a bright rhyme. The soup is golden in color. 2. Preparation method of green tea: Stir-fry (kill green) at 15-18 o'clock the next day after picking green tea. The green tea will be tight in strips, green in color, strong in aroma, mellow in taste, bright in sound, with peanut flavor and sweet and sour taste. , but the taste is lighter and the soup color is golden green and yellow.
2.
Method of making green tea: Stir-fry (kill) the green tea before 22-24 o'clock on the second day after picking. The green tea will be tightly knotted, dark green in color, high in fragrance, mellow and musical, with sweet and sour taste, and the soup will be yellow or dark. golden.
3.
Method for making the green tea: Stir-fry the green tea (kill it) before 6-10 o'clock on the third day after picking. The shape of the green tea is tight and not heavy, the color is dark green, the aroma is high, not pure enough, the sound is light, and the taste is mellow and has strong acidity. It has a rancid taste. If soaked for a long time, the tea soup will turn orange-yellow and the bottom of the leaves will become stiff and dark green. 

Value function:

nutrient content
At the beginning of the 19th century, the composition of tea gradually became clear. After modern scientific separation and identification, tea contains more than 450 organic chemical components and more than 40 inorganic mineral elements. The organic chemical components and inorganic mineral elements in tea contain many nutrients and medicinal ingredients. The main organic chemical components include: tea polyphenols, plant alkaloids, proteins, vitamins, pectins, organic acids, lipopolysaccharides, sugars, enzymes, pigments, etc. The organic chemical components contained in Tieguanyin, such as tea polyphenols, catechins, and various amino acids, are significantly higher than those of other teas.

Catechins
Commonly known as "tea tannin", it is a unique component of tea and has bitter, astringent and astringent properties. It can be combined with caffeine in tea soup to alleviate the physiological effects of caffeine on the human body. It has the effects of antioxidant, anti-sudden mutation, anti-tumor, reducing blood cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein content, inhibiting blood pressure rise, inhibiting platelet aggregation, antibacterial, and anti-product allergy.
caffeine
It has a bitter taste and is an important component of the taste of tea soup. In the black tea soup, it combines with polyphenols to form a complex; when the tea soup is cold, it forms an emulsification phenomenon. The unique catechins and their oxidation condensates in tea can slow down and sustain the excitatory effects of caffeine. Therefore, drinking tea can keep people clear-headed and have more endurance when driving long distances.
Minerals
Tea is rich in 11 minerals including potassium, calcium, magnesium, and manganese. Tea soup contains more cations and less anions, so it is an alkaline food. Helps body fluids maintain alkalinity and maintain health.
1. Potassium: Promote the elimination of blood sodium. High blood sodium content is one of the causes of high blood pressure. Drinking more tea can prevent high blood pressure.
2. Fluoride: It has the effect of preventing tooth decay.
3. Manganese: It has antioxidant and anti-aging effects, enhances immune function, and helps in the utilization of calcium. Since it is insoluble in hot water, it can be ground into tea powder for consumption.
vitamins
1. Carotenoids: They can be converted into vitamins in the human body, but they must be swallowed with tea powder to supplement them.
2. B-complex vitamins and vitamin C: They are water-soluble and can be obtained from drinking tea.

Other functional ingredients
1. Flavonols have the effect of strengthening capillary walls and eliminating bad breath.
2. Saponin has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects.
3. Aminobutyric acid is produced during the tea making process by forcing the tea leaves to undergo anaerobic respiration, which can prevent high blood pressure.
Main functions
Anxi Tieguanyin is a precious natural drink with beauty and health care functions.
Beauty, weight loss and anti-aging
The crude catechin combination of Anxi Tieguanyin has strong antioxidant activity and can eliminate reactive oxygen molecules in cells, thus protecting the human body from aging diseases. The content ratio of manganese, iron, fluorine, potassium and sodium in Anxi Tieguanyin is higher than that of other teas. Among them, the high fluoride content ranks first among all teas, and it has a significant effect on preventing and treating dental caries and senile osteoporosis.
Make friends, nourish your character and feel good
Anxi Tieguanyin has unique effects in hospitality, making friends and personal cultivation. Anxi Tieguanyin needs to be brewed. When entertaining guests, you need to boil water and wash the cups. During the preparation process, the guests and hosts greet each other and talk about the past with the host. The process is very harmonious and friendly, so brewing and drinking are programmed to calm the mind and nourish the mood. .
Prevent cancer and increase intelligence
Anxi Tieguanyin has a high selenium content, ranking among the top six tea categories. Selenium can stimulate immune proteins and antibodies to resist disease and inhibit the occurrence and development of cancer cells. At the same time, Anxi Tieguanyin is also effective in increasing intelligence.
British scientists have discovered that the acidity and alkalinity of human brain fluids is related to IQ. Tea is an alkaline drink, and Anxi Tieguanyin is significantly alkaline. Therefore, regular drinking can regulate the acid-base balance of the human body and improve people's IQ.
Anxi Tieguanyin is rich in vitamins, caffeine, amino acids, minerals, tea polyphenols, etc.
Refreshing and good for thinking
Anxi Tieguanyin can refresh the mind and improve thinking, and its function mainly lies in the caffeine in the tea. Caffeine has the function of stimulating the central nervous system, enhancing thinking, and improving efficiency. Therefore, drinking tea can break sleep, refresh your mind, relieve irritability, relieve fatigue, clear your mind, improve your thinking, and can significantly improve your oral defense ability and mathematical thinking response. At the same time, because Anxi Tieguanyin contains polyphenols and other compounds, it offsets the adverse effects of pure caffeine on the human body.
Suppress cardiovascular disease
The tea polyphenols contained in Tieguanyin play an important role in human body fat metabolism. The human body has high levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, etc., fat deposits on the inner walls of blood vessels, and vascular smooth muscle cells proliferate to form atherosclerotic plaques and other cardiovascular diseases.
Tea polyphenols, especially the catechins ECG and EGC in tea polyphenols and their oxidation products theaflavin, etc., help to inhibit this patchy proliferation, enhance the viscosity of blood coagulation, reduce fibrinogen, and make blood coagulation clearer. , thereby inhibiting atherosclerosis.
Treat tooth sensitivity
Tieguanyin tea has a better anti-allergic effect. Don't throw away the Tieguanyin tea after drinking it. You can "recycle" it and chew it in your mouth, especially on sensitive teeth. You can also put fresh Tieguanyin tea leaves directly into the sensitive parts of your teeth and chew them gently. When chewing Tieguanyin tea leaves to treat toothache, it is not necessary to choose high-grade Tieguanyin tea.

Magical uses for life
1. Scald or burn: You can decoct an appropriate amount of Tieguanyin tea leaves to extract thick juice. After cooling quickly, immerse the affected area in tea; you can also use tea to apply to the wound surface, 4-5 times a day.
2. For motion sickness and drunkenness, drink a small cup of warm tea with 2-3 ml of soy sauce in advance. This method can also be used to relieve drunkenness.
3. If your gums bleed when brushing your teeth, you can often drink tea because tea is rich in vitamin C, iron and hemostatic ingredients, which can make the gums tough and increase the elasticity of capillaries to prevent bleeding.
4. Panic and nausea caused by bad breath or excessive smoking can be relieved by gargling Tieguanyin and drinking appropriate amount of strong tea.
5. Prevent and treat dental caries in children. The fluoride in tea can prevent teeth from dephosphorizing and decalcifying in the acidic environment of the oral cavity. Therefore, gargling with tea frequently can prevent dental caries.
6. If the skin folds of infants and young children are inflamed, red and swollen, you can use Tieguanyin tea to boil water, put it to a suitable temperature, and then wash it outside the baby.
7. Overwork. Brewing a cup of new tea and drinking it can quickly eliminate fatigue and restore energy.
8. Obese people can often drink tea, especially oolong tea, which has a good weight loss effect.
9. For those with high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease, drinking a cup of tea every day can lower cholesterol and protect cardiovascular disease.
10. Those with loss of appetite and yellow and red urine can drink more light tea.
11. Those who feel uncomfortable after eating greasy food can drink stronger hot tea, such as brick tea or Tuo tea, which has a better effect on relieving greasiness.
12. People with mild internal heat can drink Tieguanyin to reduce internal heat.

Tea tasting guide

How to drink
Use a small earthenware pot and a small cup (small cup), first scald with boiling water, then fill the pot with tea leaves equivalent to one-half to two-thirds of the pot's capacity, and add boiling water. The first two courses of tea are usually discarded because the tea leaves have just begun to unfold and are still dusty, and have a slightly burnt and astringent taste, making them unsuitable for drinking. These two cups of tea will be used to warm the tea cup. After two cups of water, the tea cup will be warm. Pour the third boiling water into the pot. After 1 to 2 minutes, pour the tea soup evenly into the small cup.
Brewing Tips
Start with water, tea sets, and brewing time. It is better to use mountain spring water. Good water quality can better bring out the inner quality of tea. It is best to brew with 100℃ boiling water.
1. Fresh fragrance series products: The raw materials come from tea trees grown in the high altitude and rock matrix soil of Anxi, the birthplace of Tieguanyin. They have the comprehensive characteristics of "freshness, fragrance, charm and sharpness".
Brewing method: Put 5-10 grams each time into a tea cup, brew with boiling water, pour out the tea in 10 seconds for the first soup, and then extend it for 5 seconds, but do not soak for a long time, and can be brewed 6-7 times continuously. Mineral water or purified water, mountain spring water is the best.
2. Strong-flavor series products: Tieguanyin tea made with the traditional craft of "tea is the king and fire is the minister" uses a century-old unique baking method, slow baking with warm fire and rapid cooling with wet wind.
Strong-flavor Tieguanyin should be brewed in a purple clay pot with a large mouth. If a purple clay teapot with a small mouth is not conducive to the heat dissipation of the tea leaves, the tea leaves will "mature" quickly in the pot, and the taste of the tea leaves will reflect the "astringent" side.
3. Features of Yunxiang series products: "Guanyin Yun" is the unique charm of Anxi Tieguanyin and a symbol of the quality and characteristics of the authentic Tieguanyin, with complete color, fragrance and taste. Due to the origin: Inner Anxi Tieguanyin has pure charm, Outer Anxi Tieguanyin has less charm, and Huaan Tieguanyin has less charm.
4. Charcoal-roasted strong-flavor series products: The characteristic production method is based on the traditional authentic method and then roasted at about 120°C for about 10 hours to improve the taste and body and develop the aroma. The raw materials come from tea trees grown in high-altitude, rock-based soil in Anxi, the birthplace of Tieguanyin, and are carefully selected and refined using traditional techniques. The tea is fully fermented and has a traditional and authentic taste. It has a "strong, rhyme, moist and special" taste, high fragrance, good aftertaste and full flavor. It has long been favored by consumers. Yunxiang Tieguanyin should be soaked in a tureen, because the tureen is made of white porcelain, which does not absorb odor and conducts heat quickly.


Precautions
It is wrong to use a thermos cup to make tea. If tea leaves are brewed in a thermos cup and soaked in high-temperature, constant-temperature water for a long time, a large amount of tea polyphenols, tannins and other substances in the tea leaves will be leached out, making the tea rich in color and bitter in taste. Therefore, tea sets should choose ceramics with good air permeability, such as using a purple clay teapot to make tea without losing the original flavor of the tea.
Tea tasting steps
Tasting Tieguanyin tea generally consists of three procedures: tea inspection, tea viewing and tea tasting.
examine tea
It refers to the brewing method of Tieguanyin and the need to examine the tea leaves before making tea. Experts can distinguish different types of green tea, black tea, Tieguanyin, oolong tea (green tea), yellow tea, white tea, dark tea and so on at a glance. People who are more particular can also distinguish "Mingqian", "Yuqian", "Longjing", "Quexi" and so on. What kind of water does Tieguanyin tea use? The brewing, brewing, soaking and boiling methods are all different.
View tea
That is to observe the shape and color of Tieguanyin tea leaves. Once the Tieguanyin tea leaves are brewed, their shape will change greatly and almost return to the original natural state of the tea leaves.
Tasting tea
To taste Anxi Tieguanyin tea, you should not only appreciate the taste of the soup, but also smell the fragrance of Tieguanyin tea. To smell the tea aroma, first smell the unbrewed dry tea leaves. Tea aroma can be divided into sweet aroma, burnt aroma, light aroma, etc. Once Tieguanyin tea is brewed, its fragrance will overflow from the water, and you can smell it now. After tasting the tea, you can smell the lingering fragrance from the Tieguanyin tea lid and the bottom of the cup.


identify
The identification methods of Tieguanyin are two procedures: "dry inspection of appearance" and "wet evaluation of inner quality (flush with water and open bubbles)".
1. Observe the appearance: mainly observe the appearance, color, uniformity of Tieguanyin and smell the aroma of tea and rice. Any tea with a fat appearance, heavy solidity, sandy green color, and pure aroma of dry tea (tea rice) is a top-grade tea with obvious characteristics of Guanyin; otherwise, it is a inferior tea.
2. Wet quality evaluation: After tea leaves are brewed in boiling water, their aroma, soup color, taste and leaf base are identified.
(1) Smell the aroma: first smell whether the aroma is prominent, and then distinguish the height, length, strength, and pure turbidity of the aroma. When sniffing, use a combination of hot, warm, and cold sniffing. Those with outstanding aroma, clear aroma, and long and fragrant fragrance are all top grade; otherwise, they are inferior grade.
(2) Taste: Use a teaspoon to scoop an appropriate amount of tea soup into the mouth (be sure not to be too much), suck and roll it in the mouth with your tongue, so that the taste cells in various parts of the mouth can make a comprehensive taste sensation. If the taste is mellow, mellow and refreshing, thick but not astringent, and full of the "charming" characteristics of the variety, it is a top grade product; otherwise, it is a inferior product.
(3) Look at the color of the tea soup: Look at the color depth, lightness, darkness, turbidity, etc. of the tea soup. The soup that is orange and bright (referred to as mung bean soup) is top grade; the soup that is dark and turbid is inferior.
(4) Observe the leaf bottom: Pour the tea leaves brewed in boiling water (called "leaf bottom", commonly known as "tea residue") into a plate filled with water and observe the leaf bottom. Those with soft leaf base and obvious "green base and green belly" are considered top quality; otherwise, they are considered inferior quality. [2]



storage method

There are five reasons that affect the quality of tea: moisture, temperature, air, light, and odor. Generally, low temperature and sealed vacuum are required, so that the color and aroma of Tieguanyin can be guaranteed in a short period of time. However, in actual storage, it often happens that although the tea leaves are not stored for a long time, the color, aroma and flavor are not as good as when they are first brewed. The reason lies in the degree of drying of the tea leaves after fermentation.

1. Among modern storage methods, the best ones are:
Nitrogen-filled storage method
It uses nitrogen instead of air in a sealed container to store tea leaves under anaerobic conditions. The specific method is: first put the dried tea leaves into a tea can or aluminum foil bag with a crimped lid, then remove the air, fill it with pure nitrogen, and finally seal it. Storing tea in nitrogen-filled containers can prevent the contents of the tea from becoming nitrogenous and deteriorating. At normal temperature, the quality can generally remain unchanged within one year. The effect will be better if it can be stored at low temperature.
low temperature storage method
It is to prevent tea leaves from oxidizing and deteriorating under low temperature conditions. The specific method is: first put the dried tea leaves (the water content of the tea leaves is less than 5%) into a well-sealed container, and store it at a low temperature below three degrees Celsius. To store large quantities of tea, a special cold storage must be built to be moisture-proof and heat-insulated, and the relative humidity of the air in the storage should be maintained at about 50%.

2. A small amount of tea for home drinking is often taken:
canned
It is best to use a tin can or a tin can with a double-layer cover. Wrap the tea leaves in paper, or put them directly into the can. Try to shake them tightly enough to leave no gaps and reduce the air in the can to help maintain the quality of the tea. After installation, cover the double-layer cover and seal the seams tightly with tape. Put two layers of nylon bags outside the can and tie the mouth of the bag tightly. If the canned tea is stored in the refrigerator or dryer, the effect will be better.
Nylon bag storage and other simple methods
For storage in nylon bags, choose non-toxic, odorless and well-sealed nylon bags. First wrap the tea leaves in clean white paper, then put it into the bag, squeeze it gently to let the air out of the bag, tie the mouth of the bag tightly, then take a nylon bag and put it on the outside of the tea bag. After the air is released, Tie the bag tightly and store in a dry, odorless iron tube. [2]
Awards

In June 1982, it was rated as "National Famous Tea" at the National Famous Tea Competition. Since then, the special grade Tieguanyin produced by Anxi Tea Factory has maintained the honor of the National Gold Medal for more than 20 consecutive years.
In 1984, it was approved as a national improved tea tree.
In October 1986, it won the "Golden Laurel Award of the International Gourmet Tourism Association" in Paris, France, and was named one of the top ten famous teas in the world.
In March 1995, Anxi County was named the "Hometown of Chinese Oolong Tea (Tieguanyin)" by the Ministry of Agriculture;
In 2001, it was identified as one of the “first batch of national production base counties for pollution-free agricultural products (Tieguanyin)” by the Ministry of Agriculture, and was jointly recognized as a “National Horticultural Products (Tieguanyin) Export Demonstration Zone” by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Foreign Trade;
In 2002, it was recognized as a "Famous and Excellent Base for South Asian Tropical Crops (Oolong Tea)" by the Ministry of Agriculture;
In 2004, Anxi Tieguanyin was listed as a “Protected Product of Origin” by the state;
In January 2006, the "Anxi Tieguanyin" certification mark was awarded the title of "China's Well-known Trademark" by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce. It is the first Chinese well-known trademark in the national tea industry and one of the world's favorite Chinese brands.
In October 2009, Anxi Tieguanyin won the first place at the "China World Expo Top Ten Famous Teas" held in Shanghai. [4]
In 2010, Anxi Tieguanyin officially entered the World Expo and became the No. 1 tea brand at the World Expo.

Tea culture

Learning tea skills
brewing method
Making tea seems easy. Just put the tea in the pot, pour hot water, wait for a while, then pour it out, and you are done "making tea"! On the surface, Tieguanyin tea can be decomposed as described above, and you can get good tea soup! However, observing tea calmly, understanding tea, and delving into the characteristics of tea are the first steps to making good tea! In addition to the above written records, in the actual process of making tea, as well as when facing different tea leaves and tea utensils, you need to distinguish more carefully to get a good taste of the tea soup.
The brewing method of Anxi Tieguanyin tea is unique and unique. First of all, we must strictly control the water, tea sets, and three levels of brewing. "Stone spring is the best water, charcoal fire is the best stove, and small tea sets are the best." It means that mountain spring water is the best water, small and convenient tea sets are best, and charcoal fire is the best to boil water.
Brewing can be divided into 8 steps according to its procedures:
1. Baihe bathing (cup washing): wash the tea set with boiling water.
2. Oolong enters the palace (falling tea): Put the Tieguanyin tea into the tea set, and the amount of tea should account for about five fifths of the capacity of the tea set.
3. Pot high brewing (making tea): Raise the boiling water and pour it into the teapot or lid to make the tea leaves rotate.
4. The spring breeze blows on your face (scraping foam): Use a pot lid or an Ou lid to gently scrape off the floating white foam to make it fresh and clean.
5. Guan Gong patrols the city (pouring tea): Pour the tea that has been brewed for one or two minutes into the juxtaposed teacups.
6. Han Xin ordered the soldiers (ordered tea): When the tea is poured to a small amount, it should be dripped evenly into each tea cup little by little.
7. Appreciate the color of the soup (see tea): Appreciate the color of the tea in the cup.
8. Sip the sweet tea (drink the tea): take it hot and drink it slowly, smell the fragrance first, then taste the taste, smell it while sipping it, pour it lightly and drink it carefully. Although the amount of drinking is not much, it can leave a fragrance on the teeth and cheeks, a sweet taste in the back of the throat, and make you feel relaxed and happy, and has a unique taste.

The Art of Brewing

For the art of brewing, it is a process that pays attention to the coexistence of reason and interest, and pays attention to both form and spirit. The tea brewing process can be divided into: preparing tea, appreciating tea, setting tea, brewing, serving tea, tasting tea, refilling water, and collecting tea.
It is best to brew Tieguanyin with a ceramic tea set covered with a bowl. Try to use pure water. It is better to use boiling water for each brewing. The first water is used to wash the tea and warm the cup. The second water is for 15 to 30 seconds for the fragrance. After the 5th pass, the soaking time is slightly extended.
No more than 7 cups of tea. If it is spring tea, it is basically 5 cups. If there is no obvious tea aroma, it is considered as tea residue. Although it is delicious, it has no health care effect. Tieguanyin does not taste better as it ages, and the tea aroma and aftertaste are unique to good tea, so it is better to taste new tea, and high-quality Tieguanyin has acidity. If it is stored for a long time, the acidity will gradually lose.
During the process of making tea, the body should maintain a good posture, the head should be straight, the shoulders should be flat, and the eyes and movements should be harmonious and natural during the movements. During the process of making tea, you should lower your shoulders, lower your elbows, and raise your wrists. Use the ups and downs of your wrists to drive your hand movements, and avoid raising your elbows high.
During the brewing process, the left and right hands should alternate as much as possible. Do not always use one hand to complete all actions, and try not to cross the left and right hands.
When brewing, you must master the principle of high pouring and low pouring. That is, when flushing, you can hang the pot and pour high, or use various techniques according to the needs of making tea. However, if you are pouring out the tea soup, you must lower the tea brewing device to make the tea soup as much as possible. Reduce the time in the air to maintain the temperature and aroma of the tea soup.
Tea tasting includes four aspects: 1. examining the name of the tea, 2. observing the shape and color of the tea (dry tea, tea soup), 3. smelling the aroma of the tea (dry tea, tea soup), and 4. tasting the taste.
Tea Fighting Conference
On May 11, 2013, the first Tieguanyin Tea Fighting Conference was held in China Modern Tea City in Hangzhou Agricultural and Sideline Products Logistics Center. At the scene, 14 light-flavored Tieguanyin and 11 strong-flavored Tieguanyin from modern tea city merchants and tea merchants participating in the tea expo participated in the competition. Through on-site brewing, on-site explanation, and tea tasting and selection by tea industry experts and public judges, we will ultimately decide whose Tieguanyin is the best.

Stories and legends
Wei Shuo Guanyin Enlightenment in Dreams
According to legend, around 1720, there was an old tea farmer Wei Yin (1703-1775) in Songyan Village (also known as Songlintou Village) in Yaoyang, Anxi. He was diligent in growing tea, believed in Buddhism, and worshiped Guanyin. Every morning and evening, he would worship a cup of tea in front of Guanyin Buddha for decades without interruption. One night, when he fell asleep, he dreamed that he walked out of the house carrying a hoe. He came to a stream and stood beside a stone. Suddenly he found a tea tree in the crack, with strong branches and lush leaves, and an attractive fragrance. It was different from the tea trees he had ever seen... The next morning, he followed the road in his dream last night and found that he was in Guanyinlun's stone pit. Among the rocks, I found the tea tree in my dream. Looking carefully, he saw that the tea leaves were oval, with thick mesophylls, and the buds were purple-red and verdant: Wei Yin was very happy, so he dug up the tea tree, planted it in a small iron tripod at home, and cultivated it carefully. Because this tea was obtained by Guanyin in a dream, it was named "Iron Goddess of Mercy".
The king said that Qianlong gave him the name
According to legend, in the first year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (1736), there was a scholar named Wang Shirang in Yaoyang Nanyan, Xiping, Anxi (now Nanyan Village, Xiping Town). He liked to collect exotic flowers and herbs throughout his life. He once built a study at the foot of Nanshan Mountain called " Nanxuan". He often gathers with relatives and friends in Nanxuan.
One day in the spring of this year, Wang Shirang found a tea tree among the rocks next to Nanxuan. It had lush branches and leaves, round leaves and red hearts, which was unusual, so he transplanted it to the garden and carefully cultivated it, and propagated it by pressing branches. The tea from this tea tree is dark, plump and has an extraordinary smell. After brewing, it has a fragrant aroma and a sweet taste.
In the sixth year of Qianlong's reign (1741), Wang Shirang went to Beijing to pay a visit to Fang Wangxi, the Minister of Rites, and presented himself with tea made from this tea tree. Fang Wangxi admired it greatly after tasting it and presented it to the inner court. Qianlong was very happy after drinking it and summoned Wang Shirang to ask about the history of this tea. Wang Shirang truthfully reported how he discovered and enjoyed this tea. After Qianlong carefully observed and weighed the tea, he thought that the tea was dark, moist, firm, heavy like iron, tasted, fragrant and beautiful, just like Avalokitesvara, so he named it "Iron Goddess of Mercy".

Aged Tieguanyin
Among the people in Anxi, there is also a legend about old Tieguanyin: During the Qing Dynasty, a member of the Communist Party of China named Lin Fulong had a bad gastrointestinal problem. One day his stomach was so bloated that he could not eat. He looked for doctors everywhere to no avail. The family hurried to the ancestral home to pray for God's blessing. That night, Lin received enlightenment from an immortal while dreaming. The next morning, according to the instructions of the immortal in the dream, the family searched the ancestral house and found old tea that was dark and almost moldy in the corner of the house, and then cooked it for Lin to drink. As a result, Lin's bloated stomach was cured. . In addition to legends, many tea farmers in Anxi have the custom of storing tea in clay pots every year, and use the old tea as medicine when the wind is cold or hot. Aged Tieguanyin not only has the effect of green tea, but also has the effects of treating colds, treating indigestion, lowering blood pressure and lipids, and preventing and treating diabetes. Experts have confirmed this through research.

Other legends
There are also some legends similar to the above two legends. What these legends have in common is that the tea tree is related to Guanyin Bodhisattva, so the name of the tea contains the word "Guanyin". There are two explanations for why it is named "iron": one is because the leaves of the tea tree shine with an "iron-colored" light under the sun, and the other is that after the tea is fermented, it becomes "tea-colored like iron."
The main production area of Anxi Tieguanyin is in the "Nei'anxi" in the west. It is surrounded by mountains, rolling peaks, and shrouded in clouds and mist. The soil is mostly acidic red soil with deep soil, which is especially suitable for the growth of tea trees.
Tieguanyin is native to Xiping, Anxi County, Fujian. "Nei'anxi" has a subtropical monsoon climate. The folk proverb here says: "There are flowers all year round and rain is common, but there is no snow and thunder in the severe winter." It can be said that it is uniquely endowed by nature. It is surrounded by mountains and the soil is mostly red soil, which is slightly acidic and is very suitable for the growth of tea. , and can be said to have gained the aura of the earth.
Anxi Tieguanyin has fat cords, tight curls, golden and bright soup color, fragrant aroma, long fragrance, rich taste, mellow and sweet, leaving a lingering fragrance in the mouth, and a sweet and honeyed aftertaste. It has the reputation of "seven bubbles have a lingering fragrance" .
Anxi Tieguanyin "soaks in the essence of the sun and the moon, collects the energy of the mountains, and obtains the beauty of the haze. Eating it can cure all diseases." Regular drinking of Tieguanyin tea is beneficial to curing diseases and maintaining health and longevity, just like the blessing of Guanyin Bodhisattva. In addition, after brewing, Anxi Tieguanyin tea is as heavy as iron and shaped like Avalokitesvara, hence the name "Tieguanyin".