Chinese Food Culture: Oolong Tea (Green Tea)

Oolong tea, also known as green tea and semi-fermented tea, is a tea category with unique characteristics among several major tea types in China. Oolong tea is a tea of excellent quality after processing such as killing, withering, shaking, semi-fermentation, baking and so on. Oolong tea evolved from the Song Dynasty tribute tea dragon group and phoenix cake, and was created around 1725 (during the Qing Yongzheng period). After tasting, the teeth and cheeks remain fragrant, and the aftertaste is sweet and fresh. The pharmacological effect of oolong tea is prominently manifested in the decomposition of fat, weight loss and bodybuilding. In Japan, it is called "beauty tea" and "bodybuilding tea". Oolong tea is a unique tea in China, mainly produced in northern Fujian and southern Fujian, as well as Guangdong and Taiwan provinces. In recent years, Sichuan, Hunan and other provinces have also produced a small amount. In addition to domestic sales in Guangdong, Fujian and other provinces, oolong tea is mainly exported to Japan, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Macao.

One of the most prominent quality characteristics of oolong tea, which is different from other teas, is that it has a natural, refreshing floral and fruity aroma, which not only comes from its unique production process, but also has a close relationship with tea varieties. The varieties of tea plants suitable for oolong tea in China are not much compared with red and green tea varieties, and the common ones are Tieguanyin, Xian, Cinnamon, Hairy Crab, Oolong, Qilan, Meizhan, Bergamot, Phoenix Daffodil, Qingxin Oolong and so on. In addition, the special picking standards of oolong tea are also an important factor in determining its unique quality. Generally, red and green tea picking are based on young bud leaves as expensive, while oolong tea requires fresh leaf raw materials to have a certain degree of maturity, generally to the tea tree new shoots grow to a bud four or five leaves and form the top two or three leaves when the bud is formed as the picking object, commonly known as "open face picking". Therefore, the finished tea of oolong tea has a thick stripe and a thick bottom bud, which is not as ornamental as the famous green tea.

Oolong tea not only has unique qualities, but also has a good effect on human health care.

There are many varieties of oolong camellia flowers. Various oolong teas are mostly named after tea plant varieties. For example, those produced by Narcissus varieties are called Narcissus, and those mined by Tieguanyin varieties are called Tieguanyin. In order to distinguish the difference in the quality of oolong tea processed by the same variety of tea plants in different regions, it is often added to the name of the variety, such as Wuyi Daffodil, Northern Fujian Daffodil, Anxi Tieguanyin, Taiwan Tieguanyin and so on. Due to the difference in varieties and preparation methods, oolong tea can be divided into four categories: northern Fujian oolong tea, southern Fujian oolong tea, Guangdong oolong tea and Taiwan oolong tea.

Northern Fujian oolong tea

It is pointed out that the oolong tea produced in the Wuyi Mountains in northern Fujian, including Wuyi rock tea, northern Fujian daffodil, northern Fujian oolong and so on. With Wuyi rock tea as the best, its flower color varieties are mainly Wuyi daffodils, Wuyi cinnamon, Wuyi odd species and so on. Some of the excellent tea plants selected from the odd species are called "single fir"; The high-quality processing quality of single firs is also known as "famous fir", "Da Hong Pao", "Iron Luohan", "White Chicken Crown" and "Water Golden Turtle" are the four famous firs.

Northern Fujian daffodils are mainly produced in Chong'an, Jian'ou and Shuiji, and the quality varies slightly due to different production areas. Chong'an Daffodil refers to the outer mountain tea of Wuyi Mountain, although the quality is not as good as rock tea, but it is still a good product in northern Fujian oolong tea. In contrast, Jian'ou Daffodils and Shui Ji Daffodils are of slightly inferior quality. Northern Fujian oolong is also divided into Jian'ou oolong, Chong'an longsu tea, Zhenghe white monkey, Fuding white monkey and so on due to different varieties of origin.

Minnan oolong tea

Refers to the oolong tea produced in southern Fujian, with The largest output in Anxi County, it is also the most famous, and its production of Anxi Tieguanyin has long been famous. This tea has a unique shape, the cords are curled in the shape of dragonflies, heavy as iron, and have been described as "beautiful as Guanyin heavy as iron". Moreover, its quality is excellent, the aroma and taste are outstanding, and it has a special charm, known as "Guanyin Rhyme", or simply "Sound Rhyme".

In addition to Tieguanyin, golden gui is also a treasure in southern Fujian oolong tea. It is made from the fresh leaves of the excellent tea tree variety Huang Tang. This variety has the characteristics of early germination, and the aroma of oolong tea made is particularly clear and elegant, and it is known as "Qingming tea, transparent fragrance". In southern Fujian oolong tea, there are also a large number of "color varieties", which are not a single variety, but oolong tea that is mixed by various varieties such as bergamot, hair crab, qilan, meizhan, and rafters, or made and then blended separately.

Guangdong oolong tea

Its production method originated from Wuyi rock tea in Fujian, but after years of imitation and improvement, it has also formed its own style. Guangdong oolong tea is mainly produced in Chao'an, Raoping, Lufeng and other counties in Shantou region, and other counties produce very little. The main varieties of flower colors are Phoenix Daffodil, Phoenix Monofir and Rao Ping color species, etc., with Phoenix Daffodil and Phoenix Fir being the most famous. Phoenix Daffodil is an oolong tea made of daffodil varieties introduced from Fujian, because Chao'an's oolong tea is mainly produced in the Fenghuang Township area, so it is named after the place name in front of the variety name. Phoenix single fir is an excellent single plant selected from the Phoenix daffodil plant, and the oolong tea produced is also the highest quality of Guangdong oolong tea. Raoping color species is made of a variety of different varieties of bud leaves, the main varieties are large leaf Qilan, Huang School, Tieguanyin, Mei Zhan and so on.

Taiwanese Oolong Tea

The oolong tea produced in Taiwan is divided into two categories: oolong and bao species according to the severity of its withering and greening. The degree of oolong withering is heavier, the soup color is golden and bright, the aroma is rich, with fruity aroma, and the taste is mellow and lubricated. Its famous products mainly include cave top oolong, Taiwan Tieguanyin, Pekoe oolong, etc., with the best quality and most famous cave top oolong. The degree of withering and greening of the bag seed is lighter, the dry tea color is dark green and oily, the soup color is yellow and bright, the aroma is fresh and lasting, there is a natural floral fragrance, the taste is mellow and fresh, and the green tea bag tea is mainly produced in Taipei County, of which the Wenshan bag seed quality is the best.

To be continued...

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