Basic Introduction to Shouning Highland Tea
Shouning Highland Tea is produced in the highland tea regions of Shouning County, Ningde City, Fujian Province. Judging from its appearance, this tea is made using the Minnan Oolong production process. The tea leaves are plump and have a clear, lustrous color. When brewed, the first infusion has a strong floral aroma with a penetrating quality. The tea liquor is clear and transparent, a light greenish-white color, with a sweet and refreshing taste on the palate. After three infusions, even if the brewing time is extended, there is no bitterness or astringency in the tea liquor, highlighting the unique character of highland tea. This tea is also highly reinfusable; while the floral aroma may not be as prominent in later infusions, a milky fragrance gradually becomes apparent, along with hints of caramelized sugar from roasting. The mouthfeel remains smooth throughout, making it a tea of high production quality.
Nutritional Value
1. Stimulating Effect: The Caffeine in tea can stimulate the central nervous system, helping to invigorate the mind, enhance thinking, alleviate fatigue, and improve work efficiency.
2. Diuretic Effect: The caffeine and theophylline in tea have diuretic properties, used for treating edema and hydrops. The detoxifying and diuretic effects of sugared Black Tea can treat acute icteric hepatitis.
3. Cardiotonic and Spasmolytic Effects: Caffeine has cardiotonic, spasmolytic, and muscle-relaxing effects, capable of relieving bronchospasm and promoting blood circulation. It is an excellent adjunct therapy for conditions such as bronchial asthma, cough relief, and myocardial infarction.
4. Anti-Atherosclerotic Effect: Both tea polyphenols and vitamin C have the effect of promoting blood circulation and preventing arteriosclerosis. Therefore, among regular tea drinkers, the incidence of hypertension and coronary heart disease is relatively low.
Product Characteristics
It possesses the qualities of being natural, having thick leaves, beautiful shape, high reinfusability, a high aroma, and a mellow flavor.
Historical and Folklore
The history of tea production in Shouning dates back over 550 years, since the establishment of Shouning County during the sixth year of the Ming Dynasty's Jingtai period. Tea has been a major agricultural specialty traded by the county ever since. In his book “Shouning County Records,” written after serving as the magistrate of Shouning County starting from the seventh year of the Chongzhen period, the famous Ming Dynasty vernacular literary figure Feng Menglong left a poem that vividly describes the ecological environment of Shouning: “The county lies in the verdant heights, floating homes like pavilions. Three peaks rise to the south like a screen, myriad trees shield the city to the north. Remote and difficult to reach, the mountains abound with clouds. Old plum blossoms mark the cold beauty, I share your clarity.” Another poem by Feng Menglong reads, “On Purple Peak, the purple tea stands out, its fragrance lingers, its taste sweet and thick, and its leaves tender and comfortable. On the day I entertain guests in the hall, the praise for this divine tea will fill Suzhou,” which is a masterpiece from his time savoring the fine teas of Shouning.
Tasting Methods for Shouning Highland Tea
1. Rinse the teaware with boiling water before brewing, and continue rinsing throughout the brewing process to keep the teaware hot.
2. Place the tea into the Teapot, with broken bits at the bottom covered by coarser strips, and smaller and medium-sized leaves placed on top, to prevent the finer bits from clogging the teapot's spout.
3. Pour the water around the edge of the teapot slowly to avoid breaking the “heart” of the tea. Pour the water so that the leaves tumble.
4. When the water covers the tea leaves, pour it out immediately. This is called “washing the tea.”
5. For the second brewing, fill the teapot nearly to the brim, then cover it and pour boiling water over the teapot. At this point, the water in the tea tray should rise to the middle of the teapot, which is known as the “inside-out attack.” After about 1-2 minutes, the exquisite true flavor of the highland tea will have been fully extracted.