Ming-Qian Tea refers to the tea harvested before the Qingming Festival. It is less affected by pests, with tender buds and leaves that are bright green in color, delicate in fragrance, mellow in taste, and beautiful in form, making it a premium quality tea. At the same time, since the temperature is generally lower before Qingming, the number of sprouts is limited, and their growth rate is slow, very little of it reaches the standards for picking, hence the saying “Ming-Qian tea is as precious as gold.” Ming-Qian tea refers to the tea harvested before the Qingming Festival. It is less affected by pests, with tender buds and leaves that are bright green in color, delicate in fragrance, mellow in taste, and beautiful in form, making it a premium quality tea. At the same time, since the temperature is generally lower before Qingming, the number of sprouts is limited, and their growth rate is slow, very little of it reaches the standards for picking, hence the saying “Ming-Qian tea is as precious as gold.”
Characteristics of Ming-Qian Spring Tea
Ming-Qian tea (spring tea) is better than summer or Autumn Tea. Due to the moderate spring temperatures and ample rainfall, along with the long period of rest and recuperation experienced by the tea plants during the previous autumn and winter, this results in spring tea buds being plump, bright green in color, soft in texture, and rich in nutrients.
The relatively low spring temperatures are conducive to the synthesis and accumulation of nitrogen-containing compounds in the tea leaves. They contain higher levels of free amino acids, proteins, and other nutrients, while having less tea polyphenols, making the taste of the spring tea more fresh and pleasant, its aroma stronger, and its Health benefits more pronounced.
Ming-Qian tea is a term used in southern China to refer to different stages of spring tea according to the season, known for its fine and tender quality.
Its buds and leaves are tender, rich in aroma and flavor compounds, thus its quality is excellent. However, due to the generally lower temperatures before Qingming, the number of sprouts is limited, and their growth rate is slow, so very little of it reaches the picking standards.
After a long winter, Ming-Qian tea has accumulated abundant nutrients within the tea plant. Therefore, the buds and leaves are rich in aroma compounds, flavor compounds, and nutrients (such as amino acids), while the content of tea polyphenols, which can have a bitter taste, is relatively low.
The low temperatures at the beginning of spring also slow down the growth rate of tea plants, so very few of the shoots meet the picking standards, making them even more precious.
Furthermore, spring temperatures are moderate, and there is ample rainfall, resulting in bright green and soft Qingming tea. Additionally, spring tea is generally not affected by diseases and pests, so no pesticides are needed, ensuring the tea is pollution-free and rich in various vitamins and amino acids. It has a high fragrance and mellow taste, with a unique and elegant character, making it the best product of the year.