Basic Introduction to Qinglong Green Tea
In Guizhou's Qinglong County, efforts are made to optimize and expand the “Qinglong Green Tea” industry, with a focus on developing high-end premium teas. Since mid-February, new buds have emerged in the tea gardens, making it the perfect time for spring tea harvesting. In the newly planted tea garden at Yiwangping in Xinping Village, Bihen Town, one can see standardized tea terraces winding through the mountains like jade ribbons. The lush green tea plants are sprouting fresh buds everywhere, filling the air with their fragrance.
Nutritional Value
Green tea is a beverage rich in vitamin K and also contains components such as vitamin C, which help prevent platelet aggregation, promote the dissolution of dietary fiber, lower blood pressure, and reduce cholesterol levels. These properties make it highly beneficial for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
Fluoride and tea polyphenols found in tea help prevent tooth decay and strengthen teeth.
Green tea is rich in vitamins A and E and contains various trace elements that have anticancer and anti-aging effects. It is a natural health drink that helps maintain smooth and bright skin, reduces wrinkles, has antioxidant and radiation protection properties, boosts immunity, and prevents tumors.
Green tea also has the effects of invigorating the mind, enhancing mental clarity, strengthening the immune system, and alleviating fatigue.
Product Characteristics
Qinglong Qingyun Green Tea is made from the tender buds of tea leaves grown in an ecological tea plantation. Carefully processed, this product boasts a green and lustrous appearance, a rich and mellow flavor, a long-lasting aftertaste, and a pure chestnut aroma. Its yellow-green and clear liquor is a hallmark feature. Rich in various vitamins, amino acids, and minerals essential to the human body, it makes for an excellent gift and a top choice for home consumption.
History and Folk Customs
Green tea is the oldest type of tea. Ancient humans collected wild tea leaves, dried them in the sun, and stored them, which could be considered the beginning of a broad sense of green tea processing. This practice dates back at least three thousand years. However, true green tea processing started with the invention of steaming in the 8th century and the development of pan-firing in the 12th century. The technology for processing green tea has been relatively mature since then and has been continuously improved upon and used until today.
Production Method of Qinglong Green Tea
The processing of green tea can be simply divided into three steps: fixation (kill-green), rolling, and drying. The key step is the first process, fixation. Fresh tea leaves are subjected to high temperatures, which deactivate enzymes and prevent the oxidation of polyphenols, thus avoiding redness in the leaves. This process also evaporates some of the water content in the leaves, making them softer and more pliable for rolling. As the water evaporates, low-boiling-point aromatic compounds responsible for the grassy scent dissipate, improving the overall aroma of the tea.
1. **Fixation**: Fixation plays a decisive role in the quality of green tea. High temperatures destroy the characteristics of enzymes in fresh leaves, preventing the oxidation of polyphenols, which stops the leaves from turning red. It also evaporates some of the water in the leaves, making them softer and more suitable for rolling. As water evaporates, the low-boiling-point aromatic compounds responsible for the grassy scent are eliminated, improving the tea's aroma. For most teas, except for special types, this process takes place in a fixation machine. Factors affecting the quality of fixation include temperature, the amount of leaves added, the type of fixation machine, duration, and method of fixation. They form an integrated whole and influence each other.
2. **Rolling**: Rolling is a process that shapes the appearance of green tea. By applying external force, the leaves are broken and rolled into strips, reducing their volume and making them easier to brew. This process also causes some of the tea juice to be squeezed out and adhere to the surface of the leaves, which enhances the taste of the tea. Rolling green tea can be done cold or hot. Cold rolling involves rolling the leaves after they have cooled down, while hot rolling is done immediately after fixation without cooling. Tender leaves should be cold-rolled to maintain a bright yellow-green liquor and a tender green leaf bottom, while older leaves should be hot-rolled to achieve tighter strips and reduce breakage. Currently, apart from specialty teas that are still hand-rolled, the rolling of most green teas is mechanized.
3. **Drying**: Drying serves to evaporate moisture and shape the final appearance of the tea, fully developing its aroma. There are three methods of drying: oven-drying, pan-firing, and sun-drying. The drying process for green tea typically involves oven-drying followed by pan-firing. After rolling, the tea leaves still contain a high level of moisture. If they were directly pan-fired, they would clump together in the pan and stick to the sides. Therefore, the leaves are first oven-dried to reduce their moisture content to a level suitable for pan-firing.