Basic Introduction to Shiji Tea
The Chuzhou Shiji Tea Plantation was founded in 1958. It is located in the town of Shiji, Nanqiao District, west of Chuzhou City, known as the “Famous Tea Town of Eastern Anhui.” This plantation is one of the larger tea farms in Chuzhou City and produces well-known brands such as “Xijian Chunxue,” “Hongfu Chuju,” “Shiji Mao Feng,” “Puxian Cloud Mist,” and “Shiji Baked Green Tea.”
Nutritional Value
Modern scientific separation and identification have found that tea contains over four hundred organic chemical components and more than forty inorganic mineral elements. Many of these organic chemical components and inorganic mineral elements are nutritious and have medicinal properties. The major organic chemical components include: tea polyphenols, plant alkaloids, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, pectin, organic acids, lipopolysaccharides, sugars, enzymes, pigments, etc.
History and Folklore
In Chuzhou, located in eastern Anhui, when it comes to tea, even children know about Shiji tea. Chuzhou tea belongs to the category of nationally renowned teas. Its predecessor was “Nanqiao Tribute Tea,” a type of green tea. Originating from the Buddhist community, it took its name from the local area and became famous during the Song Dynasty. During the Song Dynasty, Master Wuzhen, the abbot of Mituo Temple on Mount Huangfushan, traveled to the south and brought back tea seeds from Sichuan and Guizhou, which he planted in the valleys of the North and South General Mountains. The high mountains and low clouds, along with light winds and thick mists, provided ideal conditions for the growth of tea trees, which thrived under the mist's nourishment. Monks would pick new shoots in the misty mornings and process them themselves, producing tea with an excellent aroma, hence it was also called “Cloud Mist Tea.”
Awards and Honors
The “Shiji” brand of green tea. In 2004, it received the title of “Recommended Product” by the Chuzhou Consumers' Association; in 2004, 2008, and 2012, it was certified as a green food by the National Green Food Development Center; in 2003, 2008, and 2011, it was consecutively recognized as a well-known trademark in Anhui Province by the Anhui Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce; in 2008 and 2012, it was consecutively certified as an organic food by the China Green Food and Organic Food Certification Center.
Tasting and Consumption Methods for Shiji Tea
Generally speaking, some patients and pregnant women should not drink tea. Even for ordinary people, there should be some selectivity in drinking tea. Because there are differences in gender, age, region, body type, constitution, and other factors among individuals, some people may not be suitable for drinking tea. Therefore, one should drink tea according to their individual circumstances.
Additionally, new tea is not necessarily the better the fresher it is, and improper consumption can harm the stomach and intestines. Since new tea is recently harvested and has been stored for a short time, it contains a higher amount of unoxidized polyphenols, aldehydes, and alcohols. These substances do not significantly affect healthy individuals but can irritate the stomach and intestinal lining of people with poor gastrointestinal function or chronic gastrointestinal inflammation. Therefore, fresh tea should not be consumed excessively, and tea that has been stored for less than half a month should not be drunk at all.
Furthermore, new tea also contains a higher concentration of caffeine, active alkaloids, and various aromatic compounds. These substances can excite the central nervous system. People with neurasthenia or heart and cerebrovascular diseases should consume them in moderation and avoid drinking them before bedtime or on an empty stomach.