Longjing tea, sometimes called by its literal translated name Dragon Well tea, is a variety
of pan-roasted green tea from the area of Longjing Village near Hangzhou in Zhejiang
Province, China. It is produced mostly by hand and renowned for its high quality, earning
it the China Famous Tea title.
Production and health benefits Like most other Chinese green tea, Longjing
tea leaves are roasted early in processing to stop the natural oxidation process, which
is a part of creating black and oolong teas. The actions of these enzymes is stopped by
"firing" or by steaming the leaves before they completely dry out. As is the case with
other green teas, Longjing tea leaves are therefore "unfermented." When steeped, the
tea produces a yellow-green color. The tea contains vitamin C, amino acids, and, like
most finer Chinese green teas, has one of the highest concentrations of catechins among
teas Preparation
For best infusion results, water at around 75-80 °C or 167-176 °F should be used
to brew the tea leaves. Although it is common practice nowadays to
steep Longjing tea in porcelain or glassware, the real taste profile of a finer Longjing
is achieved only by using a genuine, slightly porous, Yixing clay teapot, which since the
beginning, was popular exactly for preparing green tea well.
Quality The tea can be very expensive, and the prices
depend on the varieties, of which there are many. Longjing is divided into six grades:
Superior and then 1 down to 5. Infused leaves are a good indicator of quality, which is
characterized by maturity and uniformity of the shoots harvested for processing. High
quality Longjing teas produce tender, whole leaves that are uniform in appearance. Lower
quality varieties may vary in color from bluish to deep green after steeping. Before infusion,
higher quality Longjing teas have a very tight, flat shape and light green color. A study
by Wang and Ruan found that one aspect of the perceived low quality of Longjing teas
was a higher concentration of chlorophyll, producing a darker green color. The study
revealed that free amino acids and theanine concentrations contribute positively to what
is perceived as a good taste. Legends
Longjing tea was granted the status of Gong Cha, or Imperial tea, in Qing Dynasty by Chinese
emperor Kangxi. According to the legend, Kangxi's grandson Qianlong visited West Lake during
one of his famous holidays. He went to the Hu Gong Temple under the Lion
Peak Mountain and was presented with a cup of Longjing tea. In front of the Hu Gong Temple
were 18 tea bushes. Emperor Qianlong was so impressed by the Longjing tea produced here
that he conferred these 18 tea bushes special imperial status. The trees are still living
and the tea they produce is auctioned annually for more money per gram than gold.
There is another legend connecting Emperor Qianlong to Longjing Tea. It is said that
while visiting the temple he was watching the ladies picking the tea. He was so enamored
with their movements that he decided to try it himself. While picking tea he received
a message that his mother, the Empress Dowager was ill and wished his immediate return to
Beijing. He shoved the leaves he had picked into his sleeve and immediately left for Beijing.
Upon his return he immediately went to visit his mother. She noticed the smell of the leaves
coming from his sleeves and he immediately had it brewed for her. It is said that the
shape of Longjing Tea was designed to mimic the appearance of the flattened leaves that
the emperor brewed for his mother. Longjing, which literally translates as "dragon
well," is said to have named after a well that contains relatively dense water, and
after rain the lighter rainwater floating on its surface sometimes exhibits a sinuous
and twisting boundary with the well water, which is supposed to resemble the movement
of a Chinese dragon. Legend also has it that to achieve the best
taste from Longjing, water from the Dreaming of the Tiger Spring, a famous spring in Hangzhou,
is to be used. The water quality of the spring now is certainly very different than before.
The tea takes its name from the eponymous "Dragon Well" located near Longjing village.
Authentic Longjing There are various definitions of Longjing;
however a common definition is that authentic Longjing at least has to come from the Zhejiang
province in China, with the most conservative definition restrict the type to the various
villages and plantations in the West Lake area in Hangzhou. It can also be defined as
any tea grown within the Xihu district. A large majority of Longjing tea on the market
however is actually not from Hangzhou. Many of these inauthentic longjing teas are produced
in provinces such as Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Guangdong. However credible sellers may
sometimes provide anti-fake labels or openly state that the tea is not from Zhejiang.
Experienced drinkers may be able to tell if Longjing is authentic by taste and smell.
The aroma and flavors of the inauthentic Longjing teas are not as complex, or longlasting as
the authentic tea. These teas, although similar in appearance are mild in flavor and aroma
and do not have the long lasting aftertaste of the original.
Some tea makers take fresh tea leaves produced in Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan provinces and
process them using Longjing tea techniques; and some merchants mix a small amount of high
grade with low grade tea, and sell it as expensive high grade.
Varieties
Xihu Longjing This is an example of the very standard convention
of naming; the Xi Hu is a place where this particular Longjing is grown. This Longjing,
also known as West Lake Longjing, is a China Famous Tea—in fact the most famous one—and
is grown in the Zhejiang Province near Xihu, or West Lake. It is grown in a designated
area of 168 square kilometers. Historically, Xihu Longjing tea was divided into four sub-regions:
Lion, Dragon, Cloud and Tiger. As the distinction between the sub-regions blurred over the years,
this categorization has now been adjusted to Shifeng Longjing, Meijiawu Longjing, with
the remaining known collectively as Xihu Longjing.
Pre-Qingming Longjing The premium early season first-picking known
as Ming Qian or Pre-Qingming Longjing tea requires it to be produced from the first
spring shoots prior to the Qingming Festival on the 5th of April each year. The production
cycle is very short, usually only ten days before Qingming every year. Tea picked after
this period is of a lower grade called Yuqian Longjing, or "Dragon Well Before the Rain".
Shi Feng Longjing A type of Xihu Longjing from the Shi Feng
production region. Fresh tasting, its fragrance is sharp and long lasting. Its leaves are
yellowish green in color. Some unscrupulous tea makers excessively pan-fire their tea
to imitate its color. Meijiawu Longjing
A type of Xihu Longjing from the area around Mejiawu village. This tea is renowned for
its jade green color. Bai Longjing
Not a true Longjing but looks like one and is commonly attributed, it is actually a Bai
Pian. It comes from Anji in the Zhejiang Province. It was created in the early 80's and is a
Green tea from a race of White tea trees and is hence very unusual; it is said to contain
more amino acids than ordinary Green tea. Qiantang Longjing
This tea comes from just outside the Xihu district. It is generally not as expensive
as Xihu Longjing. See also
China's Famous Teas List of Chinese teas
References