Tieguanyin green tea. Tie Guan Yin. Tie Guan Yin Tea Instructions

Tiguanyin tea is a fermented tea made from kind of oolongs. Traditionally, it is called green tea, although it ranks more between green and red teas. In its homeland in China, it belongs to a variety of turquoise or blue-green teas.

You will find more information about what oolong tea is in the publication.

The history of Tiguanyin tea goes back to ancient China in the 7th-9th centuries during the Tang Dynasty. The monks of those times grew it in the south of Fujian in Anxi County. Tiguanyin tea is considered to be imperial tea, as it was served to the emperors. Currently, this drink is presented as a gift to diplomatic missions.

Historical name for tea Tie Guan Yin” means “iron goddess of mercy” in ancient Chinese. The metallic sound that tea leaves make when they fall to the bottom of the teapot gives this tea the definition of "iron".

At present, in addition to the ancient Chinese origin, Tiguan Yin tea is also grown in Taiwan and Thailand (as well as), but it is far from perfect, has a different taste and production methods. Therefore, Taiwanese and Thai Tiguanyin tea cannot be fully considered real.

Tea legends

Due to its ancient origin, Tiguanyin tea has two legends about its origin and name.

1. The Legend of Tea Grower Wei Qin. The story tells of a tea grower who brewed and brought three cups of green tea twice a day for the goddess Guanyin for over a decade. One day he had a dream about a mysterious tree growing on a mountain cliff. Waking up in the morning, Wei Qin was not too lazy and climbed that cliff, where he found a beautiful tree with a wonderful aroma. The tea grower plucked a cutting from a tree and planted it in an iron pot. A few years later, he grew a new tree in this pan, from which he collected leaves, brewed and watered his friends. They absolutely loved the taste of the new tea. And the local school teacher, after tasting it, asked the tea grower what kind of new wonderful drink it was. Wei Qin has not yet given him a name and the teacher advised him the following: since Guanyin sent him a dream about tea, and he grew a tree in an iron pan, then the tea should be called respectively “Iron Goddess of Mercy” - “Te Guan Yin”.
2. Legend "Van". The ancient Chinese scientist Wang found a new unusual plant under Mount Guanyin in the small town of Xiping. The scientist took several plants home to grow and study. One day he tried to make tea from them and was surprised by its excellent taste. When Emperor Qianlong once visited the town, Wang treated him to new tea. The emperor liked the taste and asked to tell him the history of the drink. After hearing this, the emperor named the tea after the name of the rock where Wang discovered it - Tie Guan Yin.

When is tea harvested?

Tiguanyin tea is harvested exclusively by hand. Collection is made four or five times a year. Moreover, autumn collection is considered the best, and winter - the worst. But here it all depends on taste. Many connoisseurs, on the contrary, prefer spring or summer tea.

An approximate schedule for picking tea looks like this (due to weather conditions, dates may shift):

• Spring: April 20 - May 10;
• Summer (1 gathering): June 10 - July 5;
• Summer (2nd gathering): July 25 - August 20;
• Autumn: September 15 - October 15;
• Winter: October 25 - November 15.

Tiguanyin tea is a large-leaf tea. It is harvested as late as possible to give the leaves the greatest amount of useful properties, as well as taste and aroma.

Traditionally, tea is harvested in the morning after the dew has fallen. At the same time, only the top four leaves that have just blossomed are removed from the tea tree.

Production stages

The traditional (classical) technology for making Tiguanyin tea includes 7 conditional steps:

This manufacturing process is very labor intensive. With some of its changes, other varieties of Tiguan Yin tea are obtained.

Varieties of Tiguanyin tea

Depending on the degree of fermentation and drying, Tiguanyin tea manufacturers receive some of its types:

1. Qing Xiang(in translation - "Pure aroma"). It has a fresh and thick taste with honey notes. During the manufacturing process, this type of tea is subjected to weak fermentation due to low-temperature air conditioning, while the leaves remain green.
2. Nong Xiang(in translation - "Dense aroma"). It has a sweet thick aroma, distinguished by honey and floral notes. It lends itself to stronger fermentation by heating in special ovens and subsequent roasting on coals. The sheet has a brown edge.
3. Hua Xiang(translated as "Flower fragrance"). Medium fermentation between the two previous types. Combines the fresh taste of the first and the fragrantness of the second type.
4. Chen Xiang(in translation - "The aroma of old age"). It combines caramel notes, dustiness and dry herbaceousness in its aroma. Get it in two ways:

• Hei Tiguanyin: repeated slow roasting on coals;
• Lao Tiguanyin: aging process - repeated baking for several years, which removes excess moisture accumulated from the air.

How to distinguish genuine tea from fakes

There are often counterfeit Tiguanyin teas on the market. Sometimes they are special, sometimes the sellers themselves do not understand the difference. The most common fakes are:

1. Zhong Cha. This is Tiguan Yin tea that has gone bad or failed during the manufacturing process.
2. Mao Cha. Raw tea, which most often contains cuttings of tea bushes.
3. Kao. The tea leaves are more roasted. It is similar to aged teas and has a coffee and chocolate aroma.

To distinguish a real Tiguan Yin from a fake, it is important to remember the following ground rules:

• Real tea is expensive. Example 350 rubles for 50 grams.
• It is produced in small quantities and sold mainly in specialized tea shops, and not in markets or supermarkets.
• Genuine Tiguan Yin retains aroma and taste rich for 8-9 brews.
• Tiguanyin has a beautiful green color, pleasing to the eye.
• After 3-4 brews, the Tiguan Yin leaf retains a deep complex color, remains even and not torn.
• Real Tiguan Yin has a long, memorable aftertaste.
• Sold exclusively in vacuum packaging.
• The tea should be free of twigs, dust, herbal threads.

Real Tie Guan Yin tea has an exceptional set of properties, unique aroma and taste. Having tried it once, it will be impossible to confuse it with any other.

FURFUR continues to talk about tea culture and the most interesting varieties. Following pu-erh and da hong pao, Timur Zarudny continues to talk about another popular type that has been heard for the past few years - teguanyin.

Tieguanyin is a turquoise tea, heavily twisted medium fermented oolong tea. In the Taoist tradition, it is called "tea of ​​five flavors", because its taste is revealed gradually, with each new brew, from cup to cup. It has a memorable, but at the same time transparent taste and surprisingly strong characteristic aroma.

History and types

Tieguanyin began to be cultivated by monks during the Tang Dynasty in the 7th-8th centuries in Anxi County, southern Fujian Province. Now this place is considered the tea capital of the Middle Kingdom, where the largest tea market is located, gathering the largest number of tasters, collectors and businessmen four times a year. The “iron Bodhisattva” is harvested the same number of times, and the entire market is filled with this tea - teguanyin is considered one of the most expensive varieties of tea.

According to legend, a devout teamaker lived in Anxi County, who every day brought a cup of freshly brewed tea to the image of the Bodhisattva of Mercy Guanyin. One day the tea master had a dream in which the goddess told him to go to the nearest mountains to collect the gift. In the morning, the farmer went to the appointed place and saw the tea tree, illuminated by the sun's rays. Taking and processing the leaf, he received a heavy, iron-like tea with a honey aroma and mild taste, which he named after the goddess Guanyin.

There are many legends about the origin of "iron": there is a metallic taste, and the appearance of the finished sheet, and the Taoist rationale: the best time to collect the variety is autumn, which correlates with the primary element "metal".

There are several varieties of teguanyin: classic oolong teguanyin, lao teguanyin, and black teguanyin, also called "black dragon". With the classic, everything is clear: it has a bright emerald color, a transparent and unobtrusive taste, it is quite easy to buy, and it was he who glorified Anxi County.

Classic teguanyin

Production

For the production of the "iron Bodhisattva", more mature leaves are needed than is customary for the production of most teas. Harvesting takes place four times a year: in autumn, spring and summer. Three times a day: early in the morning, at noon and in the evening, after sunset. The leaf is going mature, large and fleshy.

Real teguanyin is packed in vacuum bags and only in this way gets to retail. Otherwise, the tea loses its taste and aroma and becomes a tasteless herb. So loose teguanyin from glass jars is no longer the tea you need.

It must be remembered that the higher the price, the better the tea. This rule does not always apply to the assortment of Russian tea shops, but still, the chance to buy quality tea at a high price in a place with a good reputation is greater than in an online store with dubiously low prices.

In Russia, there is a chance to stumble upon the so-called zhong cha, passed off as teguanyin. Zhong cha is a low-grade tea, which was obtained either from low-quality raw materials or due to a technological error. It is visually similar to the "iron Bodhisattva", so in order not to make a mistake when choosing, you need to remember the distinctive features of a quality teguanyin.

Brewing

Text: Timur Zarudny

Tie Guan Yin (some write: Tieguanyin, Tie Guanyin) is a very popular, legendary oolong grown in Fujian Province (in Anxi County). It was harvested here in the 17th century, during the reign of the Tang Dynasty.
The title translates as " Iron Bodhisattva of Mercy».
Tieguanyin is a semi-fermented loose leaf tea classified as oolong.
For the production of such tea, mature leaves rich in caffeine and tannins are used.
Tie Guan Yin is valued for its rich aroma, reminiscent of something fruity, spicy.
Surprisingly, Tie Guan Yin has several varieties, such as domestic varieties. They differ in the time of collection of raw materials, the grade of the tea leaf itself. The price of Tieguan Yin depends on these factors.

• The most common Tieguan Yin is spring. He takes half the offered tea. It costs less.
• Autumn collection, more valuable, refined, and, as a result, expensive.

Let's take a closer look at the types of this oolong.

Types of Tie Guan Yin

There is a division according to the place of growth of this tea:

• Anxi Tieguanyin. Grown in Anxi (Fuzan Province). Oolong is bright, rich in color and very fragrant. Collection time: autumn and spring.
• Xiping Tieguanyin. Grown in Chengxiang (Anxi County). The production of this oolong has its own distinctive features: tea is smoked, lightly roasted on coals.
• Xiping Tieguanyin. Grown in the village of Xiping, which belongs to the county of Anxi. The production technology is very ancient, and it is also classified. This teguanyin is dark in color and has a "stringy" taste.

In general, Anxi County is divided into 13 villages and 11 volosts, and everywhere they make tea in their own way, according to their unique technologies, with their own chips.
Therefore, if you want to try all kinds of tegauan yin, you have to make an interesting, long and exciting "journey" into the world of oolongs.
Tieguanyin is also divided according to the time of collection.

• Spring gathering (April 20 - May 18)
• First summer camp (June 15 - July 10)
• Second summer camp (July 20 - August 15)
• Autumn collection (September 20 - October 25)
• Winter gathering (October 25 - November 25)

I have only tried spring and summer tuganyin. On this, my acquaintance with this tea is over. For now. I just have my own, unusual preferences and tastes.


Te Guan Yin is also classified according to taste:

• Tieguanyin Wang. It is considered the tea of ​​the highest category.
• Mao Cha Te Guan Yin. It is a tea, not fully processed, with cuttings. It is believed that more essential oils are preserved in this way, and the raw materials themselves are stored longer. Usually these cuttings are separated before sale.

• Lao Tie Guan Yin. This tea is also produced in Taiwan (yes, I didn’t mention it at the beginning.). It is slightly more fermented, and is also aged in the manner of shu pu-erh in special rooms.
• Nong Xiang Tie Guanyin. Intense aroma, oily infusion (rich in essential oils). This oolong tea is usually harvested in autumn.
• Qing Xiang Tie Guanyin. A softer fragrance, reminiscent of some flowers. This tea is harvested in spring and early summer.

Tie Guan Yin - origin legend

Once upon a time, there was a tea grower (a person who grows tea) in China. And his name was Wei Ying. And he lived in Shangyao, a town in Anxi County.
Every morning and evening for 10 years, he brought tea to the bodhisattva Guanyin (This is the name of the early Buddhist deity. Usually represented in the form of a certain girl.).
One night, after regular trips and offerings, this tea grower had a dream in which the goddess herself came to him and took him to a mountain where a beautiful tree grew, smelling fantastically pleasant.
After waking up, Wei Yin ran to the place, climbed the mountain and saw the same tree. It turned out that it was a beautiful tea bush, from which came an alluring aroma.
Overjoyed, Wei Yin named this tea after the bodhisattva: "Iron Guan Yin."
Well, as if this story has some kind of alternative with a continuation.
Briefly, it sounds like this.
Emperor Qianlong traveled around China, and now he visited the south of Fujian province.
Local tea growers (who were famous throughout the Middle Kingdom for their variety of oolongs) presented him with tea.
The imperial teapot was filled with boiling water. Qianlong threw a small handful of tea leaves into the water.
The tea, instead of dipping on the surface of the boiling water, went down like a stone.
The emperor was very surprised, because he was sure that only one tea had such behavior - Dongting beat o chun, glorified by his grandfather.
The aroma of tea filled the whole room...
The emperor asked about the name of this wonderful tea, to which the peasants replied that this tea was not named in any way, and in general they have been making it for almost a hundred years using the technology of one ancestor who received this tea as a gift from the goddess Guanyin herself.
Then the emperor decided to call this tea "iron" because it is heavy, in shape and color reminiscent of dragonfly heads or bolts on the riveting of the imperial ship.
Here is such a story.

Tie Guan Yin: effects, properties

Tieguanyin has calming, relaxing effects.
Of course, if you drink a lot of this oolong, then your overall activity will increase. Cheerfulness, talkativeness will appear, the brain starts to work much faster, and all this is accompanied by a good mood, contentment with oneself and this world. It's all thanks to caffeine and theanine. Of course, there are many other substances, but their overall contribution to these effects is small.
Someone drinks Tieguanyin in order to “get drunk”, “to get stuck”, to get some kind of hallucinations, in general, people are looking for some kind of narcotic effects, and not enjoyment from the taste and aroma of tea.
Let me tell you right now, there is nothing like that. No, of course, we are all individual, and a cup of coffee or strong tea drunk on someone will act like a track of cocaine, but I think there are few such people.
All these intoxicating effects of Tieguanyin Oolong are specially supported to sell well. This is how a whole segment of consumers appears: seekers-experimenters.
As mentioned above, Tie Guan Yin can have stimulating, tonic effects, but this is all “within the tea”.
Like any oolong, Tie Guan Yin is rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. All of them have a complex effect on health, and affect only positively.
Immunity increases, the condition of blood vessels improves, the skin becomes elastic, youth and beauty of the body are prolonged.
The person becomes more calm, self-confident. And if you live without stress, you will live longer and better.

How to brew Tieguanyin

Purified soft water is best suited for brewing. Of the dishes come in handy: porcelain or Yixing clay.
The recipe for proper brewing Tieguanyin is as follows:

• Heat water to 85-90 degrees.
• Rinse the dishes, rinse with boiling water so that it warms up.
• For 200 ml. water we take 8-13 g of tea.
• The first infusion (2-3 seconds) must be drained.
• Pour water again, but insist this time for about 10 seconds. Drain, drink.
• Infuse each subsequent brew for 5 seconds longer.
• After the sixth brew, the infusion time will be more than a minute.
• After 4-5-6 brewing, you can already use water at a higher temperature.

A good Tieguanyin can withstand 7-9 brews.
And here is a visual, understandable and at the same time spectacular process of brewing Te Guan Yin.

In the tea capital of the world - China - there are such types of tea: black, green, red and tea is considered the most refined and delicate. This variety is produced only in China. The most famous turquoise is Tie Guan Yin, the effect of which is achieved due to partial fermentation, when the middle of the leaf remains half-moist. According to the degree of fermentation, this drink is between red and green.

Origin

Tie Guan Yinrastet tea in southern Fujian. The same grows in Taiwan and Thailand, but the taste is different. Therefore, the South Fujian tea Te Guan Yin is considered the standard.

Cultivation and collection

This variety of tea produces 4 crops per year. Autumn is considered the best. However, many connoisseurs prefer spring or summer harvest. But winter, as a rule, is of rather mediocre quality. The tea itself is prepared in small enterprises.

Aroma and taste of tea

The incomparable spicy honey-floral aroma of tea attracts many. But few people like the unusual taste with notes of lavender, incense and lilac the first time. But real connoisseurs love oolong for its originality. An interesting fact - a serving of tea can be brewed 7-10 times!

Tie Guan Yin - rejuvenation effect

Due to the fact that the composition of tea is replete with powerful antioxidants, it is considered the drink of youth. In people who regularly use oolong, metabolic processes normalize, skin tone evens out, and puffiness disappears. The role of minerals and vitamins, which are easily extracted into tea infusion, is also important. You can also use this tea externally: make it or use it as a tonic. Unlike most home remedies, tea decoction is suitable for even the most capricious and sensitive skin.

Tie Guan Yin: effect - weight loss

Like many greens, they have a high fat-burning potential. Of course, to achieve significant results, it is not enough just to occasionally indulge in delicious tea. But if you take this tea in combination with a healthy diet and exercise, its effect will be noticeable pretty soon. It enhances the effectiveness of sports programs due to its tonic effect. Simply put, a person who drinks a cup of Te Guan Yin tea before training becomes more resilient. Metabolic processes in the body are accelerated, fat burning mechanisms are launched.

Tie Guan Yin -the effect of tea "for the soul"

The Chinese endow oolong with almost magical properties. According to them, this tea tunes in love and kindness, helps to achieve mutual understanding, opens the way to achieve the goal, pushes to the right solution to the problem. No matter how outlandish it may sound, many rather pragmatic connoisseurs of Te Kuan Yin agree with this. They note an improvement in well-being, clarity of thought, and peace. But quite reputable doctors confirm the opinion of the Chinese with more weighty arguments - the results of studies saying that tea really reduces anxiety, calms, relieves stress, and even helps fight depression.

Tie Guan Yin - how to brew and what to serve with?

At home, this tea is honored with the most solemn tea ceremonies. The Chinese consider oolong making an art. A tea master conducts a rather long ceremony, each action of which is accompanied by special rituals. In the West, where tea traditions are somewhat different, there are simpler ways to brew and serve this drink. The classic way: put 15-20 grams of leaves in a heated liter teapot, pour warm water for a few minutes. After that, drain the first water and brew with boiling water. Tea is infused quickly - one and a half to two minutes is enough.

Many connoisseurs of Chinese tea are interested in a rather topical question - the benefits and harms of Tie Guan Yin tea, its features, properties and other nuances. If we talk about its harm to the body, then on this occasion it can only be argued that even the most useful things with excessive dosage do a lot of harm. This tea is no exception, since its rich composition is able to provide the human body with almost everything it needs, but excessive consumption can exacerbate the expected result.

But we can talk endlessly about the benefits of this amazing tea infusion, which is quite natural when taking into account the technology of its production and the specifics of cultivation. It is worth noting right away that Tie Guan Yin itself is considered a low-fermented oolong tea, similar in properties to classic green tea. Due to the peculiarities of its composition and thoughtful processing, this oolong combines the benefits of green and red tea, which makes it a universal storehouse of useful vitamins, minerals and trace elements. The fact that Tie Guan Yin is considered one of the most popular in China speaks for itself. The inhabitants of the Celestial Empire are very well versed in tea leaves, and such a love for this variety arose for a reason.

The Chinese themselves call this variety a cure for a hundred diseases. There are quite enough reasons for this, because it contains more than 400 (!) Various components, each of which, to one degree or another, keeps the human body in good shape. Caffeine, polyphenols, various tannins and just an endless range of vitamins and rare trace elements make this tea one of the most effective and proven means for the prevention of most diseases.

In general, the list of its useful properties is as follows:

• Strengthen blood vessels, stimulate the circulatory system, prevent blood clots, regulate cholesterol levels, and even help fight coronary heart disease.
• Improves the functioning of the stomach, increases appetite and promotes more efficient absorption of food, regardless of its composition.
• Helps fight colds due to excellent diaphoretic effect, which works flawlessly.
• Thanks to the function of a neurotransmitter, Tie Guan Yin tea helps to eliminate headaches and reduces migraine symptoms.
• It has a beneficial effect on the nervous system as a whole, helping to improve tone, combined with an excellent calming effect.
• Well established as an antidote for alcohol intoxication. Pickle is definitely not needed if you drink a cup of this wonderful tea in the morning.
• Helps strengthen bones, ligaments and tendons. Improves the quality of tooth enamel and normalizes the condition of the oral cavity.
• It has a beneficial effect on vision due to the improvement of the capillary capacity of the eyes, thereby stimulating the improvement of metabolism inside the eyeball.
• According to some scientists, Tie Guan Yin not only prevents the formation of cancer cells, but also successfully fights already formed malignant tumors.
• Serves as an excellent dietary tool that promotes more effective and safe weight loss.

It is worth noting that this tea is not really a panacea for all diseases, but it helps the body to work more efficiently and fight any diseases on its own. In this regard, it can be compared with a catalyst that does not take a direct part in a chemical reaction, but acts on the components, and then they begin to actively work with each other. Such a comparison can be called the most accurate and successful, because this is how this tea affects the human body, revealing its internal resources.