Chinese tea culture has a long history and is profound and profound. There are physical research, historical records, literati's writings, and beautiful legends. This is exactly the case with Tieguanyin in Anxi.
Anxi, this is a holy place for tea trees, a "treasure of tea trees" and the hometown of Tieguanyin; this is a passionate land, where the people here are accompanied by tea and are born with tea. For thousands of years, Anxi and Tieguanyin have blended together and complemented each other. The perfect combination of the two has created one miracle after another.
Minnan people like to drink tea and especially like Tieguanyin in Anxi. There is a local rumor: "A cup of tea will win over hundreds of doctors." In the early morning, most people in Anxi were awakened by the fragrant Anxi Tieguanyin. God gave Anxi a magical tea tree, which was unique in ecological environment and natural conditions. It was paired with the people of Anxi using their intelligence and ingenuity and sophistication of tea making techniques to create the unique Anxi Tieguanyin.
Anxi Tieguanyin was discovered in Xiping Town, Anxi County between 1725 and 1736. In Anxi Tea Township, two legends "Wei Theory" and "Wang Theory" have been circulated since ancient times, and both of them are recorded in the newly compiled Anxi County Chronicles. These two legends have their own rules and their own wonderful features.
1
"Wei Shuo"
Guanyin's dream-entering legend
Legend During the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, there was a simple and kind old tea farmer named Wei Yin. He was diligent in farming, had high skills in growing and making tea, and believed in Guanyin Bodhisattva. He was cheerful, generous, kind and generous. The first thing I did in the early days was to light three incense sticks in front of the Guanyin Bodhisattva table that I worshiped at home, worship three cups of tea, and then grab a small teapot and savor it carefully, and it has been a day for decades.
One night, Wei Yin had a bizarre dream: he carried a hoe and went out along the forest path to a Guanyin Temple. Here, ancient pines stand tall, and the water above the stream is covered with mist and mist. In a trance, he vaguely saw a tea tree growing in the crack of the rock beside the dragon pond next to the temple, with the stone saying "Drilling a stone pit". Just as he was about to go forward and take a closer look, a voice floated from the sky: "This is a strange tea tree, I think of your piety, and I specially granted it to you. I hope you will cultivate it carefully, spread it widely, and benefit the world." "It is Guanyin Bodhisattva, Guanyin Bodhisattva!" Wei Yin looked around, eager to see the Bodhisattva's face clearly, but he hit the stone... Wei Yin woke up from his dream.
The next morning, Wei Yin burned incense and toasted tea as usual, put on a hoe, walked along the way in his dream, and found the Guanyin Temple in his dream in the jungle where people were everywhere. Not far from the temple, there is a dragon pool. There is a strange tea tree growing in the cracks of the rocks on the cliffs of the dragon pool. The tree is not tall, but its branches and leaves are lush. The three words "drawing a stone pit" on the rocks covered by the leaves are looming. Everything was like a dream, Wei Yin was very excited. He pushed aside the thorns and looked carefully. This tea tree was indeed extraordinary: the leaves were slightly red, the leaves were thick, the leaves were oval in shape, the tail was slightly oblique, and the edges were as sharp as serrated, which was very different from ordinary tea trees.
Wei Yin carefully used a hoe to dig up the soil next to the tea tree, dug it up with the roots and mud, and transplanted it into a dilapidated iron cauldron at home, carefully cultivated and cared for. As winter goes and spring comes, tea trees sprout and bud. Wei Yin picked the leaves of the tea tree, shook the green, finished the green, kneaded green, and baked each procedure to achieve perfection, which was more attentive than making any tea brew.
As the production approaches, this tea is special in shape and has extraordinary fragrance. It is something that Wei Yin, who has drunk countless teas, has never seen before. When brewing and drinking, it is not only full of fragrance, but also like a secluded orchid in the valley, but also sweet in the throat, with the afterglow lingering. Wei Yin kept the fragrant tea secretly in the jar and regarded it as a treasure. Only when the distinguished guest is here will he take it out and brew it. Guests who have tasted this tea are all amazing about this tea.
One day, a familiar teacher came to Wei Yin's house as a guest. After tasting this tea, he asked in surprise: "This is such a good tea. What kind of tea is it?" "What tea? This really stumps me.I don't know what it should be called!" Wei Yin said the story of Guanyin's dream, and begged a familiar teacher, "Please give me a nice name!" The tutor muttered, "It's Guanyin's dream... and planted it in the iron cauldron again..." While stroking his beard, he said meaningfully: "It's 'Tieguanyin', what do you think?" "Tieguanyin? Very good, very good!" After hearing this, Wei Yin repeatedly said, "It's so good, so good, just call it 'Tieguanyin'!"
So, the name of "Tieguanyin" began to spread around the Songlintou area of Nanshan. When tea is mined, the villagers around them are fighting to go to Wei Yin’s house to drink Tieguanyin. In order to enable more people to plant and make mountain Tieguanyin, Wei Yin kept in mind the mouth of Guanyin Bodhisattva in his dream "widely spread and benefit the world", devoted himself to research, explored the method of pressing branches, and reproduced batches of Tieguanyin tea seedlings, and gave them to the villagers and even tea farmers in neighboring villages. Soon, Tieguanyin settled down in various places in Anxi. After generations, Tieguanyin’s reputation spread far and wide, and the fragrance spreads all over the world.
2
"Wang Shuo"
The emperor gave the name
During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, there was a juren named Wang Shirang in Xiping Town, Anxi County. In order to prepare for Jin Jing to take the exam, his family specially built a thatched house and bookstore for him on the hillside of Nanyan. He studied hard every day and studied poetry and books hard, and sent three meals a day by his family. Wang Shirang was born in a tea farmer family and was familiar with the making of tea since he was a child. He regarded making tea and tasting tea as apart from studying. A great pleasure. Every time the spring and autumn tea is on the market season, he will still take some time from his heavy school to make small tea leaves and play with it himself.
One day, Wang Shi felt a little sleepy and walked out of the Shuxuan to rest. He walked while chanting and thinking, and unknowingly, he had walked a long way until a big rock on the side of the mountain blocked the way. At this time, he was attracted by a tea tree next to the rock: he saw that the tea tree was very different from the ordinary wild tea tree. This tree was about half a person tall, and the leaves were shining brightly in the sun, which was very attractive. .
Wang Shirang took a step forward and looked closer to the tea tree. Its leaves were thick and slightly red, and its edges were fine teeth like saws, and they were even and even. Wang Shirang couldn't let go of it, thinking how good it would be if he could keep it by his side. So he immediately took action. It took a lot of time to remove the tea tree with its roots and soil, and finally transplanted it under a rock near Shuxuan.
After that, taking care of this tea tree became a compulsory course for Wang Shirang every day after school . After he carefully cultivated, the tea tree quickly grew lushly. During the tea season, Wang Shirang carefully picked the newly grown tender leaves on the tea tree and stir-fryed separately.
stir-frying was filled with fragrance from the beginning to the end. Wang Shirang was fascinated by the fragrance of tea floating everywhere. He firmly believed that this was definitely a great tea! After the stir-frying, he immediately invited a few classmates to taste it. After taking a sip of this tea, he felt the sweetness in the throat, and the fragrance of teeth and cheeks frequently left, with endless charm. Wang Shirang was reluctant to make this tea, so he would The remaining tea leaves are stored in a porcelain jar sealed and kept.
exam period is approaching, Wang Shirang packed his books, brought the tea jar, and worked hard all the way to the capital. After his friend's recommendation, Wang Shirang met Fang Bao, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites. To show his respect, he presented the secret tea leaves to Fang Bao. Fang Bao praised it after drinking it, and soon handed the can of tea to the inner court for tribute to the emperor. Emperor Qianlong only sipped a few times, and felt refreshed and comfortable, and there was a fragrance left between his teeth and cheeks, which had not dissipated for a long time. A wonderful charm at the throat was repeatedly entangled.
Qianlong praised it and immediately asked, "What is this tea?" No one present could answer. Emperor Qianlong asked someone to bring a tea pot, take out the tea leaves, and carefully look at it. The tea strips were tightly tied, and the color was black and iron. They were placed in the palm of their palms, which seemed to have a heavy feeling of iron; the tea leaves were fragrant and beautiful, just like Guanyin putting their hands together. Emperor Qianlong was very happy and gave the tea name "Tieguanyin".
From then on, the reputation of "Tieguanyin" spread like wildfire.
3
Anxi's superior geographical environment shows that
Tieguanyin's legend is by no means a false name
Anxi is located in the intersection of Xiamen, Zhangzhou and Quanzhou. From the perspective of geographical pattern, it is just between 24°50’~25°26’ of the north line and 117°36~118°17’ east longitude. The soil, altitude, precipitation, temperature, humidity and other conditions are most suitable for tea trees and are easy to promote the formation of the optimal quality of tea. Anxi has many famous names and has always been known as the "treasure of tea tree seeds". To plant Tieguanyin tea trees well, it must have appropriate light. Tieguanyin tea trees are suitable for growing in cloudy, diffuse and ultraviolet light in mountainous areas. In this environment, the tea leaves are well-developed, the chlorophyll increases, the tea leaves are tender and the caffeine and nitrogen-containing aromatic substances are increasing. These are the quality requirements for fresh leaf raw materials for good tea. Tieguanyin's quality characteristics highlight the aroma and taste, requires moderate carbon and nitrogen metabolism, and the proportion of various contained substances is coordinated, so high-intensity light is not required.
To plant Tieguanyin tea trees well, you must have the right temperature. The growth of Tieguanyin tea trees requires an annual average temperature above 13℃, the lowest critical temperature is about -10℃, the highest critical temperature is 45℃, and the most suitable temperature for new shoot growth is 20-25℃. For example, the temperature in autumn is just right and the photosynthesis intensity of tea trees is high, which is conducive to accumulating a large amount of nutrients and improving the quality of tea.
To plant Tieguanyin tea trees well, it must have appropriate moisture. The water content of tea trees itself is 55%-60%, while the water content of buds and leaves is as high as 80%. Therefore, the annual rainfall in the growth area is required to be between 1000-1500 mm, and the monthly rainfall in the growing season is above 100 mm. Uneven distribution of rainfall in each season and region will lead to differences in tea quality. For example, in spring, there is a lot of precipitation and high humidity, the tea grows vigorously, the buds and leaves are thick, the contents are abundant, and the tea is of high quality.
To plant Tieguanyin tea trees well, you must have good soil. Tieguanyin tea trees are suitable for growing in soil dominated by red soil. The soil layer is more than 1 meter thick, the texture is loose, the ventilation and planting drainage is good, the pH is between 4.5-6.0, and the mineral nutrients are rich. In particular, the soil has a high content of manganese, zinc and molybdenum, the organic matter content is more than 2%, and the groundwater level is more than 1 meter lower than the soil surface.
To plant Tieguanyin tea trees well, you must also have a better terrain. Tieguanyin tea growing at an altitude of 300-850 meters is of high quality and relatively stable quality. Also, slope and slope direction also have a great impact on the growth quality of tea trees. The slope should not be too large. Generally, the slope should be below 20° and the steepest should not exceed 25°. In terms of slope direction, the north and south slopes are generally better than the east and west slopes, and their sunshine hours are relatively long, which is conducive to the accumulation of photosynthetic products; the east slope is better than the west slope, because the temperature of the west slope is higher and it is prone to drought; the same slope direction has better water and soil conditions than the uphill slope.
Anxi's superior environmental conditions meet the environmental conditions required for the growth of Tieguanyin tea trees, laying the foundation for the formation of Tieguanyin's excellent quality.
Mysterious legend coupled with Anxi's superior geographical environment and the hard work and wisdom of the Anxi people have made Anxi Tieguanyin famous, becoming one of the top ten famous teas, and sold to home and abroad.
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