Compiled by Yu Guanting

? I remember when I was a child, my grandpa’s teacup always smelled of steaming tea. I couldn’t help but sneak my tongue in to lick it. Of course, it was burned. After yelling hissingly and hahahaha, when adults find out, they will always say, "Children are not allowed to drink tea, go and drink boiled water." . . I don’t know if you have such memories, or if you still tell your children what adults said to you back then.

"The world in tea is clear and ethereal, but it also contains heaven and earth and the universe." This sentence was written on the cover of the book, which suddenly seemed very grand. Imagine that the sip of tea you just drank formed a small universe in your chest, brewing endless energy.

For those of us who love tea, the book "Tea Classic" has a supreme status like a primary school Chinese class. The author, Lu Yu, needs no further introduction. The whole book is divided into four parts to explain the origin of tea, tea types, famous teas and tea sets. It is also equipped with poems and exquisite pictures to make people immersed in it.

The origin of tea: "Tea is a drink that originated from Shennong." Shennong is the legendary Emperor Yan and the inventor of tea. Legend has it that one time he was boiling water in a cauldron in the wild and happened to have a few. A leaf fell into the pot, and the water turned yellow-green. Shennong took a sip and felt extremely fragrant. He found that its soup had the effects of quenching thirst, promoting body fluids, refreshing the brain, diuresis and detoxification. Wherever the soup went, the gastrointestinal tract was clean, so he called this plant "cha", which was later changed to the pronunciation of "tea".

In our country, tea culture has gone through the process of "developing from Shennong, hearing about it from Lu Zhougong, flourishing in the Tang Dynasty and flourishing in the Song Dynasty". In ancient times, there was the method of "cooking tea and ordering tea". It was not until Zhu Yuanzhang's seventeenth son Zhu Quan that he began to simplify it to making tea. There are six scenes of tea drinking by the ancients: one is when the hermit talks about mystical enlightenment; the other is when the morning bells and evening drums are sad; the third is when one is sleepy from reading and writing; the fourth is when relatives are reunited and enjoy; the fifth is when the door is closed at home on a rainy day; the sixth is when one is hungover and stays up late to save oneself. . (It is said that this ancient man was also sentimental, romantic and sentimental)

Tea: Tea is divided into six categories, namely green tea, black tea, yellow tea, white tea, black tea and oolong tea. If there is another category, it is scented tea. I will focus on the common types of tea:

Green tea: "Catechin" is the essence of green tea ingredients, which has great effects on anti-aging, sterilization and anti-inflammatory. So many men drink green tea to fight free radicals. Our common green teas include Longjing, Biluochun, and Anji white tea (Anji white tea is green tea, not white tea)

Black tea: It is sweet and warm in nature, generates heat and warms the abdomen, warms the stomach and dispels cold, lowers blood lipids, and inhibits arteriosclerosis. and other effects. Common black teas include Keemun black tea, Yunnan Dianhong, Sri Lankan black tea, British black tea, etc. I personally recommend these four. In terms of cost performance, they belong to Dianhong.

White tea: White tea is a special treasure among Chinese teas. It is rich in amino acids and can effectively increase immunity (there are special reports from traditional Chinese medicine on the new coronavirus epidemic), so drinking old white tea in winter can prevent colds. The production areas are mainly in Fuding, Fujian and Yunnan. Common ones include Silver Needle, White Peony, Gongmei and Shoumei. There is a saying that describes old white tea: one year is tea, three years is medicine, and seven years is treasure. If a friend gives you old white tea, please treasure it. Old white tea that is more than three years old can be brewed, and its aroma will fill the whole house. Generally, good old white tea has the aroma of dates, lotus and plum. (I once had the honor of brewing a pot of old white tea from the wilderness for more than ten years. It was wrapped in ancient nature and made me burst into tears.)

Black tea: There is a fermentation step in the production process, which can produce " Punol”, which effectively prevents fat accumulation. Therefore, after eating a greasy meal, a cup of Pu'er tea can not only aid digestion, but also help discharge excess fat.

There are also oolong tea, yellow tea and scented tea, so I won’t introduce them one by one. Tieguanyin among oolong teas is also very classic. It is famous for its strong aroma and fresh taste. Unfortunately, more than 95% of Tieguanyin on the market now have added spices. (To show off, the 5% in my refrigerator comes from the tea left on the plot of the village chief’s home in Tieguanyin Village, Anxi. The village chief gave it to an eminent monk, so I took a small part in it.) There is also yellow tea, mainly Maojian. Not suitable for those who are afraid of the cold; common scented teas include rose, jasmine, chrysanthemum and honeysuckle, etc., which are suitable for girls who want to maintain good health. This article taught me a lot about tea making techniques.

Famous Tea: This article divides the regions into Jiangnan, South China, Southwest and Jiangbei, and introduces the famous teas in each region respectively; Jiangnan is represented by West Lake Longjing, Huangshan Maofeng, Dongting Biluochun, etc.; South China is represented by Anxi Tieguanyin, Dongding Oolong, and Jasmine Tea are represented; the southwest is represented by Dianhong Kungfu Tea and Yunnan Pu'er; the north of the Yangtze River is represented by Xinyang Maojian and Liu (lu) Angua Pian. When dividing the regions, the geographical characteristics and scope were explained very clearly. Here I learned another geographical knowledge.

Tea set: Before introducing this content, I want to explain one thing. Many friends ask me what I am doing when I am always up in the middle of the night. In fact, I spent the middle of the night watching the live broadcast of the kiln firing, and then I found a few worthless orphans to enjoy myself. The tea sets introduced in this article mainly include kettles, teapots, tureens, six gentlemen and other essential tea sets. At the same time, it tells the history of the development of tea utensils, and here I learned some historical knowledge. The ones I am more familiar with include purple clay pots, gold and silver, ceramics, glass and jade. I personally like rough pottery. The boiled water has a slight "muddy air" and a simple appearance. It reminds me of a specific thing that appears in my dreams over and over again. era, familiar and reassuring.

The Book of Tea was written in the Tang Dynasty. It is the earliest, most complete and comprehensive introduction to tea in China and even the world. It is known as the "Encyclopedia of Tea" and has a history of 1,000 years. Years of history. What tea means to our lives is the sincerity and moderation of Confucianism, the clarity of mind and nature of Buddhism, the creation of something out of nothing of Taoism, and the tranquility and peace of modern people's life.

At this moment, I am holding a cup of steaming Pu'er in my hand, enjoying the old woody aroma, and the thick tea soup flowing in my tongue. I also hope that you will find the tea that suits you as soon as possible and accompany you throughout the spring, summer, autumn and winter.