茶的國
LAND OF TEA
China is the home of tea. Having grown tea for more than 4000 years, drinking tea has become a lifestyle for Chinese people as well as a cultural symbol.
Chinese people have been meticulous about tea utensils, tea brewing, and tea etiquettes and have developed the art of tea as a culmination of tea tasting, maintenance of the body, and discipline of the mind.
Green tea is made from tea leaves that do not go through the fermentation process. After withering, tea leaves are baked at one hundred to two hundred degrees Celsius to fixate its green colour. Green tea can whiten skin, prevent cancer, lower blood lipids, and help lose weight. The best varieties of green tea include Mengding Ganlu, Tai Ping Hou Kui, Longjing, Bilochun, and Huangshan Maofeng. For brewing, transparent glass with no colour, pattern, or lid should be used, or one can use white porcelain, celadon, or blue and white porcelain tea ware.
綠茶是不經過發(fā)酵的茶,即將鮮葉經過攤晾后直接下到一二百度的熱鍋里炒制,以保持其綠色的特點。綠茶可美白皮膚,防癌,降血脂和減肥。名貴品種有:蒙頂甘露、太平猴魁、龍井茶、碧螺春茶、黃山毛峰等。沖泡應選用透明玻璃杯,無色、無花、無蓋?;蛴冒状?、青瓷無蓋杯、青花茶具。
White tea generally refers to teas that are withered with exposure to the sun. It is good for the eyes and liver, helps maintain blood sugar balance, and protects against heat. The best varieties include Bai Hao Yin Zhen and White Peony Tea. For brewing, white porcelain, yellow stoneware, or black porcelain with coloured inside is used.
白茶基本上就是靠日曬制成的。主要功效有名目、保肝護肝、促進血糖平衡、防暑。名貴品種有:白豪銀針茶、白牡丹茶。沖泡選用白瓷或黃泥炻器茶具及內壁有色黑瓷。
Oolong is a semi-fermented tea with fermentation levels between green tea and black tea and slightly brown colour of the leaves. Oolong tea can help lose weight, make skin fairer, and lower blood cholesterol. The best varieties include Wuyi Rock Tea, Tieguanyin, Phoenix Dan Chong, and Taiwanese oolong. Oolong is generally brewed with purple sand clay or white porcelain tea ware, including bowls and cups with lids. Greyish brown stoneware may also be used.
青茶亦稱烏龍茶,屬半發(fā)酵茶。即制作時適當發(fā)酵,使葉片稍有紅變,介于綠茶與紅茶之間。烏龍茶可以減肥美容,降低膽固醇。名貴品種有:武夷巖茶、鐵觀音、鳳凰單叢、臺灣烏龍茶。青茶常用紫砂茶具,或白瓷茶具、蓋碗、蓋杯。也可用灰褐系列炻器茶具。
中國是茶的故鄉(xiāng)。長達四五千年的植茶歷史,使飲茶不僅成為中國人的生活習慣,更演化為一種文化符號。中國人對飲茶用具、煮茶藝術和飲茶禮儀極其講究,并引申出集茶葉品鑒、保健養(yǎng)生、修身養(yǎng)性于一身的茶道文化。
Dark tea is post-fermented tea made from crude leaves. The long fermentation period gives the tea leaves their dark brown colour. It is a daily necessity for the Tibetan people, the Mongols, and the Uyghurs. Black tea can lower blood sugar and prevent diabetes. Its best varieties include Pu-erh, Bitter Grapefruit Tea, bamboo leaf tea, and HanZang Tibetan Tea. Dark tea is generally brewed with kung fu tea techniques, using purple sand clay teapots and porcelain cups.
黑茶是后發(fā)酵茶,原料粗老,加工時堆積發(fā)酵時間較長,使葉色呈暗褐色。是藏、蒙、維吾爾等少數民族的日常必需品。黑茶能降血糖,防止糖尿病,抗衰老。名貴品種有:普洱茶、苦柚茶、粽葉茶、漢藏官茶等。黑茶一般用功夫茶沖泡法,可采用紫砂壺、瓷杯。
Yellow tea is a slightly fermented tea with a steaming process that gives it the yellow colouring. It is good for the spleen and stomach and helps digestion and the metabolism of fat. One of the best varieties of yellow tea is Meng Ding Huangya. For brewing, porcelain with milky-white or yellow glazing or yellow-orange glazed tea ware, including bowls and cups with lids, should be used.
黃茶是微發(fā)酵茶,比綠茶多了一道悶黃工藝。黃茶對脾胃有好處,助消化、有益于脂肪代謝。名貴品種:蒙頂黃芽。沖泡應選用奶白或黃釉瓷及黃橙色茶具、蓋碗、蓋杯。
Black tea is a more heavily fermented (around 80%) tea, named after the colour of the oxidized leaves. Black tea helps digestion, warms the stomach, and relieves fatigue. The best varieties of black tea include Keemun, Dianhong, and Yinghong. For brewing, tea ware of inside white glaze on purple sand clay, white porcelain, red glaze porcelain, or porcelain of warm colour, including bowls and cups with lids, should be used.
紅茶是全發(fā)酵茶(發(fā)酵程度大于80%),名字得自其湯色紅。紅茶有助消化、暖胃、提神消除疲勞的作用。名貴品種有:祁紅、滇紅、英紅。沖泡應選用內掛白釉紫砂、白瓷、紅釉瓷、暖色瓷茶具、蓋杯、蓋碗。