Lim Kim Hui has been involved in the arts his entire life, working with ceramics and teaching for over forty years. From a young age, he loved painting, and during high school, he was the champion of the school art competition and served as an assistant in the art society. He was the only student in his school to achieve an A1 in art during his secondary exams.

During his two-year military service, he designed emblems for the armored vehicles he operated and would draw temporary tattoos with a marker in exchange for instant noodles, cigarettes, and toilet paper in the evenings when there was no military training; customers even had to take numbers and queue.

His first job in 1980 was as an apprentice in a newly established factory, Ming Village, that produced replicas of ancient Chinese ceramics. Although he lived in the east and the factory was in the west, requiring four hours of daily commuting, his passion for the job was evident. Initially hired to paint blue and white porcelain, the factory saw his youth and strength and assigned him to production, specifically making vase prototypes—a factory employing 300 workers.

In production, he also learned to create sculptures and worked with a master from Taiwan to learn mold-making and replicate these sculptures in fiberglass. After mastering plaster mold-making, he rotated through various departments—original molding, production molding, slip casting, and finally wheel throwing—all the while teaching ceramics to students who came to learn.

After ten years at Ming Village, where he learned techniques for replicating traditional Chinese blue and white porcelain available nowhere else in Singapore, he also met his wife, a painter of blue and white dragon and phoenix designs.

In 1990, desiring a space for creative freedom, he took over a pottery studio in the Tampines industrial area. Despite the challenges of covering living expenses and studio rent, he found freedom tough but fulfilling, handling all tasks from production to glazing and firing kilns.

His work was diverse, accepting any orders that could be made from ceramics, such as fishing rods, cameras, and cakes (for display only). Despite previously focusing on blue and white porcelain and overglaze colors at the factory, he sought to satisfy his passion by experimenting with various high-temperature glazes, starting with traditional ones like cinnabar red and celadon, and later exploring Japanese glazes like Shino, Oribe, and ash glaze. However, these glazes, referred to as “kiln transformations” due to unique effects achieved by wood-fired kilns under oxygen-restricted conditions, could not be replicated in modern electric kilns.

Environmental constraints have made wood-fired kilns rare, thankfully offset by modern inventions like electric and gas kilns. After establishing his studio, he bought a second-hand gas kiln and spent considerable time experimenting with high-temperature reduction glaze formulas, successfully testing thousands of formulas and documenting over two thousand firings.

Due to the limitations of using a single type of clay at Ming Village, he began formulating high-temperature clays, especially suitable for pairing with tenmoku glazes, and occasionally using local clays to make Jian ware.

From 1980 to the present, spanning over forty years, he has taught ceramics to thousands of students in his studio and ten primary and secondary schools, held personal ceramic exhibitions, led numerous student group exhibitions, and participated in international ceramics exhibitions in Shanghai, Japan, Belgium, and Taiwan. He was also invited to participate in the “2018 Dehua He Chaozong Cup Tea Set Industrial Design Competition” in China, where he won an award of excellence.

Lim Kim Hui，一生与美术为伍。陶瓷制作及教课超过四十年。
从小喜欢画画，中学时是学校美术比赛的冠军人物，也任美术学会的助教。中学会考美术更是全校唯一考获A1成绩的学生。
在两年的服兵役期间，为所驾的装甲战车设计标志，一到晚上若无军训就用一支魔术笔帮人画假纹身，酬劳是快熟面、香烟及卫生纸，顾客还得拿号码排队。

1980年踏入社会的第一份工就是到一间刚成立的制作仿中国历代古瓷的工厂（明园，Ming Village）当学徒。家住东部，工厂在西部，每天花在交通上两边来回就用了四个小时，可见对这份工作的热爱。

原本来这工厂是应做画青花瓷的彩绘员。但应该是厂方见我年轻、身强力壮，就被分配到生产部，也就是制作花瓶生坯。（拥有三百个员工规模的工厂）生产部也包括雕塑人像，我就跟着来自台湾的师傅学把泥塑人像翻模，翻制成玻璃纤维的成品。有了制作石膏模的技术之后再逐一去每个部门。製作原模、生产模、注浆，最后拉坯，同时也在教上门学陶的学生拉坯。在明园前后共十年，学了在新加坡也只有这里才学得到的仿中国青花古瓷的传统制作技艺，也在明园认识了青花龙凤彩绘员的妻子。

由于在明园只限制做仿古中国瓷，很想找一个能让自己自由创作的空间，于1990年，机缘巧合下顶下了淡滨尼工业区的一间泥艺工作室，开始有了自己构思的创作。理想是美好的，但事实是残酷的。除了生活费还有每个月的租金，当时想学陶艺的人不多，工作上以前若碰到困难，有同事大家商量解决，但自己的工作室一切大小事，制作、配釉、烧窑，才是真正的苦其心志，劳其筋骨。作业非常多样化，只要能用陶瓷做的订单我都接，钓鱼竿、相机、蛋糕，当然是只供摆设的纪念品。

在以前工作的工厂只专注于青花瓷及釉上彩，但这并不能满足我对陶艺的热爱。开始研究各种高温釉的配方，先从传统釉着手，如辰砂红、青瓷、影青、油滴天目、兔毫天目、及木叶天目等等。之后又对日本的传统釉也感兴趣，又研究了如志野、織部、灰釉。然而这些釉在今天普遍陶艺界所用的电窑是绝对烧不到的。因为古代的顶级釉色称为窑变，那是由于以前的窑火都是用木柴升温，在偶尔氧气不足的气氛下出现了与普通一般烧的成品不一样的釉色，又不知道什么原因，因此称之为窑变。

现在由于环境的问题，柴烧窑已不普遍，感恩现代发明了电器窑之外还有煤气窑。作者成立了自己的工作室之后千方百计买了一台二手的煤气窑，也由于当时生意不好，工作量少，刚好可以用些多余的时间矿硏究釉配方。几十年下来试驗成功高温还原配方整千个，还原烧窑火候过程记录两千多次。所用的瓷泥，由于以前在明园打工时，任何造型只用一种瓷泥，于创作方面有所局限，因此也开始调配高温陶土。而这高温陶土也最适合与天目釉搭配。偶尔也会採用一些本地泥，制作建盏。

从1980年至今四十多年，除了教工作室的学生拉坯做陶瓷，前后在十间中小学教导陶艺，总共学生有千人之多。办过个人陶艺展，带领学生多次举办师生团体展，也参加海内外陶艺展，有中国上海、日本、比利时、台湾、更受邀参加＂中国德化何朝宗杯2018茶具工业設計大赛，入选优等奖。

With minimum processing, Dragon Well retains the essence of it’s tea leaves. Therefore, the selection of tea is plays a very crucial role here.

As the season changes, and when the climate gets warmer, the tea leaves would produce more anthocyanins and it would cloud and envelope the tea with bitterness.

Tea expert Xue Yongjun attributes that the taste Dragon Well tea changes according to the seasons. The temperature before Qingming Festival (that is, around April 5) would be the best as the temperature would stay generically low while slowly warming up, which is beneficial to the growth of Dragon Well buds and hence the quality of tea. For Dragon Well teas harvested on a later date, the temperature would rise too rapidly causing the tea buds to grow too fast, producing longer buds, which wouldn’t be ideal.

The tea industry generally associates Dragon Well tea leaves with the period before Qingming Festival with the quality of the harvest. Ming Qian Dragon Well is highly regarded within tea masters and tea community. This kind of tea is made only from tender buds. When brewing, the tea leaves would stand upright producing a clear emerald brew. This is especially evident in tender buds that are made with one bud with one leaf, commonly known as a flag and a pike, producing the best Ming Qian Dragon Well because the nutrients are highly concentrated in the buds and leaves.

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For more information on Dragon well tea, do refer to the link below:
https://teachapter.com/2020/04/27/tea-in-the-spotlight-dragon-well/

《再遊龍井》乾隆

清蹕重聽龍井泉，明將歸轡啟華旃。
問山得路宜晴後，汲水烹茶正雨前。
入目景光真迅爾，向人花木似依然。
斯誠佳矣予無夢，天姥那希李謫仙。

以上是乾隆皇帝為龍井寫的詩。

這款無氧化的綠茶保留了茶葉的本質。因此，茶葉的賽選更為重要。一般換季，遇到氣候轉暖的時候，茶葉會產生更多花青素，帶明顯苦澀。

福茗堂評茶師及總經理薛詠君表示，根據每年的節氣，清明節前（即 4 月 5 日左右）一般氣溫處於低溫及緩慢回暖的時節，有利龍井嫩芽生長，故茶葉品質最好，往後氣溫突然升高，造成茶芽葉長速過快，芽葉過長，質素就會相對沒那麼出色。

因時間的緊迫性，茶業界普遍以清明前後來界定龍井級數。茶師、茶人一般推崇明前龍井，這種茶只由嫩芽製出。泡飲時，芽芽直立，湯色清洌。特別是一芽一葉製成的明前龍井，俗稱一旗一槍，因營養都集中在芽葉中，更為極品。

Source: https://guide.michelin.com/mo/zh_HK/macau-region/macau/article/dining-in/ask-the-expert-Long-Jing-tea

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Not many people know about this, but Singapore was once an important centre of the global pineapple canning industry. Pineapples first originated from South America until Christopher Columbus brought them across the Atlantic to Europe by 1493. 100 years later, the well-travelled Portuguese then introduced this sweet and sour juicy fruit to Asia, specifically in Malaya. During the rubber boom of the early 1900s, pineapples would often grow alongside the slower-maturing rubber trees, becoming a cash crop for plantation owners in Singapore.

In fact, the northern part of the island (Yishun town) used to be a huge rubber and pineapple plantation owned by Lim Nee Soon, better known as the ‘Pineapple King’. The surplus pineapples were canned and exported all over the world, and this became one of Singapore’s earliest manufacturing industries, providing many jobs for the people on the island.

With Singapore becoming a melting pot for colonials and early immigrants, food cultures also started to intertwine and the classic pineapple tart was born. These bite-sized snacks are an amalgamation of ethnic influences in Singapore: a distinctly European buttery biscuit base topped with a dollop of Nyonya-style pineapple jam scented with spices native to this part of the world (star anise, cloves and cinnamon).

In Hokkien and Cantonese, pineapple is called ‘ong lai’, which literally means ‘fortune come’. The golden pineapple fruit was seen as a symbol of wealth and prosperity and was used in many Chinese rituals (Eg: like rolling it into a new house to welcome riches into the home.) Pineapple tarts also became ubiquitous during the Lunar New Year as it gained popularity as an auspicious gift for family and friends.

Source: https://guide.michelin.com/sg/en/article/features/5-chinese-new-year-goodies-and-why-we-eat-them

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Nián: The New Year’s Eve Monster

Nián is a Chinese mythological beast that lives at the bottom of the sea. On the evening before the New Year, Nián would ascend from the water. According to Chinese New Year myths, Nián would terrorise villages and feast on animals and humans. Villagers would run to the mountains and seek temporary shelter in order to steer clear of Nián.

One New Year’s Eve, a beggar came to the village to seek sanctuary. The beggar promised to provide protection from Nián in return. Eventually, an old woman accepted his offer and kindly invited him to her house. The beggar started decorating the homes in the village, placing a piece of red Chinese New Year ornaments on doors.

At midnight, Nián came to the village and it immediately stopped as soon as it saw the red papers. The monster roared in frustration. All of a sudden, firecrackers started exploding and Nián trembled in fear. The old beggar came out, wearing red Chinese New Year clothes, to mockingly laugh at the creature as it fled the village.

The villagers returned the next morning and were pleasantly surprised that none of their homes were destroyed. From then on, before New Year’s Eve, people would fortify their homes with bright red ornaments and light up firecrackers at midnight. 

The Legend of Ang Bao

The origin story of the Chinese Ang Bao involves an evil spirit named Sui. On New Year’s Eve, Sui would pat the heads of sleeping children three times. The children would wake up the next morning with a fever that would cause great worry to their parents.

During one New Year’s Eve, a couple decided to gift some coins to their kid and left them by his pillow as he was asleep. When Sui came, the bright flash of the coins frightened the spirit. From then on, people started giving children money wrapped in red paper on New Year’s Eve.       

Source: https://chinesenewyear.co/myths/

It happened during the Yuan Dynasty where it was ruled by the Mongolians from the North. It was said that a Han Chinese rebel leader, Zhu Yuanzhang and his advisor, Liu Bo Wen, planned to arouse the Han Chinese to rise up against the ruling Mongolians and end the Yuan dynasty. However, due to the strict search by government, it was very difficult to pass messages. Liu thought of a strategy. He gained permission to give gifts to his friends in different bases. 

These gifts were round moon cakes. Liu ordered his subordinates to hide notes in the cakes with the date of the Han Chinese rebellion (the 15th night of the 8th lunar month). Thus, Liu got word to his people who found the revolutionary message when they cut open the moon cakes. They then set out together to overthrow the Mongolians, thus ending the Yuan dynasty.

Zhu Yuanzhang shared the joy by having celebrations in the upcoming mid-autumn and reward his subjects with the round moon cakes. Since then, eating mooncakes has been a custom of Mid-Autumn Festival.

有听说过中秋月饼的由来与传说吗？

饮茶是心灵的依靠。在人们的印象中，中秋的月是雅致的，而最堪与月相伴的，唯有茶。

中秋节吃月饼相传始于元代。当时，中原广大人民不堪忍受元朝统治，纷纷起义抗元。朱元璋联合各路反抗力量准备起义。但朝庭官兵搜查得十分严密，传递消息十分困难。军师刘伯温便想出了一计策，把“八月十五夜起义”的纸条藏入饼里面，分头传送给各地起义军中.

很快，徐达就攻下元大都，起义成功了。朱元璋高兴得连忙传下了口谕，在即将来临的中秋节就让全体将士与民同乐，并将当年起兵时以秘密传递信息的“月饼”，作为节日糕点赏赐群臣。这就是中秋月饼的由来了。

Tea:

This is the most basic requirement, good quality tea. No matter what kind of tea, according to the various factors of the origin of the raw materials, there are differences in quality starting from dry tea.

For example, white tea, the superior grade white tea has a lot of pekoes, the leaves are flat and long, and contains no old stems. The leaves of ordinary quality white tea have no pekoes, leaves are wrinkled, and contains mostly of old stems and red leaves. The quality of white tea is due to the pekoes which are high in amino acid and catechin content, forming the fresh and sweet foundation of a good cup of white tea.

For loose tea, observing the conditions, colour and clarity of the tea leaves through the appearance can preliminarily judge the quality of the tea. At the same time, tasting the tea itself is also an indispensable step to judge the quality of the tea. Some defects can only be known by drinking; such as over-roasting of the tea leaves. For example, withering in rainy weather, insufficient water leads to the green smell of white tea. Tea polyphenols, main astringency, caffeine, bitterness, theanine, sweetness for important characteristics of tea. So why is pure hand-made tea is more expensive than machine-made tea? This is based on the fact that traditional craftsmanship controls every process well. The higher theanine content, that is, the higher the sweetness and freshness, the lower the bitterness resulting in a smooth cup of tea.

Brewing time:

Different types of tea have different tenderness, different degree of shaping, and characteristics. All these factors leads to the various required brewing times for the tea. You can first summarize the several forms of tea. The spherical oolong tea (heavy shaping) brews slower than the flat green tea, as the leaves of the spherical oolong tea needs to unfold in the pot. Even for the same tea, the amount of tea put in determines the time for making tea as the amount of water in a pot of tea is fixed by the size of the pot. Only by controlling the proportion of the tea, can the tea soup not cover up other flavours due to the excessive bitterness and astringency.

Water temperature:

Ancient Chinese writings have studied the influence of water with different water temperatures on tea. For example, the “undercooked water, Overcooked water, Hou Tang[optimum temperature water]” was mentioned in the “Tea Records” of the Song Dynasty. “Undercooked water” means that the water temperature is too low, even if the inner substance of green tea is not easy to brew. Overcooked water is boiling water, and when used for inappropriate tea leaves, excessive tea tannins and caffeine will be released, resulting in a strong and bitter tea taste. “Hou Tang [optimum temperature water]” means that the water just reaches a small boil, between 80-95 degrees Celsius. Most teas can be brewed in this temperature while fine-tuning the temperature further according to the characteristics of the tea.

The water temperature of brewing tea is positively correlated with the release of soluble substances in the tea. The higher the water temperature, the more substances are released, the thicker the tea soup. Generally, the leaching amount at 60 degrees Celsius water is only equivalent to 45-65% of the leaching amount of tea brewed with boiling water. Unoxidised or lightly oxidised tea leaves are tender and strong, so they are generally not suitable for brewing with high-temperature water. As for heavily oxidised tea, or aged tea, the tea is mild and thick, and would need high-temperature stimulation to better release the tea flavour. For teas harvested in the wild, they generically have broad buds and leaves, high resistance to soaking, and a mellow and fragrant taste. Therefore, boiling water is needed to stimulate its special tea fragrance. Chinese Black tea leaves are extremely rich in internal quality and the production process is complicated and takes a long time. If the temperature of the water is too low, there is no way to stimulate the tea to produce its rich and mellow taste. Wuyi Rock Tea is a heavily oxidised tea with rich flavour and rocky charm. If the temperature of the water is not high enough, it will not be able to stimulate the flavour and richness of Rock tea. The water temperature of green tea is generally controlled at 80 degrees Celsius. If the temperature of the water is too high, it will cause a large amount of tea polyphenols to be leached, and the tea would become too bitter. It will also destroy the vitamin C, chlorophyll and green tea in the tea. Green tea should taste refreshing, fresh and tender, and if brewed with water that the over the required temperature, the bitterness and astringency will mask these characteristics.

Water quality:

The influence of water on tea is not as great and obvious as the previous conditions, and for most, the water that is available and meets safety standards would be sufficient. However, for those who are very particular about tea, water is also a very important variant. If the quality of water is exceptional, it will elevate the taste of your cup of tea to the next level.

The types of modern water are divided into eight categories: urban tap water, purified water, distilled water, mineral water, natural spring water, natural mineral water (TK), soda water, and aerated mineral water. In the doctoral dissertation “The Effect of Water Quality on the Flavour Quality of Dragon Well Tea and Its Mechanism”, the study shows that distilled water, purified water, natural drinking spring water and other water samples with lower total ion content taste better. The ions in the water have a great influence on the extraction of tea polyphenols, catechins and amino acids.

Technique:

Making tea is not only the process of drinking a cup of tea, the tea artist also beautifies the process of making tea. If a good cup of tea is equipped with suitable brewing techniques, it will also make the tea taste better. The technique is inseparable from the influence of water and temperature on tea mentioned before. If the previous factors are all directly influencing factors, the technique is to indirectly achieve the goal of a good cup of tea with the brewer controlling the water, temperature and matching teaware. It is said that green tea is the most tender, so with the aid of the alternative brewing method, first pour hot water and then add tea to reduce the contact time between hot water and tea and prevent excessive release of tea substances from the force of pouring water. For example, some teas need high temperature, such as Wuyi rock teas. In order to maintain the high-temperature requirement of the tea, cover the tea lid with the hot water and then pour the pot to reduce the temperature difference between the inside and the outside of the pot, which helps to stimulate the high temperature that is needed. While the tea is brewing, the time is controlled as well. With the perfect control, the optimal tea aroma would be induced and the amount of polyphenolic alkaloids will remain balanced. The cup of rock tea would be full of flavour, not astringent, not bitter, and smooth.

Teawares:

Commonly used tea wares include purple clay, glass, porcelain teapots and cups. As for kettles, it includes iron, clay, silver, glass kettles and so on. The former has a direct impact on tea, and the latter has an impact on water quality. The good thing about glass would be its transparency. The transparency allows for the appreciation of the shape and colour of the tea and the tea leaves. Especially true for green tea which contains a beautiful bright green hue. During the brew, you can observe the “dance of the tea leaves” as the leaves slowly stretch and unfold, much like new leaves growing on branches of the tea tree. White porcelain and some ceramic products, have pure colours, high density, and it is not easy to leave the smell of tea in the vessel or change the quality of tea. Making Porcelain one of the most neutral vessel for brewing tea.

Integrating artistry and practicality, the purple clay teapot was specially introduced in the Ming Dynasty of China for making tea. It also helped the simplification of Chinese tea culture, while carrying the essence of tea and ancient literati. Due to the special pore structure of the purple clay, it can make the tea ‘breathe’ in the pot. Wen Zhenheng’s “Changwuzhi” mentioned: “Top quality teapots are made of purple clay. The lid does not steal the fragrance, nor does it have the sour smell of over brewed tea.” It is also because of the stomata that purple sand is more suitable for long-term brewing of one particular kind of tea.

从鲜茶叶到入口一口好茶汤，中间的可变因素非常多，从茶树品种，茶叶生长环境，茶叶加工再到茶叶存储，冲泡，最后变成你口里的那份味道。这篇文章不会细讲每种茶独特风味的形成，所列出来的主要是从干茶变茶汤的过程中，所用到的水，温度，工具等对茶的影响。

茶叶：

这是最基本的要求，品质好的茶。不管什么种类的茶，根据原料产地各个因素，从干茶开始就有品质的分别。

比如白茶，特级白茶芽毫肥多，叶态平伏伸展，无老梗。而普通品质白茶叶片无毫有折皱有老梗，泛红叶。因为毫的氨基酸儿茶素含量非常高，对于白茶的茶汤，鲜爽带甜的滋味特点很大程度是毫的贡献，所以茶叶品质好，奠定了一杯好茶汤的基础。

对于散茶，通过外形观察茶叶的条索完整度，色泽，净度可以初步判断茶的品质.同时品味茶汤也是判断茶品质不可缺的步骤，有些品质要靠喝才能知道，比如烘焙过度导致的乌龙茶的老火味。比如阴雨天气萎凋水分不充足导致白茶的青臭味。茶多酚，主涩，咖啡碱，主苦，茶氨酸，主甜。为什么纯手工制的茶比机器做的贵，这是基于传统工艺对于每一道工序把控的都很到位，茶氨酸含量高，也就是甜度、鲜爽度高，那么苦涩度越低，顺滑度就高了。

出汤时间：

不同的茶原料嫩度不同、揉捻程度不同、茶类特性不同，茶的物质浸出到水中的速度有很大差异。可以先总结茶叶的几种形态，球状乌龙茶（重揉捻）相比扁平的绿茶出味速度要慢，因为球状乌龙茶的叶子在壶中还有展开的过程。即使相同的茶，投放茶量的多少也决定了泡茶的时间。一壶茶的水量是固定的，只有把茶浸出物的比例控制好，茶汤才不会因为过重的苦涩味把其他滋味掩盖掉。

水温度：

中国古代著作中就有研究过不同水温的水对茶的影响，比如宋代《茶录》中提到“未熟汤，过熟汤，侯汤”的说法。‘未熟汤’是指水温过低，即使是绿茶内质也不容易泡出。过熟汤就是沸水，用于不合适的茶叶，会使茶丹宁和咖啡碱释放过量导致茶味浓烈苦涩。‘侯汤’指的是水刚小沸腾，在80-95之间。可冲泡大部分的茶，根据茶的特质细调。

泡茶水温与茶叶中有效物质在水中的溶解度呈正相关，水温愈高，溶解度愈大，茶汤就愈浓，一般60C水的浸出量只相当于100C沸水浸出量的45—65%。未发酵或轻发酵的茶叶，茶叶娇嫩，茶性较烈，一般不宜用高温水冲泡。发酵类的茶叶，茶叶偏老，茶性温和，陈厚，反倒需要高温刺激才能较好的释放茶味。一般而言，野生茶，多为芽叶粗广，耐泡度高，滋味醇厚芬芳，所以需要用沸水才能激发出它的特殊茶香. 黑茶茶叶内质极为丰富，制作工艺复杂时间长，如果水温过低，没有办法刺激茶性，泡出浓醇厚正的口感。还有颇具代表性的武夷茶，武夷岩茶是重发酵茶，味道层次丰富有岩韵，如果水的温度不够高，根本无法和紫砂一起做出焖的效果去激发出武夷茶的韵味及丰富的层次感。绿茶一般水温控制在80C，过高的水温会造成茶多酚大量浸出，茶汤很快变得苦涩，过高的水温还会破坏茶中的维生素C，叶绿素，绿茶这些营养物质含量最高，但会被破坏。绿茶味道清爽，鲜嫰，过浓的苦涩味会掩盖这些特质。

水质：

水对茶汤的影响不如前面几个条件那么大和明显，大部分人用符合饮用标准的水就可以了。当然，对于爱茶之人，水也是很讲究的，用的对用的好，对心爱的一包茶如虎添翼，好上加好。

现代水的种类分城市自来水，纯净水，蒸馏水，矿物质水，天然泉水，天然矿泉水（TK），苏打水，含气矿泉水等八大类。博士论文《水质对龙井茶风味品质的影响及其机制》表明，蒸馏水，纯净水，天然饮用泉水等总离子含量较低的水样口感较好。水中离子对茶叶茶多酚，儿茶素，氨基酸浸出有较大影响。

手法：

泡茶不仅仅是喝一杯茶的过程，茶艺师在泡茶过程中也是极具美感，一杯好茶如果配有适合的冲泡手法，也会使茶汤更出色。手法离不开之前所说水和温度对茶的影响，如果说之前的都是直接影响因素，手法则是通过控制水，温度，搭配工具，间接的达到一杯好茶的目的。都说绿茶最嫩，因此有了上投法的辅助，先倒热水再投茶，减少热水与茶的接触时间以及防止冲力之下过快释放茶物质。比如淋壶，有些茶需要高温，如武夷茶，壶内高温壶外冷会使温度流失过快，为了持续高温，冲完热水盖上茶盖后再淋壶使得内外温差小，让高温刺激出茶的风味的同时，控制了时间，短时间内茶香四溢而多酚物质生物碱量尚平衡。茶水韵味足而不涩不苦顺滑生津。

用具：

常见的泡茶用具有紫砂制品，玻璃，瓷器，烧水的炉也有分铁壶，陶壶，银壶，玻璃壶等等。前者是对茶的影响，后者是对水质的影响。先说茶，玻璃特点是茶的形态展露无遗，绿茶色美型美，冲泡之后，叶片舒展仿佛新叶在枝头，大部分人爱用玻璃器具冲泡绿茶，喝茶之余还可以欣赏‘茶舞’。陶瓷特别是白瓷，颜色纯净，密度高，冲泡茶叶非常‘客观’，不容易在器皿中留下茶的气味或者改变茶的品质。评茶斗茶多选用瓷器。紫砂壶产生于中国明朝，因为集艺术性和实用性于一体，专门为泡茶而生，也助力中国茶文化由繁化简的转变，承载了茶和古代文人的情怀。紫砂由于特殊的气孔结构，能够使茶在壶里‘呼吸’，文震亨《长物志》也说：“茶壶以砂者为上，盖既不夺香，又无熟汤气。”。也因为气孔使得紫砂更适合长期泡用一种茶而不容易串味。

References:

https://weidian.com/p5/diary/pages/diary.php?id=16312653

https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/751199242925535892.html?qbl=relate_question_2

https://kknews.cc/food/b6xgb3o.html

http://www.zgchawang.com/knowledge/show-97079.html

http://www.hxytea.com/News/Detail-934.html

To understand the effects of tea, you must first understand the ingredients of the tea. Different tea preparation methods will affect the content of the following ingredients. This is very helpful for choosing the right tea for yourself, and also to know when to drink what kind of tea.

Ingredients in tea

1. Protein: an essential nutrient for the human body
2. Amino acids: regulate fat metabolism
3. Caffeine: reduces fatigue, diuretic and promotes blood circulation.
4. Tea polyphenols (catechins, flavonoids, anthocyanins, phenolic acids): lowering blood lipids, anti-inflammatory, anti-radiation, lowering cholesterol, and preventing arteriosclerosis.
5. Sugars: supplement energy
6. Vitamins: protect eyesight, anti-scurvy, anti-oxidation, anti-aging
7. Lipid: Regulate the osmotic pressure of human cells
8. Minerals: enhance immunity, contain fluorine to protect teeth.

Summary of the health benefits of tea

1. Diuretic
2. Protects your teeth
3. Anti-inflammatory
4. Inhibit cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases
5. Lowers blood pressure, blood lipids, lower blood sugar
6. Regulates skin vitality
7. Improves eyesight
8. Relieves heat and thirst
9. Prevents cancer and protects the liver

Amino acid:
The decomposition products of theanine in the human body can promote the immune response of T lymphocytes to the invasion of external pathogenic microorganisms, and can also promote the secretion of interferon. Interferon is a protein that has a broad-spectrum antiviral effect in the human body. Therefore, another effect of tea is to prevent cancer.

Alkaloids:
The alkaloids of tea are mainly coffee. Its main function is similar to drinking coffee, reduces fatigue, improves cardiovascular health and induces diuresis.

Tea Polyphenols:
Also known as vitamin polyphenols, is a kind of fused-ring aromatic hydrocarbons. It is the general term for polyphenols in tea, including flavanols, anthocyanins, flavonoids, flavonols and phenolic acids, etc. Among them, flavanols (catechins) are the most important, accounting for about 70% of the total amount of tea polyphenols. Tea polyphenols, also known as tea tannins, are one of the main ingredients that form the colour and fragrance of tea, as well as one of the main ingredients in tea that have health functions, and have a protective effect on the liver.

Tea polyphenols can be combined with bacterial proteins, leading to the bacterial proteins coagulating and eventually destroyed to achieve anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects. At the same time, it enhances gastrointestinal contraction and peristalsis, promotes digestion, and effectively discharges waste and toxic substances that have accumulated in the digestive tract. It also promotes the growth of intestinal flora. Tea polyphenols can aid with regulation of blood flow, reduces the permeability of capillaries, and achieve the effect of lowering blood sugar.

Tea pigment:
Tea pigment is a water-soluble, small molecule, phenolic oxidative polymer produced by oxidative polymerization of tea polyphenols extracted from tea. It is a medicinal substance with extremely high biological activity, which can aid in removing atheroma from arteries. The tea pigment can also prevent cholesterol-like substances from depositing on the arteries and prevent the occurrence of arteriosclerosis.

Catechin:
Catechin is the most important kind of tea polyphenols, accounting for about 75% to 80% of the content of tea polyphenols. It is also one of the sources of the bitter taste of tea. It has antioxidant properties, scavenges free radicals and reduces melanin. After tea was introduced into the research field of modern science, catechins have always been the focus of research.

Vitamins and minerals:
Regulate skin vitality. Rich vitamin C enhances the detoxification function of the liver. Fluorine is an important element in inhibiting dental caries and is often added to toothpaste to protect the enamel of teeth from erosion. Enhance tooth resistance to acid. You can rinse your mouth with tea and brush your teeth. Vitamin B and C in tea can be obtained by drinking tea, as well as fat-soluble vitamin A, whose content is higher than the same amount of carrots, which can be obtained by eating tea, through various tea infused recipes (e.g. shrimps stir-fried with Dragon Well tea). There are more than forty kinds of minerals in tea, with potassium being the highest in content. It is of great significance for maintaining the balance of osmotic pressure and blood, as well as the metabolism of human cells.

Carbohydrate amino acids:
The acids interact with saliva to relieve fever and produce fluid. Lipopolysaccharide can protect the human body’s hematopoietic function and reduce radiation damage to the human body.

Green tea:
Tannin, vitamin C, vitamin E, and tea polyphenols have the effect of skin aging and reducing pigmentation. Green tea also has a very good soothing effect. After sun exposure, use a cotton pad to soak iced green tea on the skin to cool down and maintain skin health. External application of green tea can reduce oil secretion and balance the skin’s water and oil. It is rich in amino acids, tea polyphenols, catechins and a variety of minerals and inorganic elements. Among them, potassium, magnesium, and iron are high in content, which has a good inhibitory effect on hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. Generally speaking, the content of vitamins, amino acids, tea polyphenols, and caffeine are the highest in green tea and white tea. The higher the degree of oxidation, the lower caffeine level. Contrary to caffeine, the higher the oxidation degree, the higher mineral content would be present in the tea.

Pu’er:
Pu’ers that are aged has a lot of oligomers, which can reduce the enzymatic destruction of cell elastic tissue and collagen. The oligomer also has a turbid purification effect and restores cell repair ability. A doctoral dissertation published that Pu’er tea has the effects of preventing obesity, reducing fat and losing weight, and the effect of ripe Pu’er[Chinese Black tea / Dark tea] is better than raw Pu’er. Because Pu’er produces special ingredients that break down fat during post-oxidation, it has been loved by meat-eating herders throughout history.

White tea:
The process is simple and the beneficial ingredients are retained. The tea polyphenols are three times as much as other teas. Oxygen free radicals are the culprit of ageing, and tea polyphenols are oxygen free radical cleansers. Based on the excellent anti-ageing effects of white tea, white tea is also called woman tea. In recent years, major brands have also rushed to add white tea extract to their skincare products.

Black tea[Known as red tea in mandarin]:
After oxidation and baking, tea polyphenols undergo an enzymatic oxidation reaction under the action of oxidase, and the content decreases. The irritation to the stomach is reduced, and the oxidation products produced promote digestion. Compared with green tea, black tea is therefore more suitable for regulating the stomach. Black tea pigments are a class of tea polyphenol oxidation products with strong biological activity. Modern medicine has found that tea pigments (the main ingredients are theaflavins (TFs) and thearubicins (TRSI)) not only have antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-cardiovascular, anti-cancer and cerebrovascular diseases effects, but also prevents atherosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, Hypertension, lipid metabolism disorders, cerebral infarction, platelet aggregation and contains antioxidants. Obtaining tea pigments with higher theaflavin content has become an important subject in tea science, food and medicinal research.

Oolong tea:
The efficacy is between green tea and black tea, depending on the degree of oxidation of the oolong tea. Lightly fermented oolong tea is similar to green tea, and vice versa.

Tea drunk:
Drinking alcohol will make you drunk, and drinking tea will also make you drunk. As the saying goes, tea is not intoxicating and people get drunk themselves. This kind of tea drunkenness is a kind of spiritual intoxication, but the drunken tea we are talking about today is a physiological phenomenon that can cause harm to the body. People who have finished drinking strong tea or a large amount of tea may have experienced such symptoms, such as allergies, insomnia, tremor of hands and feet, dizziness, tinnitus, weakness of the limbs, vomiting, and foaming at the corners in severe cases.

Taboo for drinking tea:
Don’t drink overnight tea: If the general tea leaves are steeped for too long, they will taste bitter and hard to eat because of the excessive content of tannins and caffeine. Tannin will coagulate protein and combine with gastric acid to deposit in the stomach, affecting the absorption of iron and easily harming the gastric mucosa. Overnight tea is generally stored at room temperature, and it is easy to breed microorganisms.

People who are not suitable for tea:

1. There are already patients with gastritis, and the tea is somewhat irritating, which is also the reason why it is not advisable to drink tea on an empty stomach.
2. People with low blood pressure
3. Children, children growing up, drinking more tea will affect the absorption of iron and iron. It is not advisable to drink strongly brewed tea or drink tea excessively.

从古籍记载来看，秦汉之前茶基本以药用为主，神农本草经记载：“茶叶苦，饮之使人益思，少卧，轻身，明目。”魏晋以后，茶的功能逐渐转移到饮料上。但人们没有淡忘茶的药用功能。在古代中国，茶也被注重养生的佛教道教加以运用，并产生了茶的神话传说。时至今日，茶的药理作用被现代科学所证明，不仅华人视茶为养生之物，其他种族也开始了解推崇茶。

想了解茶的功效，要先了解茶的成分，不同茶的制作方式会影响以下成分的含量。这对选择合适自己的茶非常有帮助，也进而懂得什么时候合适喝什么样的茶。

成分表

1. 蛋白质： 人体所需营养物质
2. 氨基酸：调节脂肪代谢
3. 咖啡因：提神利尿，促进血液循环，
4. 茶多酚 （儿茶素，黄酮素，花青素，酚酸）： 降血脂，消炎，防辐射，降低胆固醇，防止动脉硬化。
5. 糖类: 补充能量
6. 维生素：保护视力，抗坏血病，抗氧化，抗衰老
7. 类脂质：调节人细胞渗透压
8. 矿物质：增强免疫，含有氟元素保护牙齿。

功效总结

1. 利尿通便
2. 保护牙齿
3. 消炎杀菌
4. 抑制心脑血管疾病
5. 降血压，降血脂，降血糖
6. 美容护肤
7. 清心明目
8. 消暑解渴
9. 防癌护肝

氨基酸：
茶氨酸在人体内的分解产物能够促进T淋巴细胞对外界病原微生物的侵袭产生免疫反应，同时还能促进干扰素的分泌。干扰素是一种蛋白质， 在人体内具有广谱的抗病毒作用。因而，茶叶的另一个功效就是防癌抗癌。

生物碱：
茶的生物碱以咖啡因为主。其主要作用和喝咖啡类似，提神，强心与利尿。

茶多酚（Tea Polyphenols）:
又名维多酚，为一种稠环芳香烃，是茶叶中多酚类物质的总称，包括黄烷醇类、花色苷类、黄酮类、黄酮醇类和酚酸类等。其中以黄烷醇类物质（儿茶素）最为重要，含量约占茶多酚总量的70%左右。茶多酚又称茶单宁，是形成茶叶色香味的主要成份之一，也是茶叶中有保健功能的主要成份之一，对肝有保护作用。

茶多酚能与细菌蛋白结合，使细菌蛋白凝固死亡从而达到消炎，抑制细菌的作用。同时增强肠胃的收缩蠕动，促进消化，使淤积在消化道的废物和有毒物质有效排出。也是肠道有益菌群繁荣。茶多酚能保持微血管的正常韧性，节制微血管的渗透性，从而达到降血糖的功效。

茶色素:
是从茶叶中提取出的茶多酚经过氧化聚合反应生成的一种水溶性、小分子、酚性氧化聚合物，是一种具有极高生物活性的药用物质，可以清除动脉上硬化的粥样物质，也可防止胆固醇类物质沉积在动脉上，防止动脉硬化的发生。

儿茶素:
是茶多酚中最重要的一种，约占茶多酚含量的75%到80%，也是茶的苦涩味的来源之一，具有抗氧化性能，清除自由基，减少黑色素。在茶叶被引入现代科学的研究范畴之后，儿茶素一直是研究的焦点。给现代人的养生以惊喜。

维生素矿物质：
调节肌肤活力。 丰富的维生素C 使肝脏的解毒功能增强。氟元素是抑制龋齿的重要元素，经常被加入牙膏中，保护牙齿的珐琅质免遭侵蚀。增强牙齿抗酸能力。可以用茶漱口，刷牙。茶叶中的维生素B 和C 可以通过喝茶获得，还有脂溶性的维生素A，其含量高于等量的胡萝卜，可以通过以茶入食的方法获得，比如龙井虾仁。茶叶中的矿物质多达四十余种，钾的含量最高，它对于维持渗透压和血液的平衡，以及人体细胞的新陈代谢具有举足轻重的意义。

糖类氨基酸：
与唾液作用，解热生津。脂多糖能保护人体的造血功能，减轻辐射对人体的伤害。

绿茶：
单宁，维生素C，维生素E， 茶多酚，具有抗皮肤老化，减少色素沉淀的功效。绿茶还有很好的舒缓效果，晒后用化妆棉浸泡冰镇的绿茶敷在皮肤上，可以起到降温，镇定皮肤的功效，绿茶外敷，减少油脂分泌，令肌肤水油平衡。富含氨基酸茶多酚、儿茶素以及多种矿物质和无机元素。其中钾、镁、铁元素含量高，对高血压、糖尿病、癌症具有良好的抑制作用。一般而言，维生素，氨基酸，茶多酚，咖啡因的含量都是绿茶白茶最高，发酵程度越高，这些成分越低。矿物质相反，发酵度越高的茶相对较高。

普洱：
陈年普洱有大量低聚物，这些可以减少细胞弹性组织和胶原蛋白的酶破坏。低聚物还有拍浊净化效果，恢复细胞修复能力。有博士论文发表，普洱茶具有预防肥胖，降脂减肥的功效，熟普洱效果比生普洱更佳。缘于普洱在后发酵中产生了分解脂肪的特殊成分，在历史上，一直被多食肉的牧民所喜爱。

白茶：
工艺简单，保留了有益成分，茶多酚是其他茶叶三倍。氧自由基是引起衰老的元凶，茶多酚是氧自由基清洁剂。基于白茶优秀的抗衰老功效，白茶因此也被叫做女人茶。各大品牌近年来也争相把白茶提取物加入他们的护肤产品中。

红茶：
经过发酵烘制后，茶多酚在氧化酶作用下发生酶促氧化反应，含量减少。对胃部的刺激性减少，产生的氧化产物促进消化，相比绿茶，红茶因此更适合调理肠胃。红茶色素是一类茶多酚氧化产物 , 具有较强的生物活性。现代医学已发现茶色素 (主要成份为茶黄 素 (TFs) 和茶红素 (TRSI) ) 不仅具有抗菌、抗病毒、抗心脑血管疾病等作用 , 对动脉粥样硬化、高脂 血症、高血压、脂代谢紊乱、脑梗塞、血小板凝集等疾病均有较好的预防和治疗作用 , 还有抗氧化、抗癌作用。获取茶黄素含量较高的茶色素已成为茶学、食品和医药研究的重要课题。

乌龙茶：
功效介于绿茶和红茶之间，取决于乌龙茶的发酵氧化程度，轻发酵的乌龙茶功效接近绿茶，反之接近红茶。

茶醉：
喝酒会醉，喝茶也同样会醉。常言道，茶不醉人人自醉，这种茶醉是一种精神的陶醉，而我们今天所说的醉茶，却是能对身体造成危害的生理现象。喝完浓茶或大量茶的人可能有过这样的体验，出现过敏、失眠、手足颤抖、头昏耳鸣、四肢无力、想呕吐，严重时还会口角流沫等症状，这种情况正是醉茶。

喝茶禁忌：
不喝隔夜茶：一般的茶叶若是浸泡过久会因为单宁酸、咖啡因等物质含量过多，味道苦涩难入口。单宁酸会使蛋白质凝固，与胃酸结合沉淀在胃里，影响铁的吸收，容易伤害胃黏膜。隔夜茶一般在室温中存放，也容易滋生微生物细菌。

不适合喝茶的人群：

1. 已经有胃炎患者，茶叶多少有刺激，也是空腹不宜喝茶的原因。
2. 低血压人群
3. 儿童，儿童在长身体，多喝茶会影响概以及铁的大量吸收。不宜喝浓茶，喝过量的茶。

REFERENCE:
https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/138847759
https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/73401115
http://www.eco.gov.cn/industry/tea/32294.html
http://gb.oversea.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?filename=1013192247.nh&dbcode=CDFD&dbname=CDFDREF
https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%84%82%E5%A4%9A%E7%B3%96
http://nauxb.njau.edu.cn/Upload/PaperUpLoad/3b11fe1a-4ead-4035-9f68-c770419bfb27.pdf

• Reduce dark eye circles

No eye mask or eye cream in your home? Fret not! Simply place 2 of your used tea bags in your fridge to cool and place them on your eyes for a few minutes. It works better if use caffeinated tea bags because caffeine can shrink blood vessels. You will be surprised at how much difference it makes!

• Feed your plants

Tear open the tea bags and mix the leaves into the soil for fertilization. It also helps in deterring pests and fungal infections. Alternatively, you can also rebrew the used tea bags again to water the plants.

• Soothe irritated skin

Tea has anti-inflammatory properties. It can provide soothing relief from rashes, bug bites, and even sunburn. Simply apply a cool, moist tea bag to the affected area to ease the pain.   

• Antioxidant bath

Soak your feet or you can take a tea bath by infusing the tea bags in warm water. Tea leaves contain antioxidants. It can help to reduce foot odors and soften calluses. It also nourishes your skin! You may opt for floral tea for an aromatherapy experience.

• Degrease dirty dishes

Having trouble scrubbing the mess stuck at the bottom of the pan or wok? Place tea bags in the dishes and fill them with hot water for a period of time. It will help to loosen the leftovers that are stuck at the bottom without using harsh chemicals. This saves up your precious time!

• DIY glass cleaner

Hard to achieve the crystal-clear sheen on your glass or mirror? Clean the surface with moist tea bags and wipe it off with a dry, lint-free cloth. This will remove any dirt, fingerprints, gunk, and even streaks.

Image By David Dewitt (thecozycoffee.com)

Ancient China
In the early years of tea cultivation in China, the leaves were unprocessed and had a bitter taste, earning the resulting drink the name ‘荼 tu’, meaning ‘bitter vegetable’. Mandarin’s current word for tea, ‘茶 cha’, didn’t come into recorded existence until 760 C.E., when a scholar named Lu Yu wrote the Cha Jing, or the Classic of Tea, in which he mistakenly omitted a cross stroke from the character ‘tu’, resulting in a much different word: cha.

Cha
For nearly a thousand years, tea stayed the secret of the East. When the Portuguese arrived in China in the 1500s. They taste tea for the first time and were quick to realise its potential and decided to focus on exporting tea instead of spices. The Portuguese called the drink cha, just like the people of southern China – Guangzhou – Hong Kong and Macau did.

Tea
Around 1607 the Dutch encountered tea in the Fujian province, where Hokkien was the major language, its pronunciation varied depending on the dialect. Following in the linguistic footsteps of the Hokkien folk of Fujian, the Dutch called the drink ‘thee’.

从中国到日本，印度到英国，对这些国家的人民来说茶是一种必需品，也可以说是一个国家的身份象征。 尽管每个国家 / 地区都有自己的“茶”这个词，但几乎所有的发音都仅来自两个词根：“ te”和“ cha”。以下是茶这个词背后的故事。古代中国在中国古代茶叶种植的早期，茶叶未经加工且味苦，因此就把它名为“荼”，意为“苦菜”。直到公元760年，“茶”这个新字才出现。当时，茶圣陆羽写了《茶经》，他错误地从 ‘荼’ 字中省略了一笔画。 因此产生了一个非常不同的词 ：茶。

Cha
近千年来，茶一直是东方的神密物品。 1500年代葡萄牙人到达中国时。 他们第一次品尝到茶，很快就意识到了它的潜力，并决定专注于出口茶而不是香料。 葡萄牙人称其为“cha”，就像中国南方如-广州-香港和澳门一样叫法。

Tea
1607年左右，荷兰人在福建省第一次接触到茶，其发音因地方的方言而异。 荷兰人便跟随福建省的福建人的语言脚步，将这种饮料称为“ thee”。

The locals first called it Dongting tea, also called Xiasha Renxiang[Scary Fragrance]. According to legend, a local girl came into the mountain to pick tea. The tea basket was full, and she put the tea under her clothes at the chest area. The tea got her body temperature, and the fragrance suddenly attacked. The tea picker exclaimed, “Scary and fragrant.” hence this tea is called ” Xiasha Renxiang[Scary Fragrance]”. In the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, it was a tribute tea made every year. Emperor Kangxi tasted this tea with green soup and admired its snail-like curls. He admired it but felt that the previous name was inadequate for the tea, so he named it ” Biluochun”, which literally translate to “green snail spring”.

Another folklore of Bi Luo Chun:
In the past, there was a beautiful, kind-hearted girl, Bi Luo, who lived in the West Mountain of Dongting that loves to sing and her songs touched the hearts of the villagers of the mountain.  While listening to her beautiful voice, a young fisherman named Ah Xiang who lived on the edge of East Mountain, got gradually and fell in love with her.

In the midst of peace, an evil dragon appeared in Taihu Lake, blocking mountains, and forcing people to build a temple in its honour. The dragon also demanded that every year, a young girl was to be selected as his [Mrs. Taihu] from the village. Rebelling against the dragon’s wishes, the villagers incurred the wrath of the dragon, and Bi Luo was kidnapped. In order to save Bi Luo, Ah Xiang armed himself with weapons and fought against the dragon for seven days and seven nights. Both sides were seriously injured and fell on the shore of Dongting Lake. The villagers caught wind of the news, rushed over to kill the dragon and rescued Ah Xiang. However, Ah Xiang was seriously injured from the battle and went into a coma. In order to repay Ah Xiang’s life-saving grace, Bi Luo took Ah Xiang home to personally take care of and treat the injuries. Due to the injury’s severity, Bi Luo went around the area to look for various herbs and medicine. While searching for cures, Bi Luo chanced upon a small tea tree that grew out of the spot where Ah Xiang and the evil dragon were fighting. Bi Luo transplanted this small tea tree to Dongting Mountain and cultivated it carefully. Around the time of the Qing Ming Festival in the second year, this tea tree grew tender leaves.

Ah Xiang’s body grew weaker and weaker and nothing seems to be working despite all efforts by Bi Luo. Drowned in her helplessness, Bi Luo suddenly remembered about the tea plant bred with Ah Xiang’s blood from the might battle with the dragon, so Bi Luo ran to Dongting Mountain, picked up the tea buds with his mouth, and soaked it into a green tea soup for Ah Xiang. After Ah Xiang drank it, not only his spirit improved, but his body began to show signs of recovery. When Ah Xiang asked where Bi Luo got the [Xian Yao], Bi Luo told Ah Xiang of her discovery.

With the newfound hope, Bi Luo persisted with the cure. She went up the mountain every morning, took the new tea bud full of crystal dewdrops back in his mouth, rubbed and dried it, brewed it into fragrant tea for Ah Xiang. Although Ah Xiang was recovering slowly, Bi Luo gradually became weaker from all the work and died of exhaustion.

Ah Xiang never expected that he was saved but lost the kind and beautiful Bi Luo. He buried Bi Luo under the tea tree on Dongting Mountain with his neighbours in remembrance of Bi Luo and named this miracle tea tree, “Bi Luo tea tree”.

Every spring, the tea leaves made from the buds and leaves of the Bi Luo tea tree are made by later generations. The strips are delicate and curved like snails, the colour is tender and green, the fragrance is elegant, and the soup is clear and green. Although Dongting Taihu Lake has gone through the vicissitudes of life, Bi Luo Chun tea, which was born with Ah Xiang’s blood and Bi Luo’s affectionate heart. The tea remains unique and fragrant to this day.

Biluochun’s strips are tightly knotted, curled up like snails, with an even layer of fine white fluff on the edges. Soaked in boiling water, the cup is flying like snowflakes, slowly stretching into a bud and a leaf. The tea is green in colour and tastes elegant and lasts for a long time.

Processes:

1. Picking fresh leaves

2. Fixing

3. Shaping

4. Kneading

     While frying, use your hands to vigorously knead all the tea leaves into several small balls to reveal the silver tips.

5. Frying

Eager to taste the tea? Feel free to check out the link below!
https://teachapter.com/product/bi-luo-chun/

屬於中國十大名茶的一種的碧螺春早在隋唐时期即负盛名， 有千年以上历史。产于环境独特四季开花的洞庭山，所以茶叶具有特殊的花朵香味。

当地人最早叫洞庭茶，又叫吓煞人香。相传有一当地少女入山采茶叶，茶筐满了，便将茶叶放在胸口的衣襟内，茶得到体温，突发袭人香气，采茶女惊呼“吓煞人香”，由此便将此茶叫“吓煞人香”。在清代康熙年间为年年进贡的贡茶，康熙皇帝视察时品尝了这种汤色碧绿、卷曲如螺的名茶，倍加赞赏，但觉得“吓煞人香”其名不雅，于是题名“碧螺春”。

碧螺春的另一个傳說：过去洞庭西山住着一个漂亮善良又会唱歌的姑娘，乡亲们都喜欢听这位姑娘唱歌，在东山边住着一个青年渔民阿祥，而阿祥渐渐的被这位歌女的优美歌迷惑了而对姑娘生出爱意。

突然有一天太湖里出现了一条恶龙，蟠住湖山，并强制人们在西洞庭山为其庙而且每年还要从年青女子选出一少女做其【太湖夫人】。当时太湖村民不为强暴所压制，并遭遇到恶龙报复，并且劫走了碧螺。为了救碧螺，阿翔手持利器与恶龙大战七天七夜。双方都负了重伤并倒在洞庭湖滨。闻讯而来的村民赶过来杀了恶龙，并救回阿祥，但阿祥身负重伤奄奄一息。被救出来的碧螺为了报答阿祥救命之恩，把重伤未醒还在昏迷中的阿祥带回家中亲自照顾并治伤。因伤不易治， 碧螺到处寻药。偶然发现在阿祥与恶龙交战的流血之处长出了一株小茶树，枝繁叶茂。碧螺便将这株小茶树移植于洞庭山上并精心养殖。第二年清明节前后时间这株茶树长出了鲜嫩的芽叶。

阿祥身体日渐衰弱汤药不进，使得碧螺万般无奈。在无奈之余碧螺突然想起了以阿祥鲜血育成的茶树，于是碧螺跑到洞庭山上，以口衔回茶芽，并泡成翠绿清香的茶汤，让阿祥服用。阿祥饮后，不仅精神好转，身体也开始出现回复的迹象。当阿祥问碧螺从哪里采来的【仙药】时，碧螺以实情相告阿祥。

阿祥和碧螺的心里憧憬着未来美好的生活。于是碧螺每天清晨上山，将那饱含晶莹露珠的新茶芽以口衔回，揉搓焙干，泡成香茶，让阿祥饮用。虽阿祥慢慢复原，可是碧螺却因以至情相报，天天衔茶，渐渐失去原气，最后过劳而死。

阿祥怎么也没想到，自己得救了，却失去了善良美丽的碧螺姑娘，悲痛欲绝，遂与众乡邻一起将碧螺葬于洞庭山上的茶树之下，以慰碧螺芳魂，并就把这株奇异的茶树称之为碧螺茶树。

后人每逢春时采自碧螺茶树上的芽叶而制成的茶叶，其条索纤秀弯曲似螺，色泽嫩绿，清香幽雅，汤色清澈碧绿。洞庭太湖虽历经沧桑，但那是以阿祥的斑斑碧血和碧螺的一片深情丹心孕育而生的碧螺春茶​​，却仍是独具幽香永惠人间。

碧螺春条索紧结，蜷曲似螺，边沿上一层均匀的细白绒毛。泡在开水中，杯中犹如雪片飞舞，慢慢舒展成一芽一叶。汤色碧绿，味道清雅，经久不散。

加工工艺:

1. 采摘
2. 杀青
3. 揉捻
4. 搓团显毫 [边炒边用双手用力地将全部茶叶揉搓成数个小团让茸毫显露的过程]
5. 炒青

想试茶吗？请点击以下网址!
https://teachapter.com/product/bi-luo-chun/

The process of cooking tea eggs sounds simple but to be more aromatic flavorful, you have to put in some effort in doing so.

First, pick some big fresh eggs. Wash them clean and let them boil in water until it is 80% cooked. While waiting for the eggs to be cooked, gather all the ingredients, and put them inside a cloth bag.

The ingredients include star anise, cinnamon, Szechuan peppercorns, Oolong tea, and rock sugar. The reason for using premium Oolong tea is because it needs to be simmered in the mixture for a long time to achieve fragrant and smooth broth.   

Once the eggs are cooked, scoop them out and gently crack the shell of each egg so that a marbling effect is created while brining. Be careful not to break the eggs apart. This is to allow the flavor of the sauce base to seep into the egg.

Then place the eggs and the ingredients that you have prepared into the pot and seasoned the broth with dark and light soy sauce. Let the eggs boil for 6 hours. The longer the tea eggs remain in the broth, the more flavourful and coloured they will be.

茶叶蛋是煮制过程中加入茶叶的一种加味水煮蛋，是华人的风味小吃，也是茶渊的特色小吃，甚至在茶渊俘获了很多客人的味蕾。

煮茶叶蛋说起来很简单，但是要煮得清香入味，可就得花点功夫了。首先，得挑选新鲜个大的鸡蛋，一个个清洗于净，然后放入水中煮至八成熟。在等待鸡蛋煮至八成熟时，先把所需要的材料放入布袋里。

材料包括：八角，桂皮，花椒，乌龙茶叶和冰糖。选用乌龙茶叶的原因是茶叶不能是出汤清淡的品种，必须选用耐泡，味浓，中等以上的茶叶，才能赋予平凡的鸡蛋以清雅香滑的口味。

之后，把鸡蛋捞出来，轻轻敲碎鸡蛋外壳。然后，把鸡蛋和准备好的布袋放入锅内，再加入黑酱油和酱清后，熬煮六小时后，茶叶蛋就完成了。