Jing Shan tea (径山茶, Jìng Shān Chá) also known as Jing Shan Mao Feng is a kind of Chinese green tea. It is native to the Hangzhou City of Zhejiang Province. Jing Shan tea is also a specialty of Hangzhou and is a national geographical indication product of China.
Shan means “mountain”. Jing Shan (Jing Mountain) is located 50 kilometers northwest of Hangzhou City. The Jing Shan tea trees grow in this mountain, so the tea produced here is called Jing Shan tea.
Hangzhou City is also the hometown of Longjing tea, which is more famous than Jing Shan tea, but both of them are high-quality tea.
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History of Jing Shan Tea
The tea planting and tea production of Jing Shan tea began in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It can be said that Jing Shan tea is one of the oldest tea in Zhejiang Province.
Jing Shan is closely related to Buddhism. There is a Buddhist temple on the mountain called Jing Shan Temple built in the Tang Dynasty, which is the first of the five Buddhist temples in the south of the Yangtze River. At that time, there were more than 1,700 monks in that temple.
When Jing Shan Temple and Jing Shan tea became famous, Lu Yu, the sage of tea, came here. He and a seclusive general planted, made, and studied tea in Jing Shan.
Japanese monks also went to Jing Shan many times to study and carry out cultural exchanges. According to historical records, the “Jing Shan Tea Feast” was introduced to Japan at that time. The Japanese “tea ceremony” originated from the popular tea feast at Jing Shan Temple.
The mountain, the temple, the tea, and the Buddhist culture are closely related to each other, which forms a very rich cultural history and accumulation of Jing Shan tea.
In 1991, Jing Shan tea was awarded the title of “Famous Tea of Chinese Culture”.
Characteristics of Jing Shan Tea
The soil on Jing Shan is loose and rich in trace elements, which is the best soil for tea trees. The climate is wet and rainy all year round, which is very conducive to the formation of the natural quality of Jing Shan tea.
Jing Shan tea is usually picked in April. The picking standard is one bud with one leaf or one bud with two leaves. Producing one kilogram of special-grade Jing Shan tea requires about 62,000 fresh buds.
The shape of the dried Jing Shan tea is slender and slightly curled. Its color is green and covered with white hairs.
After brewing, its tea liquid is light green and looks clear. And it has a long-lasting fresh fragrance.
Make a cup of Jing Shan tea in a glass. You will enjoy its true color, fragrance, and taste. And it will give you a multiple satisfaction of the senses and spirit.
Benefits of Jing Shan Tea
Jing Shan tea contains many components, such as amino acids, mineral elements, vitamin C, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, flavonoids, polyphenols, and trace elements.
Benefits of Jing Shan tea:
- Detox
- Refresh
- Diuretic
- Weight loss
- Anti-aging
- Anti-cancer
- Lower blood sugar
- Lower blood lipids