Longjing Tea

Longjing Tea

Longjing tea (龙井, Lóng Jǐng) also called West Lake Longjing tea or Xihu Longjing tea is native to a village called Longjing that is located in the southwest of West Lake (Xihu), a famous scenic spot in Hangzhou City of Zhejiang Province.

In English-speaking countries, Longjing tea is called Dragon Well tea because “Longjing” means “dragon well”.

Longjing tea is a kind of green tea, honored with the title “Queen of Green Tea” in China, and it is one of the top 10 famous Chinese tea.

Like West Lake, Longjing tea is a perfect combination of humans, nature, and culture, and an important carrier of West Lake regional culture.

Table of Contents

History of Longjing Tea

Longjing tea has a history of 1,200 years through five dynasties. In the historical evolution of the 1,200 years, Longjing tea has changed from unknown to famous, from ordinary people’s daily drink to the tribute of the emperors and generals, from famous tea of Chinese nation to the famous product of the world.

The earliest record of Longjing tea can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It is recorded in the famous tea book called <The Classic of Tea>, written by Lu Yu, the Sage of Tea.

As early as in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), the production of Longjing tea has initially formed a scale. At that time, Su Shi, calligrapher, painter, and poet, wrote poems to praise Longjing tea.

In the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), Hangzhou City became the capital of the dynasty, and the tea industry developed further.

In the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the quality of Longjing tea was further improved. Many tea lovers came to Hangzhou City to taste Longjing tea.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Longjing tea became famous and it is gradually spread. Some tea experts recorded Longjing tea as a famous tea in their tea books.

In the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912), the Qianlong Emperor awarded Longjing tea the title of “Imperial Tea”. Since then, Longjing tea became more famous and is known by most people.

After the founding of New China, the government actively supported the development of Longjing tea, and it was regarded as a diplomatic gift tea.

In 2011, “Xihu Longjing” was registered successfully as a National Geographical Indication Product of China.

Growth Environment of Longjing Tea

Longjing tea grows in the mountains beside the West Lake in Hangzhou City. The climate here is mild, with abundant rainfall and diffuse light. The soil is slightly acid, with good drainage. The trees are luxuriant, and the streams beside the trees run and flow.

The annual average temperature is 16℃, and the annual precipitation is about 1,500mm. These superior natural conditions are conducive to the growth of Longjing tea.

The tea buds keep germinating and the harvesting time is long. The tea leaves can be picked about 30 times per year, which is the most times of picking than that of other teas.

Grades of Longjing Tea

According to the quality, Longjing tea can be classified into five grades.

  • Special Grade: made from one bud with one leaf. The length of the bud and leaves must not exceed 2.5cm.
  • First Grade: made from one bud with one leaf or two leaves. The proportion of one bud with two leaves is less than 10%. The length of the bud and leaves must not exceed 3.0cm.
  • Second Grade: made from one bud with one leaf or two leaves. The proportion of one bud with two leaves is less than 30%. The length of the bud and leaves must not exceed 3.5cm.
  • Third Grade: made from one bud with two leaves and three leaves. The proportion of one bud with three leaves is less than 30%. The length of the bud and leaves must not exceed 4.0cm.
  • Fourth Grade: made from one bud with two leaves and three leaves. The proportion of one bud with three leaves is less than 50%. The length of the bud and leaves must not exceed 4.5cm.

The more the proportion of one bud with one leaf and the shorter the length of it, the more tender the tea is and the higher the quality of it is.

Benefits of Longjing Tea

One of the reasons Longjing tea is honored with “Queen of Green Tea” is that it contains more nutrients than other teas. Here are the benefits of Longjing tea:

Diuretic

Theophylline in Longjing tea has a diuretic effect and can be used to treat edema disease.

Refresh

Caffeine in Longjing tea can excite the central nervous system and help people to lift their spirits, enhance their thinking, eliminate fatigue and improve their work efficiency.

Antibacterial

Tea polyphenols and tannins in Longjing tea act on bacteria, coagulate bacterial proteins, and kill them. If the mouth is inflamed, festering and the throat is sore, you can drink Longjing tea to relieve it.

Anti-Aging

Tea polyphenols in Longjing tea can effectively remove the excess free radicals and prevent the peroxidation of fatty acids.

Treat Halitosis

The food residue in the mouth produces methyl mercaptan compound under the action of the enzyme to produce odor. Longjing tea can inhibit the activity of this enzyme and play a role in eliminating halitosis.

Caries Prevention

Longjing tea contains fluorine, which has a great affinity with the calcium of teeth. It can become a kind of “fluorapatite” that is difficult to dissolve in acid, just like adding a protective layer to teeth, which improves the ability of anti-acid and anti-caries of teeth.

Inhibit Atherosclerosis

Tea polyphenols and vitamin C in Longjing tea have the function of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis to prevent arteriosclerosis.

Treat Night Blindness and Dry Eye

There is a certain amount of vitamin A in Longjing tea, and the eye-protecting effect of Longjing tea is closely related to vitamin A.