Basic Introduction to Muyu Green Tea

Muyu Green Tea is a specialty product of Muyu Town, Shennongjia Forestry District, Hubei Province. The best tea grows at an altitude of 1,200 to 1,700 meters in Muyu Town, Shennongjia; above 2,000 meters, the climate is too cold for tea to grow. Currently, Muyu Green Tea is known as high-altitude cloud and mist organic tea. Muyu Green Tea is a protected geographical indication product of national agricultural products.

Nutritional Value

Modern scientific research has confirmed that tea does indeed contain biochemical components closely related to human health. Not only does it have effects such as refreshing the mind, clearing heat, quenching thirst, aiding digestion, reducing phlegm, eliminating greasy food, losing weight, soothing the heart, detoxifying, and awakening from intoxication, but it also has therapeutic benefits for modern diseases such as radiation sickness, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. The main components responsible for these pharmacological effects are tea polyphenols, caffeine, polysaccharides, and theanine.

Product Characteristics

The dry leaves of Muyu Green Tea are covered with white down, have a jade-green color, and emit a persistent chestnut-like aroma. The brewed tea has a bright yellow-green color, the infused leaves are tender and uniformly yellow, and the taste is full-bodied and sweet aftertaste, with distinct quality characteristics.

Distinguishing Authentic from Fake

Fresh Green Tea vs. Old Green Tea

Fresh green tea appears with a fresh, lustrous green color, and has a strong tea fragrance. When brewed, the tea soup is emerald green, with a fresh scent, orchid fragrance, or cooked chestnut aroma, and the taste is sweet and refreshing, with fresh, bright leaves at the bottom of the cup.

Old green tea appears dull and yellowish without luster, and has a low aroma. If you blow warm air on the tea, the moist parts will appear yellow and dry, with a cool sensation when smelled. When brewed, the tea soup is deep yellow, and while the taste may be full-bodied, it lacks freshness. The leaves at the bottom of the cup are old and lack brightness.

Tasting Method for Muyu Green Tea

When Drinking Tea, prepare the tea utensils first. Before brewing, rinse the teapot, tea tray, tea cups, etc., with boiling water to keep them clean and warm. This step is commonly referred to as preparing the utensils.

Then comes the process of sorting the tea, where the Oolong tea is poured onto a white paper and gently shaken to separate the coarse and fine leaves. Use a bamboo spoon to separate the coarse leaves and fine particles.

Next is placing the tea: typically, the fine particles are placed at the bottom of the pot, and the coarser leaves are placed on top. This prevents the fine particles from blocking the spout of the teapot once the tea is brewed.

Fourth is pouring the tea: pour the hot water from a higher position along the edge of the teapot continuously and slowly, causing the tea leaves inside to roll and form a whirlpool, a technique known as “high pouring.”

Fifth is skimming the foam: when pouring the hot water, fill the teapot until the water overflows and then use the lid to gently skim off the foam floating on the surface of the tea soup. Some people also immediately pour out the first infusion of water, a practice known as “washing the tea,” which cleans the surface of the leaves and preserves the true flavor of the tea. Both skimming the foam and washing the tea serve the same purpose of cleansing the tea.

Sixth is rinsing the cups: after skimming the foam, immediately cover the teapot and pour more boiling water over it, a process called “attacking from both inside and outside.” At the same time, rinse the tea cups with boiling water to ensure they are clean and ready for use.

Seventh is serving the tea: after letting the water sit for 2-3 minutes, the essence and true flavor of the tea have been extracted. At this point, use your thumb, index finger, and middle finger to operate. Place your index finger lightly on the knob of the teapot lid, and grip the handle firmly with your middle and thumb. When serving the tea, do not pour the tea from a high height; instead, pour it low into the cups. Rotate the tea among several cups, filling each halfway before moving on to the next and repeating, gradually filling each cup to about 80% full. This is known as “General Guan Yu's city tour.” If the entire pot of water is used up exactly, it is considered “just right.” For those who are meticulous, the last few drops of concentrated tea are divided among the cups, a practice known as “Han Xin counting his troops.”