Due to China's significant north-south climate differences and vast tea-producing areas, the country's tea regions are divided into four zones: the Southwest Tea Region, South China Tea Region, Jiangnan Tea Region, and Jiangbei Tea Region.
Most of the Southwest and South China Tea Regions are located in southern China, where temperatures rise early in spring. Tea picking often begins around the Chinese Lunar New Year, and by Qingming, harvesting has been ongoing for nearly two months. In contrast, in the Jiangbei Tea Region, most areas have not truly started harvesting by Qingming. In the Jiangnan Tea Region, early-sprouting varieties often bud around the Awakening of Insects and Spring Equinox, allowing picking before Qingming. Thus, only tea picked and produced in the Jiangnan Tea Region before Qingming can be called "Mingqian tea."
After a long winter, tea plants accumulate ample nutrients. Coupled with low spring temperatures and slow growth rates, the buds are numerous, dense, robust, tender, and the leaves are thick.
Generally, there are no pest or disease issues during the spring tea season. Therefore, spring tea, especially early spring tea, is often the highest quality green tea of the year. Hence, many premium famous green teas, such as Taimu Cuiya, West Lake Longjing, Dongting Biluochun, Huangshan Maofeng, Lushan Yunwu, etc., are harvested in the early spring period. Mingqian tea, in particular, is considered the pinnacle of premium teas.
Additionally, tea from this period is rich in internal compounds, has high water extract content, and high chlorophyll levels, especially chlorophyll A. This results in green teas with a vibrant green color. When brewed, they resemble orchid blossoms or bamboo leaves, offering excellent visual appeal. Moreover, amino acid content is higher compared to post-rain tea, and volatile components contributing to fresh or chestnut-like aromas are more abundant. Meanwhile, the content of bitter and astringent tea polyphenols is relatively lower, making the tea fragrant and mellow in taste.
In recent years, there has been a preference for buying the earliest and most tender tea, even tea made solely from single buds. However, this is not necessarily better. While tea made from tiny, young single buds is visually appealing, it is not as rich in internal compounds as tea made from one bud with one or two leaves. For example, the raw material for top-grade Longjing tea, with its long history, is one bud with one or two leaves; single buds are never used as the raw material.
Much of the reverence for "Mingqian tea" is more about abstract concept than practical value, and aesthetic significance over drinking value. The tea drinker's vanity plays a significant role. Because "Mingqian tea" is scarce and precious, being able to drink it is often a symbol of status and taste.
In reality, influenced by climate, variety, and cultivation management conditions, the tea harvesting time varies each year. Generally, harvesting progresses from south to north, with a difference of 3-4 months. Furthermore, even within the same tea region or the same tea garden, harvesting times can differ by 5-20 days due to variations in altitude, water, and fertilizer management. Therefore, one cannot judge tea quality solely by the harvesting season. In warmer tea gardens, harvesting might have occurred 2-3 times before Qingming, while in higher altitude or more northern areas, no harvesting may have taken place even after Qingming. Judging tea quality purely by harvesting sequence would be absurd!
Moreover, although "Yuqian tea" (pre-rain tea) is not as tender as "Mingqian tea," due to higher temperatures, bud and leaf growth is relatively faster, leading to richer accumulated compounds. Thus, "Yuqian tea" often has a fresh, strong, and durable flavor. Tea harvested during this period is neither too early nor too late, capturing the essence of the season and the spirit of the time, making it excellent tea.