China has many varieties of tea, including White Tea, Green Tea, Oolong Tea, Yellow Tea, Black Tea, and Dark Tea. Each category further comprises numerous types, making it a vibrant and colorful spectrum.
Different teas are like different groups of people and age stages.
White Tea resembles children. Its aroma is light, and its liquor is clear. Drinking White Tea is like seeing an innocent, pure, and guileless child. It is genuine, without much burden; it quenches thirst and brings a joyful mood; it is bright, offering a sense of anticipation.
Green Tea is like a sixteen-year-old girl in the bloom of youth. It has a faint sweetness with a slight astringency, a tea fragrance, but it doesn't steep many times. Youthful, it lacks some depth and richness but possesses a lightness and freshness that makes one eager to try.
Tieguanyin. The light fragrance type of Tieguanyin is as graceful and elegant as a gentle lady. Its scent is fragrant and captivating; drinking it is sweet and smooth; savoring it reveals a delicate, subtle texture. It leaves a lingering,含蓄 aftertaste in the mouth and throat, refreshing the mind. The rich fragrance and aromatic types of Tieguanyin are like a mature woman, tempered by time, exuding a more profound charm and a rich, penetrating aroma that delights the senses.
Dahongpao, also belonging to Oolong tea, is bold, grand, and powerful, akin to the masculine vigor of a man. The pristine mountains and waters of Wuyi nurture Dahongpao's醇厚 and unique "rock rhyme," giving it a lasting aftertaste reminiscent of a man's chivalrous tenderness. Black Tea, what is Black Tea?
Black Tea is like middle-aged men and women, having shed some individuality and gained more包容. It is steady, soft, and mellow, embodying a中庸之道. Black Tea has an approachable quality and strong compatibility, making it suitable for blending.
Pu-erh, a type of Dark Tea. I believe it resembles a wise elder. It seems like drinking tea yet not quite tea, appearing without tea yet possessing tea. Like a睿智 elder, it may not seem remarkable at first glance, but when you delve into its essence, its brilliant wisdom and rejuvenating spirit can bring about an epiphany—"listening to your words is worth more than ten years of study."
Fine tea is like a person; careful tasting reveals its true essence. Yet fine tea is more than just like a person; it reflects all aspects of life. A batch of tea, from planting, growth, and harvesting to processing, naming, observing its form, listening to its sound, smelling its aroma, savoring its韵, then to tea competitions, contests, poetry, and ultimately升华 and enlightenment,早已 transcends ordinary material form. It is the结晶 of ancestors' wisdom and the传承 of culture.