"When the spring breeze blows in March, it's time to tribute tea; all follow the red flutes to the mountains. At dawn, the vermilion gates of the roasting houses open, and baskets gradually fill with new buds." This is a scene described by a Tang Dynasty poet of tea farmers picking and making new tea in spring. As early as the Tang Dynasty, there were records of "pre-Qingming tea" being harvested and made as tribute during the Spring Equinox. The excellence of pre-Qingming tea seems to have been a consensus since ancient times. But somehow, it has evolved into the saying, "When buying tea, be sure to buy the earliest and the tenderest." These early spring teas come with overwhelming momentum and grand声势, as if missing them means losing the chance to taste good tea. But is high-quality tea really all about being earlier and tenderer?

Misconception One: The Earlier, The Better

The most serious misunderstanding about spring tea is that everyone thinks the earlier it is picked, the better its quality. Actually, that's not true. After 3-4 months of rest during winter, the tea tree's roots, buried deep in the soil, absorb ample mineral nutrients, making the tea buds that sprout in spring plump, emerald green, with soft leaves rich in vitamins and other nutrients, strong aroma, fresh and refreshing taste, and rich variations. Moreover, tea trees in spring generally have no pest damage or pollution, so the quality of tea picked during the "first spring" is often the best of the year.

And "first spring" does not mean "early spring." As long as it is the first growth and the first picking in spring, it counts as first spring tea. It doesn't mean the earlier it's picked, the better. All things grow according to their own laws; only at a certain time is it optimal. If picked too early, the tea's new buds haven't fully unfolded, and effective nutrients haven't accumulated enough. The tea made will not only have a lighter aroma but also astringent and bland taste, and it won't withstand multiple infusions. Nowadays, most people blindly seek "earliness," rushing the process, which disrupts the spring tea market and takes us further away from good tea.

Misconception Two: Pre-Qingming Tea is the Best

Many people now generally believe that any tea picked and made around the Qingming Festival is called pre-Qingming tea. Actually, that's not the case. Pre-Qingming tea is a term used in China's Jiangnan tea region to refer to spring tea at different stages according to solar terms. The main categories of pre-Qingming tea are green tea and a small amount of red tea, while varieties like Tieguanyin, Dahongpao, and Pu'er do not have pre-Qingming tea.

Although spring tea from regions like Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan is also picked and made before Qingming, it cannot be called pre-Qingming tea. This is because most areas in the Southwest and South China tea regions are located in southern China, where temperatures rise early in spring, and tea picking often starts as early as the Spring Festival. Taking Pu'er tea as an example, Bangzhong focuses on aroma, while Yiwu emphasizes taste. Therefore, the Bangzhong area is picked earlier, around late March, while Yiwu tea is best after Qingming.

Misconception Three: Drink Early, Enjoy Early

Generally, newly picked tea has a short storage time and contains relatively high levels of unoxidized polyphenols, aldehydes, and alcohols. These substances don't affect healthy people much, but for those with poor gastrointestinal function, especially those with chronic gastrointestinal inflammation, they can irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa, making it easier to induce stomach problems. Therefore, it's best to store new tea for about half a month before drinking.

Determining whether it's genuine spring tea or new tea based solely on an early上市 time is not scientific. Thus, for spring tea, rather than "seeking newness" and "seeking earliness," it's better to "seek quality." For the sake of good tea, as tea enthusiasts, let's wait patiently!