"Do you have summer tea or autumn tea for Dongting Mountain Biluochun?" Many friends have asked me this question. As someone from the original production area of Biluochun, I can responsibly tell everyone that our Dongting Mountain Biluochun only has one season of spring tea; there is no summer or autumn tea.

Biluochun belongs to green tea. The quality of spring tea is better than that of autumn tea. After resting throughout the winter, spring tea accumulates abundant nutrients. Spring tea has a relatively vibrant green color, thick leaves, a rich and pleasant aroma, and the tea leaves often have many white hairs.

In contrast, autumn tea tends to be yellowish in color, with lighter and thinner leaves, and a mild aroma. The quality of summer tea is even lower than that of autumn tea. Summer tea, when processed, appears dark in color, has a slightly coarse and aged aroma, and a taste with astringency. It is not suitable for making Biluochun.

Generally, Biluochun harvesting ends by late April or early May. This is because from early May to November, farmers are busy with other agricultural tasks: picking, harvesting, and selling loquats; picking, harvesting, and selling bayberries; and harvesting seasonal fresh fruits such as dates, ginkgo nuts, chestnuts, pomegranates, and oranges.

Since Biluochun is one of the top ten famous teas in China, not to mention its preciousness, its delicacy and the care tea farmers provide allow Biluochun tea bushes to enter their rest period early. By early May, the pruning of Biluochun tea bushes is generally completed, allowing them to recuperate and prepare for the next year's harvest.

Therefore, Dongting Mountain Biluochun tea only has one season of spring tea. Moreover, after this spring season, tea lovers who cherish authentic Dongting Mountain Biluochun would find it extremely difficult to obtain even a small amount, regardless of the price.

Pre-Ming Tea and Pre-Rain Tea

Biluochun is divided into Pre-Ming tea and Pre-Rain tea. Pre-Ming tea, as the name suggests, is tea picked before the Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day). Pre-Rain tea is tea picked after Qingming but before Guyu (Grain Rain). Pre-Ming tea is richer in nutrients and has a fresher, more refreshing taste. Due to the high tenderness of the picking, Pre-Ming tea has a lower yield and higher cost. Although Pre-Rain tea leaves are not as tender as Pre-Ming tea leaves, Pre-Rain tea has the characteristic of being more durable through multiple infusions.