Yes hung pao: what is this tea, its benefits and effect

There is a connection with this drink and its occurrence many legends, which is so characteristic of China.

Some talk about wonderful monkeys, the second & ndash; about the incredibly healed mother of the emperor, the third & ndash; about the student who wrapped the bush in a red robe.

But one thing everyone agrees on: Da Hong Pao Chinese tea is amazing in taste and the beneficial effect it has on the body: a description of its main properties is most fully presented in this article.

Homeland & ndash; Wishan cliffs

In the valleys of the Wishan Mountains, the best tea varieties of the Middle Kingdom are grown.

This is due to the fact that from clay fertile acidic soil, camellia bushes receive valuable trace elements, and sheets absorb thick cloud fog, which constantly covers mountain ranges.

Cliff plantations are located at an altitude of 500-700 m above sea level, while the highest point of Ui reaches 2158 meters.

Shrubs are located in areas where streams flow & ndash; high humidity has a beneficial effect on the quality of raw materials, which in China is considered a reference.

Six Mother Shrubs

In the central part of the Wishan Valley, in the heart of the mysterious & laquo; Lair of the Nine Dragons & raquo;, are the oldest bushes & ndash; the progenitors of modern camellia.

Previously, Red Coat leaves were collected exclusively in this area, but since 2007, it was decided to no longer supply tea obtained from & laquo; mothers & raquo; to the market, and the entire crop was transferred to the museum.

The fact is that only six such plants have survived to this day. Elite da hung pao today is obtained from that small number of shrubs that were grown from the cuttings of the oldest ancestors of this variety. It is extremely difficult to find, and it is not cheap.

What we meet in the modern market & ndash; a mixture of various tea breeds collected from the Uí cliffs. For this reason, products vary in quality, taste, and properties depending on the manufacturer.

Since & laquo; maternal & raquo; the harvest is only 400 g per year and is stored in the state reserve, it is customary to attribute to the Dahunpao variety all the oolongs collected in the mountainous region of Wishan and close in taste and quality to the true product.

 

Legends

The Chinese, great lovers of legends and legends, could not ignore the legendary origin of the Big Red Robe.

The most famous story is about a student who went to take exams to enter the service of the palace.

On a difficult journey under the sun, he felt unwell, and when he got to the city, he completely fell ill with heat stroke.

Monks from a nearby monastery came to his aid and gave the young man a healing drink.

The guy quickly recovered, successfully passed the imperial test and, of course, wanted to thank his savior.

As a gift, he presented a new friend with an expensive red robe with a dragon embroidered on it, but he refused the gift. Then the young man covered the very bushes with canvas, the leaves of which cured him of the disease.

There is another legend about the wonderful properties of Da Hung pao tea.

She is related to the mother of the Chinese emperor of the Ming dynasty, who suddenly became seriously ill.

Nothing helped bring her back to life, every day her condition only worsened. Until a merchant selling different varieties of tea leaves took up the treatment: he made an infusion of special plants and gave them a woman to drink.

When she came to her senses, the ruler ordered to decorate the miraculous trees with red capes and guard them. For a long time, the drink was available only to nobles and the imperial family.

Da Hong Pao's taste is so unique that it is sometimes difficult to believe how his origin can be connected with ordinary people.

This may be why there was a story about magic monkeys in scarlet velvet robes who work tirelessly in the Wuyi Mountains and collect precious leaves.

Origin Facts

During the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the leaf brew was not accepted.

Instead, the plants were ground into powder and diluted with hot water. And only by order of the emperor of the next kind, Ming was allowed to cook drinking from whole shoots.

This decision pushed farmers to create a special variety of oolong, of which Dahunpao soon became one of the representatives.

The most significant milestones in the development of tea culture associated with this favorite Chinese variety are recorded on the walls of the Chan Monastery of the Heavenly Heart and Eternal Joy, which is located in the Wishan Valley. Here you can learn about the history of tea since the 9th century.

Records confirm the existence of a Dinh Xian student who was cured of heatstroke in 1385.

Since 1419, the Wishan drink got its name, and in 1685 a song was dedicated to it, where the most important stages of production were reflected.

In 1855, Taiwan donated 36 bushes from cliff plantations, from which oolong Du Ding is obtained on the island today.

Manufacturing steps

In Taiwan, harvesting begins after May 21 until early June. Only young twigs with shoots from four ovaries deserve attention.

To evaporate some of the excess moisture from the collected leaves, they are left for 24 hours in the open.

After drying, the tea is placed in drums, where all the juice is squeezed out of them, which will further contribute to the fermentation of the future drink.

Next, the oxidation process begins. Raw materials are laid out on racks and wait for fermentation to end: professionals determine completion by the smell and color of raw materials, which gradually becomes softer.

Then there is a period of roasting, twisting and sorting (plant stems are removed).

Final step & ndash; warming up the product on coals in wicker baskets. The type of product depends on the intensity of the temperature.

To make the tea taste brighter and richer, after it is completely dried, it is postponed for a month. This increases the shelf life of the product (up to several years) and retains all useful elements.

Varieties

Most likely, you will not be able to try the real Da Hong Pao.

Unless you are the president of the United States or another high-ranking person.

So, in 1972, Richard Nixon was presented with a gift of 50 g of true tea leaves collected from the rarest & laquo; maternal & raquo; bushes. Such a gift cost $250,000.

But this does not mean that you will never know the taste of the Red Robe. There are various types of drink, one way or another, associated with unique plants. Raw materials for them are also mined in the Wishan cliffs.

Xiao Hong Pao, Wuyi Qi Lan and Wuyi Shui Xian are the most popular among connoisseurs. They have the same taste and properties as the oldest species.

The main indicator by which the grade of the Wishan oolong is determined & ndash; camellia growth area. By this parameter, it is divided into the following types:

• Duck (Zhen Yan Cha). The material for manufacture is sheets from mountain gorges, where there is a sufficient amount of clay. It is here that the soil has the composition best suited for the growth of bushes. It's the best of varieties, but it's not easy to find.
• Half-clenched (Ban Shan Cha). It gathers at the foot of a mountain range. The farther the shrubs are from the rocks, the weaker the taste and effect of the drink.
• Tea from the outer mountains (Wai Shan Cha). It is obtained in the valleys. The product, obtained far from the highlands, is inexpensive, but it lacks the famous taste from the cliff.

Also, products are classified according to the degree of frying of leaves. There are strong, medium and weak roasting products.

Another & ndash; purity of the mixture. This oolong in most cases is blended (the material is a mix of various variations of bushes & ndash; most often from crops with Shui Hsien and Wuyi Zhou Gui).

This is the type that goes on mass sale.

There is also a monosort consisting of homogeneous sheets, but it is much more difficult to find it, and the price tag for it is much higher.

How to identify a real Da Hong Pao

A true mountain oolong has the following properties:

• the dry color can be light or dark chestnut, depending on the intensity of the roasting, while the finished drink is always translucent;
• the cups are twisted longitudinally and long;
• after the first or second infusion, green veins appear on the leaves;
• the aroma and taste are pleasant, rich.

Quality products can only be purchased from reputable retailers, such as & laquo; Russian Tea Company & raquo; .

How to choose the right tea Da Hong Pao & laquo; Big red robe & raquo;

Always keep the following information in mind when making a purchase:

• Yes, the leaves should be bright, but the shades of a good product are always natural. Excessive color indicates the addition of dyes.
• Well-made products will not crumble in the palms of your hands. Only old shoots that are not related to fresh oolong will crumble into powder.
• Try rubbing a couple of leaves and see if any lumps appear. If they are, avoid purchasing such a product: the technology was violated during its preparation.
• The kind of tea mixture of decent quality is homogeneous.
• It is also important to comply with product retention policies. The container must be sealed and kept in the shade.

From dry tea to infusion: aroma and taste of Dahunpao

Color, flavor, and aroma characteristics will vary depending on the gathering location and roasting level.

The longer the final heat, the more intense the smell becomes and the stronger the chocolate and caramel sweetness is felt.

Good da hung pao remains fragrant even when brewed repeatedly: it smells thick and sweet, with a little astringency.

Lightly roasted Nong xiang is characterized by a light bouquet of fresh grass, and a more intense version of roasting will give the oolong smokiness, notes of fried nuts and spices.

With each new brew, the tea will open up more: honey and citrus flavors may appear.

Taste and aftertaste

According to the taste characteristics of Da Hong Pao & ndash; this is a very rich, tart, but soft, neat drink with a unique taste that changes from one brew to another.

Connoisseurs claim that one cup of da hung pao can hide 10 different shades in itself.

It is possible to feel them all only if you correctly prepare and, no less important, use the infusion correctly.

When you taste this tea for the first time with a sip, experience some sweetness that occurs immediately after, not while drinking.

Effect and benefit

The red coat is rich in valuable trace elements.

It contains a large amount of caffeine, tannin, iodine, manganese, selenium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium, as well as vitamins B1, B3, B6, B12, C, D, E, K.

Tea can have both tonic and psychological effects on humans.

Healing action

• Removes toxins and cleans the body.
• Resists blood clots and cancer cells.
• Strengthens blood vessels.
• Improves oral health, hair, and skin.
• Effective when weight is needed.
• Soothes the nervous system.
• Compensates for the lack of nutrients.

Other properties

Yes Hong Pao helps:

• cheer up, charge with optimism;
• give a sense of harmony and emotional balance;
• increase concentration, attention;
• feel the energy;
• relax;
• tune in to a conscious state & laquo; here and now & raquo;;
• prepare the body and mind for meditation.

The drink has a slight intoxicating effect, which is associated with the emergence of pleasant freedom in the body, a feeling of joy and a desire to communicate.

At the same time, yes hung pao is usually attributed to morning teas, as it fills the body with energy, clarifies consciousness.

Da hun pao's action is for the most part aimed at achieving mental clarity, rather than inducing activity, which is facilitated by coffee. Tea & laquo; intoxication & raquo; lasts a long time even after drinking tea.

The environment is also said to affect the effect of drinking. & nbsp;

It is recommended to use it during a friendly conversation, in a calm, peaceful atmosphere.

In order for the result of a slight change in consciousness to be felt more strongly, it is important to focus on the process of preparing the infusion and drinking it.

Benefits and harms of Da Hong Pao

A large red robe in China is used not only during ceremonies, but also in traditional medicine.

Legends about miraculous drinking and healer monks are told here for a reason.

Tea is advised to be consumed for various health problems by both doctors and ministers in monasteries.

The tonic effect relieves fatigue, normalizes pressure, and regular use increases immunity.

A product can harm the body only if it is overconsumbed.

Application Restrictions

Yes hung pao is not recommended to drink during pregnancy and breastfeeding, children, and heart disease.

How to brew

• Soak the leaves.
• Fill a clay or glass kettle with two-thirds water and add ⅓ tea.
• The drink should be boiled, so put the vessel on fire.
• Constantly monitor the condition of the liquid: as soon as rising bubbles become noticeable, some will need to be drained and topped up with clean water.
• Once the decoction has boiled, wait 20 seconds, then remove the dishes from the flame and settle the Red Robe for about 2 minutes.

Storage

Store this oolong in a shaded area. The temperature must be at room temperature and the container must be tightly sealed.

Wood, porcelain, clay are considered the best materials for containers. Fabric bags can be used.

Remember that tea leaves lose their richness and usefulness when these norms are violated.

Conclusion

Having learned what Da Hong Pao is and having tasted it, it is no longer possible to remain indifferent to the drink.

With the right approach, it can amazingly affect clarity of thought and emotional mood.

If you are in a bad mood, you may not be able to appreciate the taste of this tea. Take a responsible approach to product selection, preparation process and tea drinking.