BiLuo Chun (Chinese: 碧螺春; pinyin: Bìluóchūn) is a famous green tea originally grown in the Dong Ting mountain of Tai Hu, Jiangsu Province, China. Also known as Pi Lo Chun, it is renowned for its delicate appearance, fruity taste, floral aroma, showy white hairs and early cropping.The name Bi Luo Chun literally means "Green Snail Spring". It is called so because it is a green tea that is rolled into a tight spiral, resembling snail meat, and is cropped early spring.
Its original name is Xia Sha Ren Xiang (simplified Chinese: 吓煞人香; traditional Chinese: 嚇煞人香; pinyin: xiàshàrénxiāng; "scary fragrance"). Legend tells of its discovery by a tea picker who ran out of space in her basket, and put the tea between her breasts instead. The tea, warmed by her body heat, emitted a strong aroma that surprised the girl.
According to the Qing Dynasty chronicle Ye Shi Da Guan, Emperor Kangxi visited Tai Hu in the 38th year of his rule. At that time, because of its rich aroma, local people called it "Scary Fragrance". Kangxi decided to give it a more elegant name - "Green Snail Spring".
Chinese tea experts regard it very highly. Zhen Jun (1857 to 1918 A.D.), author of tea encyclopedia Cha Shuo, ranked it first among Chinese green tea. Longjing tea came second, Liu An Gua Pian came third. It is so delicate and tender that one kilogram of Dong Ting Bi Luo Chun has 14,000 to 15,000 tea shoots.
Today, Bi Luo Chun is cultivated in Dong Ting, Jiangsu Province. Bi Luo Chun from Dong Shan (East Mountain) is considered the best. Bi Luo Chun tea is also grown in Zhejiang and Sichuan provinces. Their leaves are larger and less uniform (may contain yellow leaves). They taste more nutty than fruity and smooth.
Bi Luo Chun is divided into seven grades: Supreme, SupremeⅠ,GradeⅠ,Grade Ⅱ,Grade Ⅲ, Chao QingⅠ & Chao QingⅡ, and the quality vary from Supreme down to Chao Qing.
Taste:
Pour in the hot water first before putting in the tea leaves. The first infusion is strong and has a lasting aftertaste. Second infusion features a more complex shifting fruity, flowery and nutty notes in the taste.
Appearance:
Beautiful tiny, slightly curled tea leaves covered with white down. The liquor is bright yellow in color.
Bi Luo Chun, hand processed Green Tea
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