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According to the latest Chinese botanic encyclopedia， there are 76 different tea tree cultivars have been identified as ‘suitable’ tea tree cultivar to produce Oolong tea, and MeiZhan is one of it.

Mei Zhan tea tree is also known as Gaojiao oolong tea tree, asecual growing and normally is bush type of mid-sized leaves tea tree. According to the legend in Fujian, Mei Zhan tea tree was found in about 1821. It’s named as Mei Zhan because of floral aroma which is very similar to wintersweet plum flowers.

Mei Zhan tea tree is same as Shui Xian , a small tree spices, which is suitable to make Oolong tea because of its unique aroma profile and flavors and richness in the taste, but it can only be made in black tea or even stir-fried green tea.

KP is one very special friend who I know for nearly 30 years he devotes his life to ‘clear and natural organic’ quality Oolong and share the same compassion as I on following the traditional production to ensure the quality in flavors and taste and engages in nature education.

The Mei Zhan Oolong that we recommend is an ECO quality traditional Oolong from KP Natural farming at LongYan in FuJian. When KP first took over the tea garden, there were TieGuanYin and MeiZhan tea trees have already left abandoned without care for 7-8 years in 2009 and it took him two years to clean the ground and started to plant more tea trees in 2011; at the first he made his own composes and then adapts the natural farming principles completely.

Tea trees are great survivor with very delicated requirements for the growing conditions and the nature farming environment can be in mass; the forestry beauty exists in the surrounding. According to the botanic encyclopedia, Mei Zhan tea tree is a early sprout variety and can grow upto 1.6M, but in the KP’s natural tea farm, the height of some Mei Zhan has reached >2.0m and one time picking normally happened in the early May.

According to KP, tea trees need to have sufficient rest after picking, so he only manages the picking once a year that limits the yearly harvest quantity. For him, protecting the harmony in Nature and ensuring the traditional quality are more important than the quantity he can sell.

After the mid-fermentation (25%-50%) process, KP’s Mei Zhan Oolong will be further roasted repeatedly by a Fire Master

What can attract you from the traditional ECO Oolong is not just its profound fragrance and refined taste but also the strength in flavors and taste.

Probably you will laugh with this question, but it’s a real question from a young man who would like to purchase tea for her girl friend as Valentine’s gift. I first encouraged him for his nice intention, and told him honestly that he has looked for wrong solutions from tea.

Yes, in the market, we do can find tea with the label on tea box as ‘Relaxation tea’, ‘Immunity tea’ or even ‘stress free tea’, suggest to check the description of ingredients used in the tea; if it contains tea from Camellia sinensis v. sinensis (or O. Kuntze), regardless which type of tea , because tea leaves from Camellia sinensis tea trees all contain caffeine; either caffeine or theine these are the same substance, and tea caffeine often used the term as theine. Right amount of caffeine actually is good for our health. (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/9-reasons-why-the-right-amount-of-coffee-is-good-for-you)

One must examine the cause of stress, anxiety or nervousness before searching for solutions from tea. Yes, tea has many health benefits, but tea shouldn’t considered as medicine to solve health or mental problems.

Intuitively speaking, the cause of stress mainly starts from unfulfill desire to satisfy the anxiety or desires that further affects the nervousness level in brain; while the direct of tea drink starts from mouth, to stomach and then disinterested further.

It is time and relaxation process one is willing to take and the calming in state of mind can link the body and mind in one.

The key point is “Action’

(source: https://www.lifesimile.com/strategies-to-cope-with-stress/)

So what’s my suggestions to that lovely young man?

” Enjoy a walk with your girl friend by holding hands together, or give her a good hug, or to enjoy a lovely moment together, and don’t forget to tell her that you truly appreciate and love her”, of course, if you really have that much money, can also try with “A diamond jewelry, 99 roses and 66 money bills”.

Mei Lan Hsiao, Chinese Tea Master, started to promote Chinese authentic and fine quality tea based in Belgium since 1995. Based on nearly 30 years diligent efforts, Mei Lan deeply recognized the efforts have to go beyond tea and Chinese tea culture, it is necessary to understand what and how to satisfy the needs for humanistic and civilization development for a more peaceful society and a world.

A cup of fine, pure and authentic quality tea can in- and directly encourage civilization dialogues:

～ Dialogue between tea trees with ecological Mother Nature;

～ Encourage dialogue between people with Nature through tea trees and ECO environment;

～ Stimulate dialogue between people with civilization traditions while enjoying a cup of tea;

～ Encourage indepth appreciation to the efforts of sustaining culture heritages and nameless heros behind tea leaves while enjoying a cup of tea;

～ Encourage non-violent dialogues with inner self and others when sensing the fine flavors and tastes;

～ Stimulate the civilization dialogue through the joy of sharing and respects in the process of preparing, serving and sharing a cup of tea.

Therefore,
Tea
Is tea, not tea; is living.
Is not you, not I; is humanity.

copyright of Mei Lan Hsiao, Belgium Chinese Tea Centre, info@chinesetea.be 31/10/2024

Like drinking tea is the basic step to learn tea and the first step is to learn what and how to distinguish different profiles and unique characters in flavors and tastes from the pure and authentic quality tea. Therefore willingness in submitting learning to accurate Information and knowledge to the ecological Nature, Chinese traditional tea cultures and tea is necessary. Because when we learn tea, We learn more about how to enjoy tea to sustain a healthy lifestyle, but most importantly is we learn how to become a better person and to enjoy a healthy daily living with ease、 calm and tranquility in life.