Oolong Tea History
The Story of Black Dragon
Oolong tea history goes back at least 500 years. There are 3 widely quoted theories on how it started to exist.
Oolong tea is also known as wu-long.
Wu means Black. Long means Dragon. So it is a Black Dragon
tea.
It is widely accepted by Chinese scholars that the tea emerged before 16th
Ming dynasty. Exactly how it happened is now shrouded in the mists of
history.
I present below 3 popular explanations on why it is known as the Black Dragon
tea.
Oolong Tea History Version 1:
Tribute Tea
Chinese tea
is a luxury good. The best teas are often tribute
tea - tea that was cultivated and processed for the consumption of
emperors.
According to the "tribute tea" theory, oolong tea was invented at around 10th
century in Northern Song dynasty.
The Song emperors were renowned for their many artistic pursuits, including
tea drinking, often at the expense of governance.
They set up the imperial tea garden of Beiyuan in Fujian Province.
The tea garden has an important place in Chinese tea history - it existed for
as long as 458 years.
The Beiyuan tribute tea consists of
two families of tea: the Dragon and Phoenix. The tea garden was famous in
producing the Dragon-Phoenix Tea
Cake (Longfong Tuancha).
Tea cake went out of fashion in Ming dynasty as the emperors turned towards
loose tea.
So Beiyuan switched production. Their
loose tea was glossy and dark - it was called Black Dragon tea.
Oolong Tea History Version 2:
Wuyi Mountain
According to the "Wuyi" theory, oolong tea was first invented in the Wuyi Mountain of Fujian Province in 16th century
Ming dynasty.
The earliest records of oolong tea can be traced back to two literary
sources, both published in Qing dynasty (1644 to 1911).
The first is Wuyi Tea Song (Wuyi Chage) by Yi Chaoqun:
In the 15th century
tea fields were
abandoned
as some of the rock tea starts to grow
they love it when the
north wind blow in a sunny day
but not the south wind or rain
the
fragrance dissipates
the beautiful plum and orchid aroma
come from the
final baking process
The second is Tea Tale (Chashuo) by Wang Chaotang:
Wuyi tea is first left to sun in bamboo
basket
Then roasted and baked
Longjing tea is pure because it is roasted
but not withered
Only Wuyi tea is roasted and withered
Half green and half
red
Roasted green and withered red
Left to wither then shaken
When the
fragrance emerges, it is roasted
The timing has to be precious
The tea is named after a part of Wuyi Mountain where it was produced.
Oolong Tea History Version 3:
Anxi County
Anxi is a county in
the Fujian Province of China. It is renowned for producing the Iron Goddess
(Tieguanyin) oolong tea.
The plant is called Wulong because the person who discovered it is called
Sulong. Misinterpretation in local dialects caused Sulong to become Wulong.
It is not as incredulous as it may sound.
Wulong is an important oolong tea plant with big leaves of up to 10
centimetres long. It has 10 to 20 sub-varieties.
Another popular variation of "Anxi" theory is about a hunter called Dragon.
He was dark-skinned and was nicknamed Black Dragon.
When he was hunting one day, he left tea to ferment in his bag for too long.
His running after a beast bruised the leaves and caused them to oxidise.
The tea was found to be very fragrant. People decided to name it after him as
remembrance for his accidental discovery.
Si Hai Gen (2007). Zhongguo Mingcha. Shanghai Wenhua Chubanshe.
White Tea History - Old Soul Young
Body
White tea history goes back a long way, but modern white tea didn't exist
until late 19th century.
What Is Tribute Tea Or Gong Cha?
Tribute tea, or Gong Cha, was consumed by Chinese emperors. It has a huge
influence on the course of Chinese tea history.
Back to Top of Oolong Tea History
Back to Chinese Oolong Tea Main Page
Back to Amazing Green Tea Home
|
In the tea world,
you can never know too much.
Every month, I put pen to paper a letter to my tea friends worldwide.
Amazing Green Tea Newsletter
is dedicated to solving problems
every tea drinker faces.
|
 |
