Da Hong Pao. Da Hong Pao tea - all about this type of tea

(大红袍, Da Hong Pao, Big Red Robe, DHP, Dahongpao)- This is a Chinese tea that is produced in the northwest of Fujian province, in the Wuyi mountains. By class, it is classified as a strong fermentation oolong. Da Hong Pao is one of the most famous varieties of Chinese tea, along with such as Puer, Te Guan Yin, Long Jing. But in terms of the number of legends and myths, the Red Robe is perhaps in the first place.​​​​ According to the historical records of the Tian Xing Si Monastery, in 1385 in the Ming Dynasty (in the year 18 under the motto Hong Wu), student Ding Xian, on his way to take the imperial exams, suffered a heat stroke, and one of the monks of the aforementioned monastery used tea to cure him. Having successfully passed the exam and received the high position of Zhuang Yuan (which corresponded to a large red robe with the image of dragons), wanting to thank the Buddha for the miraculous cure, Ding Xian returned to the monastery, where he presented the Robe to the monk who cured him. But the monk, as a true Buddhist, did not accept such a lofty gift. Then the official covered the tea bushes with a Robe. This is how the name Da Hong Pao appeared:« Big Red robe» .

Tian Xin Si Monastery

Already in 1419, when the monastery received the name Tian Xin Yun Le Chan Si (天心永乐禅寺), Chan Monastery of Heavenly Heart and Eternal Joy, all the tea produced in it began to be called "Da Hong Pao". Soon this tea began to be called ancestor of 10 thousand teas and his fame spread throughout the whole of the Celestial Empire. Centuries later, in 1855, the abbot of the monastery donated 36 tea plants to Taiwanese student Lin Feng Chi (林凤池) to plant tea in Taiwan. Later, when tea took root and began to be produced, Dong Ding was named.

There are many different myths about the history of the name of this most famous cliff tea. Starting from the story in which the emperor himself is in the place of the student, and ending ... no, you won’t believe it, the story about specially trained little monkeys that climb the cliffs in search of tea, and so that they can be seen from afar, they put on little red robes ( !). Somewhere in the same area of ​​myth-making, there are stories about virgins picking tea (which, however, was common in ancient times, but now has little to do with reality), and so on. Almost like with pu-erh, which is "buried in the ground." Truly, the imagination of people who create legends is great.

Wuyi Mountains, the birthplace of rock teas, also has its own legend of the origin of the name. In the 25th century BC. In China lived the Taoist Peng Zu, the great Teacher of the art of Love. This legendary character lived, according to legend, for 767 years, had 19 wives and 900 concubines. He is even called the progenitor of the Chinese nation. So, Peng Zu, after the next wrath of the great dragon (in other words, the global flood in its Chinese interpretation), one day came across the mountains in search of shelter. More precisely, he didn’t even come across it himself, but his sons Peng Wu and Peng Yi brought him there. It was from their names that the name “Wu Shan” - Wu Mountains came from.

Morning in Wuyi Shan

The mountains reach 2158 meters above sea level, but tea is grown in the hollows between the cliffs, where the height is on average 600 meters, and the climate is not subject to sharp changes. Between the mountains with cliffs formed by weathering, streams flow and fog lies, due to which the humidity is rather high. The soils are clayey, acidic, very favorable for growing tea. It is thanks to the uniqueness of these soils that we owe the possibility of cultivating high-quality bluff teas. Historically, teas from the Wuyi Mountains are considered to be the finest examples of the achievements of Chinese tea making. The tea bushes that grow here are divided into those that grow near the river - valley and those that grow in the mountains - cliffs.

Cliff teas are of particular value for connoisseurs of high-quality teas with a multifaceted interesting taste and a pronounced character. They are processed according to the classic UI technology of fairly strong fermentation and relatively long drying on charcoal, which allows you to maximize the character of tea. Wuyishan oolong processing technology is of the highest craftsmanship. It consists of several stages: weidiao(withering), zoqing(shaking alternating with fermentation), shaqin(short, high-temperature warm-up), rounyan(twisting) hongbei(warming-baking), zhubei(final warm-up) and tiao cha(bulkhead of finished tea). At the same time, each master technologist has his own little professional secrets, which are his trade secret.

Wuyi Cliff Tea Bushes are tree-like shrubs with rather densely growing branches, the tips of which are directed upwards and to the sides; leaves are oval, wide, with slightly pointed and hanging down tips, curving inward edges, dark green and glossy; the green of young buds gives off purple and is covered with fluffy delicate villi. The very “mother bushes” of Da Hong Pao, from which the very (which, however, not a fact - see below) tea that cured the official, was collected, grow in the west of the Tian Xin Si monastery. This place is called Jiu Long Ke ("Refuge of the Nine Dragons"). It is irrigated year-round by springs spouting from the rock. At the time of its discovery in 1941, only 1 stunted Da Hong Pao tree survived there, with eight roots (although information can also be found about 6, 4, 3 and 2) with a thickness of 1.5 to 5.5 cm.

Mother bushes of Da Hong Pao in Jiu Long Ke

In addition, at the cliffs of Bei Dou (North Dipper) and Ho Yan (Fire Tongues) in the 60s of the XX century, old Da Hong Pao trees also grew, from which cuttings were taken and successfully cloned. The descendants of these plants are called. The development of the selection of the Big Red Robe continues at the present time.

It is widely believed that the main raw materials for DCP are already harvested from bushes that were grown from shoots cut from mother bushes. However, this tea is extremely scarce. Therefore, the information about the sale of Da Hong Pao tea propagated by shoots to the market is absolutely rightly criticized by many Chinese tea experts. The same Te Luohan, Ban Tian Yao, Zhou Gui and other high-grade rock oolongs, in their properties, are significantly superior to the Red Robe bushes. However, this does not prevent selling this tea for hundreds of thousands of dollars at tea auctions held annually in Hong Kong and Guangzhou.

A bit of history. In 1974, the great Mao met the then US President Nixon at his residence. As follows etiquette, the heads of state exchanged expensive gifts. What was the surprise of the former Hollywood actor when a bag with four liangs (1 liang = 50 grams) of dubious black grass fell into his hands. On the sidelines, Nixon accused the leader of all the Chinese of stinginess. Thank God, Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai explained to the American visitor that this pouch was half the year's harvest of this tea and was said to be "worth half the country." In the more capitalist times of China's life, no later than in 2002, at an auction in Fujian, a restaurant from Guangzhou purchased about 7 liang of Da Hong Pao tea from mother bushes for an unthinkable 120 thousand dollars, that is, in terms of kilograms, 1 kg of such tea cost about 600 thousand dollars.

Wuyi Shan Tea Culture Festival

No less curious is the fact, known to all locals, that in the backyard of the Tian Xin Si monastery there is a small tea plot, on which the “same” real DCP grows, which is much older than these few bushes for tourists. In any case, at present, neither the bushes of this oolong, nor the shoots from them, grow in large numbers. And the tea that is sold under the name Da Hong Pao is blends (mixes) from raw materials of various varieties, of which almost 1000 species have already been bred in the Wuyi mountains (hence the great variety of Wuyishan teas). Most often, raw materials from bushes and are used for the production of Da Hong Pao.

Therefore, tea under the same name can be so different. One manufacturer makes a blend from one raw material, another from another, a third generally labels Shui Xian as DCP, and there are many of them. Every year, the raw material changes (it depends on a huge number of factors, from weather to which technologist and how it was processed) and, accordingly, the tea itself changes. For the more expensive DaHongPao, raw materials of more high-grade "wuyishan" are used, for cheaper DCP - raw materials are simpler. By the way, about the variability of raw materials, technology, and, accordingly, tea - this applies not only, but also, to one degree or another, to all high-quality Chinese tea as a whole.

Now common in the tea market, like other highly fermented wuyishan oolongs, the color of the leaf is brown with burgundy and green hues. The aroma is clean, bright and slightly sweet, with a lot of iridescent olfactory associations. Something reminiscent of the aroma of old wine, fried crust of black bread and dried fruits. Like Yunnan pu-erh, DCP can also be stored for several years, not only losing its quality, but on the contrary, acquiring new flavors and effects.

The color of the infusion is from maroon, almost black, to amber red. The taste is thick, rich, with a pronounced and pleasant astringency and a rich spicy aftertaste. After several brews, it becomes sweetish, with light fruity notes. Most often, Da Hong Pao gives an effect that is both pacifying and tonic at the same time - a clear mind, pleasant sensations in the body, calm concentration. The action and effect of the Red Robe is quite difficult to describe in words. Like any high-class tea, it works differently in different situations, harmoniously supporting the current mood of a person.

----------

(с) Sergey Shevelev, 01/31/2011, especially for moychay.ru. copying the article without the written permission of the author is prohibited.

Known all over the world. Each of its varieties has unique characteristics, taste and aroma. There are many classic options among them, but there are also many elite drinks, which can only be found in specialized stores. Da Hong Pao tea is one of the most famous varieties, distinguished not only by excellent taste properties, but also by the strongest effect on the body.

The drink belongs to the category of medium fermented oolongs. In China, it is considered the most expensive of all known teas. It is about him that dozens of legends are composed, there are several versions of the origin, even the name is fraught with many secrets (translated as "Big Red Robe").

Da Hong Pao is classified as or turquoise tea. According to the degree of fermentation, it occupies an intermediate position between black and green varieties. A drink produced in accordance with all the rules is processed by exactly 50%.

Only the top layer of leaves is fermented. The internal ones completely preserve the natural structure, taste and aroma. Thanks to this, the finished infusion is truly unique.

The taste of Da Hong Pao is rich and pronounced. It can be brewed several times, which provides the drink with absolutely fantastic and always different notes. If you cook it correctly, you can enjoy an elite infusion without unpleasant bitterness. Cooling slightly, it additionally acquires a slight sweetness and softness.

But not only the taste is amazing. The smell is also noteworthy.

• Resilient and rich.
• Invigorating.
• With light vanilla notes, combined with the smell of roasted nuts.
• Definitely with spicy notes.

Da Hong Pao has an incredible amount of vitamins and minerals that make the drink healing. Tea can have a positive effect on all body systems:

• Normalization of metabolism
• Removal of slags, heavy metals and other toxic substances.
• Acceleration of fat burning.
• Strengthening blood vessels. Normalization of blood circulation.
• Strengthening of tooth enamel.
• Improving the condition of hair and nails.
• Removal of stagnant fluid from the body.
• Immunity boost.
• Excellent tonic action.
• Slowing down the aging process.
• Improvement of the emotional state. After a few cups of the drink, it becomes much more fun and warmer at heart.

Interesting fact. When using fragrant, saturated Da Hong Pao, many note the appearance of a state of “tea intoxication”. A person has a desire to communicate and have fun.

Contraindications

Due to the rich chemical composition (more than 400 elements), there are certain restrictions on the use:

• Moms will have to give up Da Hong Pao during breastfeeding, pregnant women, and also in the presence of severe viral diseases.
• It is not advised to drink Da Hong Pao. The drink contributes to the formation of unpleasant sputum. The scalding hot infusion damages the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Before taking tea, you need to eat something. You can't drink on an empty stomach. The infusion provokes irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, vomiting and pain.

The brewing process should be taken responsibly. It is important to comply with the requirements:

• We use exclusively filtered or spring water. Tap liquid spoils the taste of the drink.
• We brew the infusion with hot water, the temperature of which does not exceed 90-93 degrees. This is the most important condition that allows you to save the maximum useful properties of tea. If you pour boiling water over the tea leaves, most of the vitamins, macro- and microelements are destroyed.
• We brew Da Hong Pao in a porcelain, clay or glass teapot with a volume of no more than 200 milliliters. For such an amount of purified liquid, we take 6-8 grams of a dry product.
• Before brewing, warm the kettle: pour boiling water, hold in a container for one minute, then drain.

The main stages of brewing

Be sure to follow the sequence of actions to get a tasty and rich drink:

• We carry out "zero welding". It helps to get rid of dust and other impurities that can get into raw materials during production or storage. Add water to the dry product and immediately drain it.
• A few minutes after the “zero brewing”, pour the leaves with hot water over the volume of the kettle and hold for 40-50 seconds. Then pour into a special bowl. After that, tea is sent in small bowls. The tasting of the finished drink begins.
• With each subsequent brewing, the raw materials are kept 30 seconds longer. It takes on new notes: vanilla, fruits, flowers and even honey.

Interesting fact. To prepare a weak infusion, pour 5 grams of dry raw materials and hold for 2 minutes. A strong drink is brewed from 6 grams of Da Hong Po for 5-6 minutes.

Classmates

» - Da Hong Pao is the most legendary Chinese Oolong and the most expensive.

There are more than one legend about the unusual name of tea: about tea-picking monkeys in red robes, about the miraculous cure of the emperor’s mother with a tea drink, for which the bushes were wrapped in kumach, about a student who dressed a tea bush in a red robe. The Chinese are masters at inventing legends. For each type of tea, they have a few instructive and naive stories.

One thing is certain, that red robe tea is a Chinese cliff tea that grows in the northwest of the famous Fuqian tea province, in the Wuyi Mountains. The mountains reach 2158 m above sea level. On the slopes of the cliffs and in the hollows between the cliffs, where many mountain streams flow, forming high humidity, where the winds walk and the soil is the best suited for growing tea (acidic and clayey), nature itself has created ideal conditions for the cultivation of high-class rock teas. Teas from the Wuyi Mountains are considered the best in all of China.

It is the cliff teas that have a multifaceted, pronounced taste, an unusual aroma and a memorable aftertaste. They are processed according to the classic technology for them, with strong fermentation, long-term drying, roasting on charcoal. Making Da Hong Pao Oolong is the highest skill. Therefore, information about the sequence of processing steps, the duration of a particular process are the secrets of tea masters and are a trade secret. Yes, in fact, why do we, ordinary consumers, need to know when to stop the process of “killing greens” or how long to keep roasted tea in baskets over coals? It is much more interesting to know, from the point of view of the consumer, what are the properties of Red Robe tea.

Properties of tea red robe

Chinese Red Robe tea has a persistent, rich aroma, close to the smell of roasted nuts, with spicy undertones, with the slightest smell of smoke, astringent taste and a very interesting, sweetish aftertaste. The color of the tea is dark chestnut, deep, with an amber tint. With subsequent brewing, the aroma, color and taste change, soften and light fruity shades appear.

Red robe tea contains a large amount - more than 400 types of useful chemical compounds: tannin, caffeine, polyphenol, etc.

He is also extraordinarily rich trace elements, among which: manganese, phosphorus, calcium, iodine, selenium, iron, selenium, magnesium, zinc, etc.

vitamins widely represented in this wonderful drink: C, D, E, K, B1, B6, B3, B12.

The impact of Da Hong Pao tea (red robe) on the human body:

• Helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels
• Is the prevention of thrombophlebitis
• Effective in diet programs aimed at weight loss. It is considered the most effective of all teas for weight loss.
• Counteracts the development of cancer cells
• Removes heavy metals from the body
• Promotes the removal of toxins, cleansing the body
• Absorbs fats
• Strengthens teeth, gums
• Improves the condition of hair and skin

The psychological effect created by the Red Robe tea deserves special mention.

This tea is able to harmonize the emotional state in an amazing way, improve mood, improve concentration, relax, giving rise to a feeling of pure joy and awareness here and now, creating an excellent space for conversation. No wonder the Chinese monks kept it a secret for so long, and sold it so expensively. It is believed that Big Red Robe tea gives a slight sensation of altered consciousness, and this, as you understand, has always been valued in human imperfect society. To get into such a state through meditation and spiritual practices, you have to work for a long time, but if you drink some tea, you are in nirvana.

How to make red robe tea

Tea is brewed (based on 1 g per 25 ml of water) at a fairly high temperature of 80-90 ° C. The first brew must be drained. Brewing time - from 30 seconds to 1 minute. With each brew, the brew time increases. Red robe tea is brewed 5-6 times until the leaves turn greenish. How to do it correctly, beautifully and tastefully, is demonstrated in the video.

A little sad

Unfortunately, the real Da Hong Pao cannot be bought. In 2006, the entire harvest from the mother bushes (there are only four or five) was transferred to the Tea Museum, where it is kept to this day, and a moratorium was imposed on the collection of Da Hong Pao.

It is said that in China, on the territory of the Tian Xin Si monastery, a small amount of real Da Hong Pao tea grows, but this tea is not grown or produced in large quantities.

All that is now sold under the Big Red Robe brand is a mix of tea bushes of various species growing in the Wuyi Mountains. Tea "Big Red Robe" from different manufacturers differs in taste, composition, color, properties. Moreover, the raw materials for making tea are also of different quality, different technologies are used, often simplified - all this affects the quality of tea.

One of China's famous teas, Da Hong Pao Rock Oolong or Big Red Robe Oolong, received this name due to its miraculous properties and amazing aroma. Now Da Hong Pao tea
one of the ten best teas in China, and throughout the world.

Big Red Robe tastes sweet, with a slight sourness, with aromas of fruits and tropical flowers. Infusion of a beautiful amber-red color. An empty cup after him smells of pastries and young honey. The action of Da Hong Pao is powerful: it greatly invigorates, relieves fatigue, refreshes the mind, removes fussiness, increases concentration and patience.

The Legend of Da Hong Pao Tea

Red color in China still symbolizes power and beauty. The famous Da Hong Pao tea has two legends at once, one of which is recorded in a document of 1385. According to archival data, in that year, a student who received a heat stroke on the road was brought to Tian Xin Si Monastery in Wuyi Shan County. One of the monks used tea collected in the vicinity of the monastery as a medicine. The student quickly recovered and passed the exam with flying colours, while getting a good position, which corresponded to the red coat. This robe, according to legend, was brought by a young official to the monk as a token of gratitude. But the monk, being a Buddhist, refused the gift, and then the official gave the robe to the tea bushes. Since then, this type of tea has been called the Big Red Robe.

Another legend tells of the miraculous cure of the mother of one of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty with the help of the healing power of tea. The emperor, as a sign of gratitude, sent a large red mantle that covered 4 tea bushes, from which the leaves for tea were collected.

By the way, these four bushes, which have already become trees, served as the ancestors of a whole variety of tea. They are still alive, carefully guarded and continue to give leaves. About 500 grams of tea are harvested from these bushes a year, and it costs a cosmic amount of money. There is a known case when the Chinese leader gave the American president a box with 250 grams of this tea, but he did not appreciate the gift.

Where does Da Hong Pao grow?

Da Hong Pao's birthplace is the Wuyi Shan Scenic Spot, a 650 m high mountain range located on the border of Fujian and Jiangxi provinces. Some areas of the Wuyi Mountains are included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Wuyishan flows the famous River of Nine Turns, which was often depicted by ancient painters, and now besieged by numerous photographers. High banks, sheer cliffs, lonely monasteries and neighboring religions. It is believed that it was in the Wuyishan monasteries that Neo-Confucianism was born, which had a great influence on all of Asia after the 11th century. Until now, Confucian and Taoist monasteries peacefully coexist in Wuyishan. In the 1st century A.D. One of the capitals of the Han Dynasty was built in Wuyishan. Now only ruins remain of the buildings.

How Da Hong Pao is made

Making tea is a long process, it is far from just picking and drying leaves. Let's analyze the whole process of making Da Hong Pao tea into stages.

• Cultivation and cultivation of tea bushes. Tea bushes grow at a considerable height, often in hard-to-reach places for machinery, so they are processed manually.
• The collection of leaves for Da Hong Pao takes place from May 1 to May 15. Collect a young twig with the first four leaves.
• Drying in the open air in a thin layer.
• Creasing. This is the stage of fermentation in which juice is released from the leaves.
• Roasting. Stop fermentation and strongly heat the leaves for a few minutes.
• Twisting. The leaves take on the familiar shape of a tea.
• Drying and removing excess moisture, fixing the shape and color of tea.
• Sorting and tearing cuttings.
• Warming up over coals (hunbei). For about a day, tea in wicker baskets is heated over charcoal. The heating temperature is regulated by a layer of ash.
• Sorting and selection according to the size of the leaves, pricing based on the quality and type of tea.
• Package.

How much is Da Hong Pao

The question of the price of tea is the most delicate one. And it's not just about tea. The name Da Hong Pao is protected by law in a manner similar to place names for foods and drinks in Europe. This tea is sold only by trusted companies, and they have already established certain prices for tea. Every year the price rises due to the exchange rate and rising wages of workers and assemblers. The average price for Da Hong Pao of the middle category fluctuates around 30 euros per 100 grams, the first and highest category is estimated at 70-100 euros per 100 grams. As a rule, tea is packaged in a paper or plastic bag enclosed in a beautiful tin. Typical packages: 50, 100 and 125 grams. There are very small boxes with individual portions of 5-7 grams, sufficient for one tea leaves.

How to identify the real Da Hong Pao

It is worth noting that in Russia real Da Hong Pao is extremely rare, much more often you can find cheap fakes or so-called blends “under Da Hong Pao”. As a rule, this is tea collected in other areas, often not in the mountains, but on the plain, but prepared according to the technological process with all the roasts. Such tea is made by machine, dried in large steel drums, warmed up with electric heaters and, at the last stage, slightly dried using coal smoke, which is located next to the dryer. The resulting tea looks like Da Hong Pao, but differs significantly in appearance (almost black, brown-brown), in taste and action from the original tea. The fake is brewed 3-5 times instead of the usual 10-15 times for real Da Hong Pao, it has a weak sweet-tart taste and a dull “smoky” aroma.

Taste, aroma and action of Da Hong Pao

Outwardly, the leaves of a real Da Hong Pao, like any other Wuyishan Oolong, should be burgundy shades with brown-green tones, smell fresh and fruity with special shades of tropical flowers. This tea is brewed in a special ceramic teapot made of Issin or Nissin clay, using good soft spring water, gentle, gentle heating and classical attributes of Chinese tea drinking. The ritual part of brewing - the tea ceremony - is rather a forced measure: for many centuries a culture of drinking special tea has developed and a lot of dishes and conditions are just the necessary minimum to get a full impression from Da Hong Pao.

Connoisseurs compare the aroma and taste of good Da Hong Pao tea with the best works of poets and artists, this is a real poetry of feelings. Pleasant taste and enchanting aromas envelop the mind and nourish the imagination. Many thinkers of the past, under the influence of good tea, gave birth to the best works of art. Da Hong Pao noticeably invigorates, focuses on the important, it makes feelings brighter, and sensations thinner.

It should be noted that only 10 g of dry tea, brewed in a small teapot with a volume of 170 ml, can give a company of six people an amazing two-hour tea party.

How to Brew Da Hong Pao

We will give the basic principles of brewing good tea. By the way, they can and should be used in relation to any tea in order to get the maximum taste and aroma.

• Get ready: you will need a ceramic teapot made of good clay, soft fresh water, a thermos with a glass flask, a chahai (drainer) for the volume of the teapot, a fine sieve and cups. Usually for Da Hong Pao tea, a teapot with a volume of 100-150 ml, a cup of 30 ml is used.
• Heat the water almost to a boil, but do not let it boil, pour into a thermos. Warm up all the dishes with water.
• Measure the tea: 5g for 100ml, 7g for 130ml or 10g for 170ml. Pour the tea into a hot, empty ceramic teapot. Shake, let the tea steam for a minute.
• Drain the heating water from the dishes. You can pour it on the teapot so that it cools more slowly.
• Pour some water into the kettle and quickly drain through a sieve into a chahai (drainer, serving vessel). Wash the cups with this infusion, pour the rest into the teapot. Shake the kettle again and let stand.
• Pour hot water into the teapot, leave for 3-5 seconds and pour into the chahai. Pour into cups. This is the first infusion.
• Repeat brewing 5-10-15 times (depending on the quality of the tea) until the infusion has a taste and aroma.
• Inhale the aroma of the infusion, take a small sip, "pull" the air through the nose, sip again, inhale the aroma of an empty hot and cooled cup, listen to the aftertaste.

Of course, you can brew Da Hong Pao without following the traditional ritual. Instead of a ceramic teapot, you can use a small French press for brewing, instead of a glass teapot, you can use a metal thermos, you can use filtered water, regular cups, instead of sipping, take a milk jug from the service, you can put less tea on a larger volume and brew longer (30-40 seconds for brewing). Remember that every deviation from the reference brewing will steal a piece of the taste and magic of this ancient tea variety. Simplified brewing is appropriate only in the case of blends, the real Da Hong Pao requires careful attention. For this reason, many visit tea clubs, where a company of several people drinks good tea, prepared according to all the rules, for a reasonable price.

Drink only good Da Hong Pao tea and be healthy!