Photo Gallery of
Anji Bai Cha (Anji White Tea)
Brief Introduction to
Anji Bai Cha (Anji White Tea)
Anji Bai Cha (literally as “Anji White Tea”) , grown in Anji county of China’s Zhejiang Province, is sometimes called “white tea”, but it is actually a green tea depending on its production process. The term “white” refers to the whitish color of the leaves, and the pale color of the brewed tea.
There was a legend recorded in an ancient 900-years old Chinese book called “Da Guan Cha Lun” about a tea plant with jade white leaves. It remained a legend until 1980s, when a single white tea bush (now known as the Ancestor of Anji Baicha) was found in Anji County, and experts believe that this was the tea plant that was mentioned in the book. It was soon cultivated for commercial purposes, and Anji Baicha is one of the teas processed from the leaves picked from these tea plants. The picking season for Anji Baicha is very short, around 30 days in early spring (especially Ming Qian – means “picked before Chinese Qing Ming festival”) as once the temperature increases, the leaves would start to turn green. A special characteristic of Anji tea plants is that they produce very little green chlorophyll during the winter (minus 8 to 10 degree Celsius). Since less theanine is converted to chlorophyll, the tea buds contain higher levels of health enhancing theanine. The tea buds are white in color. After processing, the tea leaves acquire a pale yellowish-green color.
Anji Bai Cha’s pale jade leaves are unique in their high amino acid content, which contributes to the sweetness and calming effect of their infusion. The leaves are at the lightest in color and richest in amino acids the early spring, before temperatures climb above 25 degrees Celsius. Once the temperature warms beyond this point, the leaves of An Ji Bai Cha bushes are noticeably greener and have changed in flavor. Ming Qian An Ji Bai Cha is the first picking of the year, representing the most pure and distinctive representation of the variety’s character.
Anji Bai Cha has become the most sought after green tea today due to its limited production and its history with famous Song Dynasty emperor, Song Hui Zhong. As a great artist and passionate tea lover, he wrote a book about tea and devoted a whole chapter to the pale leaf of “Bai Cha”, although he did not mention the source. Lu Yu, the famous tea sage during the Tang Dynasty, described the An Ji area as a treasure of tea, but did not mention the tea. It took 900 years for tea scholars and tea masters to put the two together and discover the ancient Bai Cha bushes in Anji County. It has taken since 1980 to propagate enough bushes to have a commercial crop. All bai cha bushes today are descended from two mother bushes, only one of which is still living. The remaining mother bush is estimated to be over 300 years old and its place on the mountain side has now become something of a destination for devoted Chinese tea drinkers.
Take time to appreciate the clean, green tea liquor and high fragrance. The skinny, flat tea buds and leaves are rich in amino acids creating a mild and slightly sweet flavor that gives you an overall calming feeling.
make the perfect cup of
Anji Bai Cha (Anji White Tea)
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- Teaware
- 12 OZ. Tall Glass Teacup, Gaiwan (Bowl)
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- Leaves
- 1 ½ TBS
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- Water
- Filtered (Spring) Water
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- Fire
- 85°C | 185°F
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- Time
- 3 Min for 1st Infusion
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- Infusion
- 5-6 infusions
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Anji Bai Cha (Anji White Tea)
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