“Throughout history, poets have been Tea connoisseurs, toasting their friends with a cup of clear tea.” In China's thousands of years of history, the humble tea leaf has played an indispensable role. Among the seven refined pursuits of life—music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine, and tea—one cannot do without tea!
The tea mountains are filled with verdant green after a whole winter of rest and accumulation. It seems that the fragrance of tea wafts from the tenderest and most vibrant branches among the leaves, its subtle aroma enchanting and intoxicating.
Spring breezes are delightful, but nothing compares to sipping a cup of spring tea, lost in its floral splendor.
What is Pre-Ming Tea?
“Pre-Ming Tea” and “Pre-Rain Tea” are terms used in the Jiangnan tea region along the Yangtze River to refer to different stages of spring tea based on seasonal divisions. Due to the climate in the Jiangnan area, some early-emerging tea varieties begin sprouting around the Awakening of Insects and Spring Equinox. Thus, tea harvested before the Qingming Festival is called “Pre-Ming Tea.”
The appeal of “Pre-Ming Tea” has always been due to its high quality and relative scarcity. Its excellence lies in the tenderness of its buds and leaves, their beautiful color, delicate fragrance, rich flavor, and elegant shape, making it a premium tea. The high price of Pre-Ming Tea is not without reason.
01 Rarity Determines Value
Temperatures are generally low before the Qingming Festival, and tea plants typically start sprouting around the Spring Equinox. There is only about 10 days between the Spring Equinox and the Qingming Festival for tea picking. Since the number of sprouts is limited and their growth rate is slow, very few reach the standard required for picking.
02 Rich in Internal Substances
In the Jiangnan tea region, after a long winter, the tea plant accumulates abundant nutrients. With the low temperatures in early spring, the growth rate of the tea plant is slow, resulting in better quality buds.
03 Nutritious and Sweet Flavor
The amino acid content in Pre-Ming Tea is relatively higher than in later teas, and the levels of fragrant components that give off a fresh or roasted chestnut aroma are also higher. Meanwhile, the content of tannins, which impart bitterness and astringency, is lower, making the tea have a high aroma and a mellow taste when sipped.
04 No Concerns About Pesticide Residues
Beware of “Renewed” Pre-Ming Tea
Generally speaking, the shelf life of Green Tea is 1-2 years. Some so-called “Pre-Ming Teas” that are rushed to market may be old tea that has been “renewed” with added fragrances. This type of renewed tea has a dull luster, a yellowish color, and the fragrance does not last long. The characteristic Wok-fried bean aroma of green tea is not prominent, and it quickly loses its freshness.
To identify Pre-Ming Tea, first examine it dry (before brewing), looking at the shape, color, and aroma of the leaves. Spring tea leaves are usually tightly wrapped, thick and sturdy, with many fine hairs, a fresh and bright color, and distinct buds and leaves. The aroma should be strong and fresh.
Secondly, examine it wet (after brewing). New tea will sink quickly when brewed, with a strong and lasting fragrance, and a rich flavor. The soup color of green tea should be green with a yellow hue, while that of black tea should be red with a golden ring. The infused leaves should be soft and thick, with mostly normal buds and leaves.
How to Brew Pre-Ming Tea
Good tea requires careful handling. If you have Pre-Ming Tea, pay attention to the following points.
01 Avoid Drinking Freshly Processed Pre-Ming Tea Immediately
New tea should be stored for one to two weeks for a better taste. Proper storage not only removes the “fiery” taste but also reduces the moisture content of the dry tea.
For example, freshly processed Longjing tea needs to be dried in a jar containing quicklime to remove the fiery taste (it can now be directly refrigerated). After storing it for about a week, the Longjing tea will meet the quality requirements of being “green,” “clear broth,” “high aroma,” and “rich flavor” when brewed.
02 Avoid Boiling Water for Brewing Pre-Ming Tea
Since Pre-Ming Tea is quite delicate, water temperature around 80-85 degrees Celsius is ideal. The lower the temperature, the more delicate and bright the tea broth will be, and the fresher and more refreshing the taste. Fewer nutrients in the tea will be destroyed.
03 Use a Glass Cup for Brewing
Pre-Ming Tea not only requires a green broth, a fresh taste, and a rich fragrance, but also a beautiful appearance. For example, the dry leaves of Longjing tea should be “flat,” “flat,” and “straight,” while those of Biluochun should be “curled into spirals” and “covered with white down.” Appreciating the beauty of the tea is also a form of enjoyment.
04 Brewing Spring Tea Isn't Always Best When Early
There is a tendency in the market to believe that “spring tea should be drunk as early as possible” and “the earlier the spring tea, the better.” However, this belief has gradually become a hotly debated concept, especially as the tea market has grown in recent years. Yet, spring tea is not necessarily better when harvested early.
Zhuxu quotes from “Xue Lin Xin Bian” in “Bamboo Isle Studio Miscellaneous Department,” commenting: “However, the timing varies, the climate varies, and tea sprouting times vary. Only the best sprouts are chosen; we cannot rigidly adhere to these standards for judging tea.”
In Zhuxu's view, the timing of Sheqian, Mingqian, and Yiqian is not important; what matters is the temperature of the ground. In other words, the height of ground temperature is the criterion for picking tea. Different teas have different optimal picking times, such as Taiping Houkui, which must be picked only after Grain Rain.
Therefore, when evaluating the quality of a green tea, the time of picking, whether before or after the Ming period, is not the only standard. More important are the core production areas where it comes from and whether the fixation process during processing is properly executed. Although the arrival of Pre-Ming Tea heralds the coming of spring, there is no need to blindly pursue it.