Lu'an Guapian Green Tea
About
Perhaps the unusual appearance of this tea has contributed to its position as one of the five best-known green teas inside China. The processed leaves are shaped like melon seeds. This is a product of Lu'an county in the Dabie Mountains of western Anhui province.
Instead of plucking two leaves and a bud as is customary for most teas, the farmers have traditionally preferred to break off sections of the branches (in a controlled way) and separate the leaves and buds at home. From the buds they make other varieties of high-quality tea: Yinzhen (Silver Needles, make from the buds); from the first leaf, Tipian (Emerging Plates); From the second leaf, Guapian; and from the third, Meipian (Plum Blossom Petals).
A special step in processing Guapian is heat-drying over alternately low and high heat. This helps form the shape and adds to the strong, fresh aroma of a sweet beverage with a long-lasting infusion.
