Tea, Tea Knowledge
Top 4 Tie Guanyin Tea Benefits & Features
There are ten popular teas in China, one of which is Tie Guanyin. Tie Guanyin can be traced back to the time of Emperor Qianlong, which is a long-standing Chinese representative tea used for welcoming foreign guests.
Tie Guanyin belongs to the oolong tea category, which sits between green tea and black tea, primarily made of semi-fermented tea. The degree of fermentation is usually 40-50%, and according to various fermentation processes, there is green Guanyin, which is partial to green tea, and red Guanyin which is more fermented.Oolong tea is generally considered to be fruity and mild in taste and Tie Guanyin is considered to be one of the high-quality tea varieties among oolong tea. Due to its heavy roasting and unique characteristics, it is suitable to use Tie Guanyin as a tea gift. If you want to buy the recommended Tie Guanyin tea, you are welcome to contact us!
What is Tie Guan Yin?
Why is it called Tie Guanyin and does it relate to Guanyin?
Tie Guanyin originated in Anxi, Fujian Province and was named after a certain tea tree initially, but later, some people referred to Tie Guanyin based on the production method. It is said that Tie Guanyin was named directly by Emperor Qianlong; there are also legends of tea farmers in Anxi County that would worship green tea in front of Guanyin Bodhisattva every morning and evening.
However, one day this farmer dreamed of a special tea tree, and after he woke up, he searched and found a tea tree in his dream. After picking it, he went home to brew it and found that the tea had a strong flavour. He used an iron pan to stir fry the tea leaves and brewed a heavy coloured tea similar to that of iron. In order to thank Guanyin Bodhisattva for his dream, he named the tea “Tie Guanyin”.
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In the realm of tea, where legends unfold, Tie Guan Yin reigns as an enchantress of flavor and aroma. With each delicate sip, the tea caresses my senses, awakening a harmonious dance of floral notes that linger like a whispered promise of serenity. In the embrace of Tie Guan Yin Tea, I am transported to a tranquil oasis, where time slows down and the beauty of the present moment unfurls.
Tea Classroom – TieGuanYin
Where is the origin of Tie Guan Yin?
The parts of the world where Tie Guanyin is currently planted are mainly in Fujian, China, and Mucha and Shimen in Taiwan. Since the Tie Guanyin tea tree is relatively delicate and difficult to pick and plant, it is a variety with superior quality, however, there is not much output in the tea category.
Therefore, as mentioned earlier, some people later made Tie Guanyin tea with the same method, but from tea leaves of other substituted tea trees. The Tie Guanyin tea tree was later cultivated into different varieties of tea trees, and there were also “mixed” tea trees planted together, among the most famous of them was the red heart Tieguanyin.
Varieties and origins of Tie Guanyin
1. Zhengjian Tie Guanyin
As mentioned earlier, if the tea leaves are picked from the Tie Guanyin tea tree and roasted by using the Tie Guanyin tea method, it is called Zhengjian Tie Guanyin. When Tie Guanyin sprouts are used, only the top 2 or 3 leaves are picked, and there are 5 rigorous rules regarding the acceptability of what leaves should and should not be picked – leaves cannot be broken, cannot be folded, and leaf tips must be pristine, single separated pieces cannot be used, nor can fish leaves and old stems.
2. Red Heart Tie Guanyin
The Tie Guanyin tea tree in the Muzha area of Taipei City, Taiwan belongs to the hard-branched red-heart variety. Compared with other tea varieties, the red-hearted Tie Guanyin has medium and small leaves.
Tea branches are thicker, but the branches and leaves are relatively sparse, and young newly sprouted buds are slightly reddish, so they are called hard-branched red heart varieties. This “delicious yet effort-intensive plant” belongs to the precious Tie Guanyin variety. Most of the tea leaves are hand-picked by tea masters, so the price is higher than that of ordinary Tie Guanyin tea.
3. Qingxin Tieguanyin
Qingxin Tie Guanyin is an unorthodox Tie Guanyin tea tree variety, but it still uses the Tie Guanyin-style production method. Most of them are planted in Pinglin and Yilan areas in Xinbei, Taiwan. This type of Tieguanyin tea is produced by mixing Tie Guanyin and Huangdan tea trees.
The best way to distinguish is to rely on the bud heart colour of Qingxin Tie Guanyin, which should be light green (compared to red heart Tie Guanyin). Qingxin Tie Guanyin is the most commonly consumed Tie Guanyin tea variety, and most of them are processed by machine.
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Tie Guanyin Features and Effects
TieGuanYin Benefits and Features
The reason why Tie Guanyin can be selected as one of the top ten famous teas in China is because of its “reputation of lingering fragrance after seven times of brewing”. The so-called good tea is one that can be brewed with hot water while still retaining the fresh tea fragrance, and Tie Guanyin is no stranger to this category! Aside from the name, “Guanyin Yun” is also a term used to describe its aftertaste.
In terms of Tie Guanyin tea’s appearance, everyone will describe it as “beautiful like Guanyin, heavy like iron”. The so-called Tie Guanyin tea-making method refers to the cooked tea technology of kneading and baking. This method will make the tea leaves curl, and the process must be repeatedly wrapped, kneaded, and baked.
Since Tie Guanyin belongs to the heavy-roasting category of tea, longan wood fire is used for the baking process of a few traditional Tie Guanyin variants. This enables the metallic and woody features of Tie Guanyin to show, as opposed to using an electronic machine.
Tie Guanyin Benefits
- More tea polyphenols can remove discomfort caused by caffeine
- Catechin has anti-oxidant effects and can maintain skin
- Detoxifying, and relieves discomfort caused by excess oil intake
- High content of selenium can stimulate immune protein response, can inhibit cancer cells, and increase intelligence
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From the misty mountains of China, the leaves of Tie Guan Yin Tea unfurl like delicate tendrils of beauty. With each infusion, the tea releases its exquisite aroma, enchanting the air with floral notes that dance on the breeze. As I savor the smooth and lingering taste, I am transported to a tranquil realm where the essence of nature’s grace embraces my soul, reminding me to savor every moment with serenity and gratitude.
How to brew Tie Guanyin tea and what should it taste like?
Tieguanyin tea is most suitable for brewing with mineral water. Water temperature: 100 degrees is recommended for the first brew to release the tea.
The water temperature of each subsequent brew should be about 95 degrees as high temperature can bring a stronger aroma;
Time: The first brew is about 60 seconds, and 10 seconds can be added to each subsequent brew, which means that the recommended duration for each consecutive brew is 60 seconds / 70 seconds / 80 seconds / 90 seconds respectively. Since Tie Guanyin is a tea that can be brewed multiple times, it is recommended to brew 5~6 times for each tea session.
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Where to buy Tie Guanyin tea? ABoxTik gives you the best quality tea series.
Now that you have read this article, you should know more about Tie Guanyin, and also know that different varieties of Tie Guanyin have different price points on the market. ABoxTik’s tea offers many high-quality tea gift series, made from top-quality Taiwanese tea, from production to packaging is the first choice for giving tea. If you want to present delicious tea to relatives and friends, then ABoxTik is recommended.
ABoxTik is a tea boutique brand, focusing on the sales of tea products. It primarily promotes Taiwanese tea products and also has many high-quality tea gift series. If you are interested in boutique tea, you are welcome to visit our official website.