If you love oolong tea as much as I do, I highly recommend watching this 5 part series from CNTV entitled “The Tea Culture of Wuyi Mountain.” Each video is only around 25 minutes long, which is nice because you can enjoy a cup of tea while you watch, and not be committed to a full 2 hour movie. Plus, they are super informative…I find myself returning to these videos often because there is just so much information (and also, the scenery is gorgeous!!!)
Episode 1, “The History of Tea Cultivation,” explores the the mythical and actual origins of Da Hong Pao (aka Big Red Robe) Oolong. Da Hong Pao is so valuable that the National Museum of China owns a collection of its leaves.
Click to Play Part 1- History of Tea Cultivation
Episode 2, “The Tea Road,” discusses how Shanxi merchants in the mid 1700s established the tea road and help spread the reputation of Wuyi tea.
Click to Play Part 2- The tea road
Episode 3 is the poetically named “Winds and Clouds of the Tea Road,” which delves into the legend of the discovery of how to process oolong tea.
Click to Play Part 3- The winds and clouds of the tea road
In Episode 4, “The Charm of Ancient Tea,” the geographical significance of Wuyi s detailed, with examples from art and history.
Click to Play Part 4- The charm of ancient tea
Episode 5, “A Legendary Tea,” answers the question: “Why is Big Red Robe tea so precious?”
Click to Play Part 5- A legendary tea
The website also has a wealth of information about tea, so it is a great place to spend an hour or two learning about the top 10 Chinese teas, and what makes Wuyi Rock Essence teas so special. My tea wish list now includes: Tie Luo Han (Iron Warrior Monk), Shui Jin Gui (Gold Terrapin), Bai Ji Guan (White Cockscomb), and of course, Da Hong Pao aka Big Red Robe! 🙂
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