LongjingTea,WestLakeDragonWellTea

　　Asatypeofgreenteagainingagreatreputationallovertheworld,LongjingteagrowsnearWestLake,HangzhouofZhejiangProvince,andischaracterizedbyitsgreencolor,delicatearoma,mellowtasteandbeautifulshape.

　　Withalonghistoryofover1,200years,LongjingteawasnamedaftertheDragonWellinLongjingVillagewhichliesatthenorth-westfootofWengjiashanMountaininthewestpartofWestLake.

　　ThankstoEmperorQianlongoftheQingDynasty,ShifengLongjingteahasearnedahighreputation.ThelegendwentthattheEmperorQianlongvisitedLionPeakMountainduringhisHangzhoutravels,andhesawsomeladiespickingtheteaatthefootofthemountain.Hewassointerestedintheirmovementsthathedecidedtohaveagohimself.Whilepickingthetea,hereceivedthenewsofhismother’sillness,sohecarelesslyputtheleavesinhisrightsleeveandleftHangzhouforBeijing.HevisitedhismotherimmediatelyuponhisarrivalinBeijing,andEmpressDowagersmeltthefragranceoftheleavesfromhissleevesandwantedtohaveataste.EmperorQianlongorderedittobebrewedforher,andshefoundherselfcompletelyrefreshedafterdrinkingacupoftea,andsheevenpraiseditasaremedyforallills.Fromthenon,ShifengLongjingteawaslistedasthetributeteaespeciallyforEmpressDowager.

　　BoththepickingandmakingprocessesofLongjingteaareelaborateinordertomakesureitretainsitshighqualityandoriginalflavor,accordingtowhichLongjingteaisclassifiedintosixgrades.Muchimportanceisemphasizedonthetimelinessoftheleavesbeingpicked,andthetealeaveswhicharepickedbeforetheQingmingFestivaloraftertheGrainRainPeriodareconsideredtobethetopgrade,whiletheonespickedbeforetheGrainRainPeriodoraftertheQingmingFestivalareconsideredworthless.

　　Longjingteaisadeliciousbeveragewithpotentialhealthbenefitsowingtoitsrichantioxidants;however,it’salsorichincaffeinewhichcoulddeleteriouslyaffectsometeadrinkers.