Long Jing Green Tea

The Poets' Tea

There are hundreds of green teas produced in China, but Long Jing is THE green tea. If you see someone talking about this tea (which in Chinese is pronounced 'Lon Zin') you'll see their eyes brighten. This is a unique green tea - a national treasure - and Chinese people will go to great lengths in order to get hold of a small amount of this top-range Long Jing.

This is a very fresh tea. Green tea is the freshest and the only totally non-oxidized tea amongst the Chinese teas. The tea is processed immediately after picking, to avoid any oxidisation and retain all the freshness. For this reason it is really high in antioxidants, and also it has a very high content of vitamin C.

Because of its freshness, in Chinese medical terms, this is a very 'cooling' tea. This means its energy moves upwards, cooling and clearing the head, and creating a general sense of well being.

Drinking this tea in my ceremonies people describe sensations in their heads, of movement and pulsation and coming alive. Slowly everyone feels lighter, deeply relaxed and gently high, which everyone loves.

Long Jing comes from the West Lake region of Hangzou in the Zhejiang province. Its history dates back to 1,200 years ago. In China, Long Jing is beautifully called 'Poet's Tea'. Poets and writers drink this tea, because of its head clearing and mind-opening effect (as well as its exquisite taste). So it's a creative tea.

Its cooling properties also help counterbalance the internal overheating created by stress, alcohol and bad foods. This is a highly detoxifying tea, with profound effects.