Product Overview
Type: Green
Packaging: Bag
Origin: China
Description: The name Zi Sun means "Purple Bamboo Shoot", so called because the unprocessed tea leaf is partially purple in color and its slim, narrow shape resembles that of a bamboo shoot. Gu Zhu Zi Sun may not be so well-known these days but this tea was once a very famous tea back in the Tang Dynasty. Back then, it was the Emperor's most favorite tribute tea and it was even described by the Tea Saint Lu Yu as China's best. Gu Zhu Zi Sun was also one of the earliest teas to be recorded in Lu Yu's tea journal, Cha Jing (The Classic of Tea).
Production of this tea dates back at least to the 8th Century CE, when Lu Yu, China's Sage of Tea and author of "Cha Jing", set up a tea factory here dedicated to producing Gu Zhu Zi Sun as the first tribute tea for the Tang Dynasty Emperor. Lu Yu, the famous tea master, was instrumental in promoting tea and tea culture during the Tang Dynasty (619-907AD). In addition to writing the first book about tea, he built the first Tribute Tea factory for the emperor in Gu Zhu Mountain in Zhejiang Province in 846 AD. It was his belief that Gu Zhu Zi Sun was the very best tea, and became a Tribute Tea for over a thousand years. Initially this tea was steamed into cakes and then ground into a powder to drink. It was not until 1368 AD that this tea was brewed using whole leaves.
It was picked entirely by hand using the standard of primarily two tiny leaves and one bud, and the processing was also carefully done by hand to preserve the integrity of these beautiful little leaf sets. As with most Chinese green tea, this tea was picked, withered in the sun and/or indoors, heated in a low temperature wok to kill the enzymes in the leaves that would otherwise cause them to oxidize and turn brown, and finally dried before packing and shipping.
Our Gu Zhu Zi Sun is made from only early spring pre Qing Ming buds and fresh leaves resulting in a fresh clean flavor and lingering sweet aftertaste. This is a light and refreshing tea with hint of fresh fruit sweetness in its fragrance.
Brewing Guide: Recommended to be steeped at low temperatures due to its delicacy. Steep this tea around 80 °C - 175 °F for an optimal infusion. Steeping time should be around 3 minutes but can be adjusted according to taste.