Interviewed experts: AARON Li (Professor, Doctoral Supervisor, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Director of Key Laboratory of Modern Anthropology, Ministry of Education, Vice President of Institute of Science and Technology Archaeology)
Yin and Yang are the preliminary classification of tea.
In detail, under the sun, it is divided into the sun, Yangming and Shaoyang; Below the yin, it is divided into Taiyin, Jueyin and Shaoyin.
Traditional philosophy pays attention to the "Qi of Heaven, Earth and Man". Combining with the influence of the Qi of these three talents on Yin and Yang, we subdivide the three Yin San Yang: the ones who get the weather are the sun and the Taiyin; Those who are popular are Yangming and Jueyin; Those who get qi from the earth are shaoyang and shaoyin.
Professor AARON Li told us that tea will also be influenced by the "three talents of heaven, earth and people" from the beginning of fresh leaves, to the picking and processing.
Take green tea as an example-"Green tea is dried and sealed by fire to inactivate enzymes, so that tea polyphenols and caffeine are not lost, and natural things born from sunlight still exist, but the sun is alive."
Take green tea as an example-"The shaking of green tea makes the enzyme overflow and ferment into acid, which is used by manpower and gets Yangming qi."
Take black tea as an example-"Black tea is fermented in situ by hot and humid pile fermentation to produce amine, which is stored in soil fertility and less yang."
Take yellow tea as an example-"Yellow tea is baked to inactivate enzymes, so that it is suffocated and oxidized in situ to form ketones, which is less yin."
Take black tea as an example-"Black tea beginners fry green to inactivate enzymes, knead and oxidize, followed by cool koji, slow enzymatic and aging to form tea polysaccharide, which is due to fainting yin."
Take white tea as an example-"White tea is sun-dried, which inactivates enzymes, slowly oxidizes all the year round and becomes sour, and then becomes ester due to the sun’s heat, and gradually becomes too yin."
To sum up, among the six teas, those who get the weather are Sun Green Tea and Taiyin White Tea; The popular ones are Yangming green tea and Jueyin black tea; Shaoyang black tea and Shaoyin yellow tea are the winners.
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that the three Yin San yang dominates the twelve meridians of the human body. Tea, which originated in Shennong era, first entered people’s lives as a traditional Chinese medicine. Since it is a traditional Chinese medicine, it is indispensable to return to the meridian based on sex and taste.
Therefore, according to the three Yin San Yang, the six teas entered the human body the twelve meridians, each with its own support.
Sun green tea: refreshing and diuretic. ※
Green tea, which belongs to the sun, has the spirit of heaven.
Why is it the spirit of heaven? From the production process, green tea, first pick the fresh leaves, and then with the help of fire, or frying, or baking, or steaming to kill the green, it seals up the essence of the sun and the moon gathered when the fresh leaves are born. "From a material point of view, it is to seal the caffeine and tea polyphenols in tea directly, so it retains the sun."
The sun corresponds to two meridians of the human body-the small intestine meridian of the hand sun and the bladder meridian of the foot sun. Because green tea contains caffeine and tea polyphenols, it will enter the corresponding meridians after drinking, thus playing the role of diuresis and refreshing.
As to whether to walk by hand or by foot, Professor AARON Li said that it depends on the raw materials. Like "Biluochun" and "Monkey Kui", the buds are very tender and slender, with the fragrance of snow chrysanthemum, and the buds are thin and light, so they go through the hands above; Like Longjing and Wuniuzao, the buds are very thick and thick, and the breath is heavy, with the fragrance of broad beans, so take the foot meridian below.
"It can be seen that the same green tea is made of buds, but the thickness and thickness of the buds determine whether it is refreshing by walking in the small intestine of the sun or diuresis by walking in the bladder of the sun."
Green tea soaking: 70℃ ~80℃, glass.
How can we maximize the efficacy of green tea? The key is the bubble method. "Yin tea is boiled in Yang, Yang tea is soaked in Yin, and harmony between Yin and Yang is the most important thing."
Yin tea is boiled in the sun because the yin qi is collected in, and the gas of Yin tea is tightly collected in the tea leaves. If high temperature and high pressure are not used, it will be difficult to give off this gas. Therefore, Shaoyin yellow tea, Jueyin black tea and Taiyin white tea should be cooked in high temperature, which we will talk about later.
Yang tea is soaked in yin, because the yang is divergent. The gas of Yang tea can be released easily only at low temperature and low pressure. If the temperature is too high, it will destroy the tea gas inside and make the tea gas run too fast and dissipate instantly. Therefore, sun green tea, Yangming green tea and Shaoyang black tea should be soaked in low temperature.
Specifically, green tea is sun tea, the most positive tea, so the required brewing temperature is the lowest, and about 70℃ is the most suitable. When the temperature exceeds 80℃, the caffeine in it will be released excessively, and even theophylline will come out, which will make the tea soup bitter.
To make green tea, it is advisable to use transparent and open cups, such as glasses. First, the temperature of the glass will dissipate quickly and there will be no backlog. Secondly, when brewing, we can also see the reaction of tea in it. The crisp green tea flutters up and down in the water. Slowly, the buds of one root begin to stand up. When most of the tea leaves no longer float but enter the water, the tea is basically ready, rippling and refreshing.
Drinking green tea: suitable for summer and morning.
"Don’t eat from time to time" is an old saying that diet should follow the seasonal solar terms, and so should drinking tea.
As far as seasons are concerned, nature has an eternal law of spring, summer, autumn harvest and winter storage. In order to adapt to seasonal changes, the human body should drink green tea in summer. On the one hand, summer is the season of growth, and the yang of everything is improving. Drinking some green tea can help refresh your mind and help your body grow more vigorously. On the other hand, the weather is hot in summer, and green tea is cold, so drinking green tea can help reduce the heat.
As far as time is concerned, the biological clock of the human body has a certain operating law, and Chinese medicine also has the saying of "Meridian Flowing", that is, the qi and blood in the twelve meridians are in the beginning and the end, and flow along the twelve-hour cycle, and each of them governs its corresponding organs. Therefore, it is necessary to choose the right time to drink tea in order to play the best meridian health care effect.
Drinking green tea should be from 5: 00 to 9: 00 in the morning, preferably in the morning (07: 00 ~ 09: 00). Its diuretic effect is helpful to release the dirt filtered and deposited in the bladder overnight, and the caffeine contained in green tea can also refresh the mind, help people feel refreshed and start a day’s study and work with a full posture.
Save green tea: sealed and frozen
The storage principle of tea is "Yang tea is hidden in the shade, and Yin tea is raised in the sun."
If Yang tea is well stored, its tea flavor will not be easily dispersed and it will last longer.
Three kinds of yang tea need to be sealed with three kinds of yin qi, which can seal up the yang qi and prevent it from escaping.
Specifically, green tea gas belongs to the sun, so it should be sealed with Taiyin gas. Too yin qi is the yin qi of the sky. It is cold and frozen. In ancient times, there was no refrigerator, and people dried and sealed green tea and hid it in a deep crypt. Now, we just need to seal the green tea and put it in the refrigerator for refrigeration or freezing.
However, because the solar gas dissipates fastest among all gases, the storage of green tea is generally limited to three years. Over three years, most of them are rotten.
Yangming Green Tea: Clearing the Intestine and Soothing the Stomach. ※
Green tea, belonging to Yangming, is very popular.
Why is it human spirit? Because green tea needs manpower to shake it before it is fixed, shaking it is the most critical step in the transformation of Yangming green tea. In the process of shaking green, the cells are crushed, and the enzymes in the tea spill out and come into contact with external oxygen, so that all the alcohol substances (mainly flavanols and flavonols) containing tannin in the tea are converted into tannic acid.
Because it is rich in tannic acid, green tea will enter the Yangming meridians of the human body-the large intestine meridian of the hand Yangming and the stomach meridian of the foot Yangming, which have the effects of clearing the intestine and soothing the stomach respectively.
Specifically, common green teas, such as Tieguanyin and Frozen Top Oolong, use tender and thin leaves. Generally speaking, they have three leaves and four leaves, and their breath is relatively light. With the fragrance of magnolia flowers, walking along Yangming’s large intestine meridian is helpful for clearing the intestines and defecating. And like Dahongpao and Fenghuang Dan Cong, they have four leaves and five leaves or more. The leaves are a little older and thicker, with the fragrance of cinnamon. The qi sinks in the foot Yangming and can relax and nourish the stomach.
Soak green tea: about 90℃, cover the bowl.
Green tea is Yangming tea, and the brewing temperature is a little higher than that of sun green tea, and the best is about 90℃ ~92℃.
Covering the bowl is the most suitable tool for brewing green tea, because its lid is generally airtight, relatively permeable and breathable, and will not suffocate the tea leaves. When brewing, first scald the cup, put in a proper amount of green tea, and carefully pour water of about 90℃ over the tea along the side of the cup, taking care not to disturb the tea too much, so as to directly dissolve the tannic acid on the surface. Then, cover the tea cover and pour a little water on the cover, which can slightly increase the air tightness and prevent the aroma inside from escaping. The water drops quickly, and the aroma rises to the surface. About half a minute, the green tea is ready.
Drinking green tea: suitable for autumn and afternoon.
Autumn is the season of convergence, so it is necessary to clean up the intestines and stomach to help the body keep clean and safely enter the semi-dormant state of winter storage. At this time, it is most suitable to drink green tea such as Tieguanyin and Frozen Top Oolong, which has the best effect of clearing intestines and detoxifying, removing dirt from the body and helping to clear the mind in autumn.
As far as time is concerned, the green tea of Shouyangming’s large intestine meridian, especially the frozen top oolong, is suitable for drinking from 03: 00 to 07: 00, which is helpful for defecation in the large intestine, but usually people are still asleep at this time, so there is no need to drink it specially.
From 11: 00 pm to 17: 00 pm, it is the time when we recommend drinking green tea. Especially in Shenshi (15: 00 ~ 17: 00), what I ate at lunch has been digested, so it is best to wash my stomach with rock tea with sufficient Yangming stomach meridian. However, rock tea can also be divided into warm and cool, such as Phoenix and Dan Cong, which are cooler, and Dahongpao, which is warmer, so you should choose according to your own physique.
Green tea: sealed cellar storage
Green tea is Yangming qi, "Yang tea is hidden in yin", so green tea should be sealed with Jue Yin qi corresponding to Yangming qi.
What is syncope and yin qi? Jue Yin Qi is human Yin Qi. "When people exhale, Yang Qi rises and Yin Qi sinks, so Jue Yin Qi goes down". The key to the storage of green tea is to put it in a low place, preferably in the basement, after sealing it. In this way, the effective functional components of tea will not be destroyed, and even change in a good direction, from yang to yin, and become Jueyin black tea. The more stored, the stronger the fragrance.
In fact, the main functional component of green tea is tannic acid, and everything containing tannic acid should be hoarded. "The most typical is red wine. How do you hide French red wine? After a barrel, put it in the cellar. " Professor AARON Li said that this is the same principle, that is, using Jue Yin qi to nourish Yang Ming qi.
Shaoyang Black Tea: Boldness and Beauty. ※
Black tea, which belongs to shaoyang, has the air of land.
Why is it the gas of the earth? Because before the black tea is fixed, it must be twisted and piled, which is the most critical step. How to make a pile? Spread a mat on the ground, or put a plaque on it, pile the kneaded black tea on it, and react through the influence of the ground gas to oxidize theanine in the bud leaves into amine substances.
Because it is rich in tea polyamines, after drinking, black tea will enter the channels of shaoyang in human body-the sanjiao channel of shaoyang in hand and the gallbladder channel of shaoyang in foot, which have the effects of beautifying face, promoting gallbladder function and expelling wind respectively.
The pheasant in black tea is red and small, with fine buds and light breath, with a fragrance similar to cocoa (chocolate), which can regulate human endocrine and help to maintain beauty when it enters the hands of Shaoyang Sanjiao Meridian. Dianhong, Meitan and other varieties have thick buds, few hairs on them, heavy breath, and the fragrance of Lysimachia christinae or raisins, which can dispel wind and benefit gallbladder when entering Shaoyang gallbladder meridian.
Black tea: about 97℃, black pottery.
Black tea is shaoyang tea, which has the weakest yang among the three yang, and needs the highest brewing temperature, which is 97℃.
You know, the main component of black tea is tea polyamines, and amine components must be dissolved at high temperature. However, if the high temperature lasts too long, amines will be further oxidized and converted into amino acids, which will make the tea soup sour and taste bad. Therefore, to make black tea, we must meet the demand of "it will disperse immediately after high temperature".
In all tea ware, the physical and chemical properties of black pottery are the best, and its heat permeability can be comparable to that of metal. When it is washed at high temperature, the pot wall is particularly hot to the touch, but at the same time, its air permeability is much better than that of metal, which will not cause too high air pressure and avoid the tea soup from being suffocated.
Therefore, black pottery is the only artifact for brewing black tea.
Drinking black tea: suitable for spring and afternoon.
Spring is the season of hair growth. At this time, it is necessary to mobilize the human yang and lift us from the state of winter storage.
Moreover, the spring is chilly, and warm food is needed to help warm the body. Therefore, black tea, which is not only helpful to enhance yang, but also warm, has become the best choice in spring.
"Afternoon black tea" is widely known all over the world. In fact, we do recommend drinking black tea in the late afternoon (13: 00 ~ 15: 00). At this time, the stomach has completed the preliminary digestion of food, and the fine meat and fat enter the intestine. A bubble of Bonanhong and Gushu black tea with the scent of Lysimachia christinae can promote bile secretion and help digestion and resolve malnutrition.
Save black tea: pottery seal
Black tea is less yang, "yang tea hides in the dark", so black tea should be sealed with less yin corresponding to less yang.
What is less yin qi? Less yin qi is the muddy qi on the ground. Therefore, in the storage of black tea, it is best to use pottery pots, such as purple sand pottery, to seal it. Note that all tea needs to be dried and sealed, which is the premise, but Shaoyang tea is drier. Pottery pots are breathable, but impermeable, which can best meet the requirements of sealing black tea.
Yellow tea, which belongs to shaoyin, gains the spirit of the earth. ※.
Why is it the gas of the earth? Because yellow tea should be kneaded after baking and deactivating enzymes, and then it should be stuffed on the spot. Through the key step of enveloping, the gas from the ground can be obtained, and the flavonols in tea can be further oxidized to produce ketones.
Because it is rich in tea flavonoids, yellow tea will enter the human body’s shaoyin meridians-hand shaoyin heart meridian and foot shaoyin kidney meridian, which play the roles of promoting blood circulation and nourishing kidney respectively.
As for whether to walk by hand or by foot, generally speaking, such as the ancient Fanjin bun, the first leaf is used, which is very tender and light, with the fragrance of Lycium barbarum, rising.
Promoting blood circulation and lowering three highs in the heart meridian; Such as Junshan Golden Brick, Zhengan Gold Ingot, etc., with the fragrance of hawthorn, use summer and autumn tea, the leaves and stems are older, and the gas is heavier, so go down, enter the kidney meridian of foot shaoyin and wash the kidney.
Yellow tea: 95℃ ~97℃, white porcelain.
As we have said before, "Yin tea is boiled in the sun, and Yang tea is soaked in the yin", so Shaoyin yellow tea, Jueyin black tea and Taiyin white tea should be boiled in the sun at high temperature, so that the tightened Yin tea gas can be emitted.
Yellow tea is less yin and contains the least yin, so it needs the lowest brewing temperature in Sanyin tea, which is 95℃ ~97℃.
As for tea ware, thick-walled white porcelain pots are recommended, with a pot wall of 3~4 mm or more. Take a proper amount of yellow tea, pour in the freshly boiled water, immediately cover the pot, and keep it stuffy for two or three minutes, or even longer, and the flavonoids in it can be released.
Many people use teapot to make yellow tea. Professor AARON Li pointed out that this is wrong. Because the main nutritional component of yellow tea is flavonoids, and flavonoids are an active non-.
Small molecules that are often strong are soaked in a teapot, and these molecules will drill into the pores of the teapot, which will lead to inferior taste of tea soup and even bitterness. In the white porcelain pot with smooth porcelain wall, ketones have no pores to drill, and all of them will be released in the tea soup, adding a strong smell and taste.
Drinking yellow tea: it should be long in summer and at noon.
In Chinese medicine, the last 18th day of each season is classified as "long summer". Because of the alternation of seasons, long summer often becomes the most suitable season for the body to get sick. At this time, it is best to drink yellow tea to regulate the body and mind and maintain the heart and kidney.
Professor AARON Li said that the more negative the tea, the greater the adaptability. Like yellow tea, it is suitable for drinking from 9 am to 9 pm. But the most recommended time to drink yellow tea is at noon (11: 00 ~ 13: 00). At noon, the heart meridian is in season. After lunch, the blood pressure of the human body tends to soar. After drinking a few yellow teas, it can dredge the heart and kidney, lower blood sugar and regulate blood lipids, and play a certain health care role.
According to Professor AARON Li’s textual research, ancient yellow tea was popular in the prosperous Tang Dynasty and lost in the Five Dynasties. "This is very interesting. The Tang Dynasty is rich in fat people, and fat people are more than three highs, so yellow tea that can reduce blood sugar and maintain cardiovascular disease is the most popular in the Tang Dynasty. In the Five Dynasties, when wars were frequent, the people were in poverty, and the people didn’t have enough to eat, and they were skinny, so naturally they wouldn’t drink yellow tea. "
Yellow tea: tin seal
As mentioned earlier, "Yang tea hides in the dark, while Yin tea nourishes in the sun".
Yin qi is transformed from yang qi, just as the moon is the light that reflects the sun. Therefore, in the process of storage, Yin tea should be nourished by yang to promote the transformation of negative components, which is called "Yin tea is nourished by yang."
Yellow tea with less yin should be sealed with less yang corresponding to less yin.
What is less yang? It is the yang of the earth-the gas of gold and jade. Therefore, yellow tea should be sealed in metal cans, especially tin cans. "We have observed that tin cans have a certain catalytic effect on the alcoholization of small molecular ketones." Professor AARON Li said.
Note: The metal contained in the soil is the yang of the earth, and the silt contained in the soil is the yin of the earth. Therefore, Shaoyang black tea should be raised with the yin qi of mud and silt, and Shaoyin yellow tea should be raised with the yang qi of jade.
Jueyin black tea: soothing the liver and calming the nerves. ※
Black tea, belonging to Jue Yin, is very popular.
Why is it human? Because after the black tea is fried to inactivate enzymes, it needs to be kneaded and oxidized, and then the strain is introduced for fermentation, and then slowly enzymized and aged, thus generating tea polysaccharides. In the process, rolling, blank making and pressing are transformed by human power.
After drinking, black tea rich in tea polysaccharides will enter the human Jueyin meridians-the pericardium meridian of hand Jueyin and the liver meridian of foot Jueyin, thus playing the role of calming the nerves and soothing the liver.
Black tea, such as ripe pu, takes very tender buds, which are fermented thoroughly, and will have the fragrance of dried tangerine peel. Going up the pericardium sutra can soothe the nerves; Jinhua black tea, such as a small piece of Jinhua, is made of two thick leaves and three thick leaves, which are heavy and go down, with astragalus fragrance, and enter the liver meridian of foot Jue Yin, which can soothe and nourish the liver.
Black tea: 99℃, purple sand/steamed tea ware.
Black tea is Jueyin, which contains moderate yin, and the required brewing temperature is 99℃ higher than that of Shaoyin yellow tea.
As mentioned earlier, you can’t use a teapot to make yellow tea, but if you make black tea, a teapot is the first choice. Thick-walled teapot is selected, and the fine pores in the teapot can absorb theophylline in black tea during the frothing process. However, tea polysaccharide, the main nutrient component of black tea, will not be absorbed, but will remain in the tea soup, which will double the taste and fragrance of tea.
In addition, although black tea can also be cooked, it is not recommended because it is too thick and easy to cook theophylline. If there is steamed tea ware at home, then, put the black tea on the upper layer, use steam to make the tea polysaccharide eluted and steamed, and the taste is quite good.
Drinking black tea: it is suitable for winter and evening.
In the autumn harvest and winter storage, in the winter, you should drink some tea that helps you to sleep and soothe your nerves. Black tea, such as Shupu, Liubao tea and Jinhua, can make people feel peaceful, so it is recommended to drink in winter.
The more negative the tea, the higher the adaptability. In theory, black tea can be drunk most of the day (9 am to 5 am the next day). However, because the effect of black tea is soothing the liver and calming the nerves, it is recommended to drink it at night. After dinner, come to a small piece of golden flower, the liver meridian is warm and sweaty, which is helpful for digestion and fat removal. So soothing the liver and nourishing the stomach will calm your mind and help you sleep at night.
Save black tea: put it aside.
Black tea belongs to Jue Yin Qi, and "Yin Tea Nourishes Yang", so black tea should be sealed with Yangming Qi corresponding to Jue Yin.
Yangming qi is the yang of human beings. "When people breathe out, the yang rises and the yin sinks." Therefore, black tea should be stored in an indoor ventilated place higher than human nose.
Professor AARON Li said frankly that the black tea in his home is placed on the top of the bookcase, which absorbs the gentleman’s spirit of the reader and is very well raised.
Taiyin White Tea: Strengthening Spleen and Moistening Lung ※
White tea, which belongs to the Taiyin, has the spirit of heaven.
Why is it the spirit of heaven? Because white tea needs to be sun-dried, with the help of the power of heaven, it will be slowly oxidized for a long time, and finally white tea ester will be produced.
Because it is rich in white tea ester, after drinking, white tea will enter the Taiyin meridians of the human body-the lung meridian of the hand Taiyin and the spleen meridian of the foot Taiyin, thus playing the role of moistening the lungs and strengthening the spleen.
Specifically, white tea made of buds, such as Jinggu Silver Needle and Baihao Silver Needle, has tender leaves and a fragrance similar to that of Sydney, which moistens the lungs with the Taiyin meridian. Take three leaves, four leaves and five leaves in autumn to make longevity eyebrows. The leaves are old and heavy, with the fragrance of dates, and they walk down the Taiyin spleen meridian to strengthen the spleen.
White tea: 100℃, silver pot.
White tea belongs to Taiyin, which is the tea with the heaviest yin qi, and the required brewing temperature is also the highest, which is 100℃.
It is suggested that white tea be boiled in a pot. Because white tea stored for a period of time will have a strong sour taste when taken out, this taste comes from fulvic acid produced in the process of making white tea, and fulvic acid can be neutralized with various alkaline components in tea after cooking, and then white tea ester is generated.
White tea ester is the most important functional component of white tea, and this esterification reaction can only be produced at high temperature and high pressure, so the cooking of white tea is very important.
Among tea ware, the silver pot has excellent thermal and electrical conductivity and is the first choice for cooking white tea.
Drinking white tea: all year round, all day long.
As mentioned earlier, "the more negative the tea, the higher the universality", while white tea is the most negative of the six types of tea, so it has the widest applicability.
As far as seasons are concerned, Professor AARON Li summarized six kinds of tea as "spring red, summer green, autumn green, winter black, long summer yellow and white in four seasons". White tea enters the spleen meridian, and the spleen is the immune center of human body, so white tea can be drunk in all seasons to improve human immunity.
As far as time is concerned, in theory, white tea can be drunk for 24 hours. However, Professor AARON Li argues that there should not be more than three kinds of tea in one day, and it is not advisable to drink too much tea before going to bed. Therefore, the specific drinking time of white tea can be chosen according to the actual situation of individuals.
White tea: sealed in the sun
White tea gas belongs to the Taiyin, and "Yin tea raises Yang", so it is necessary to raise it with the sun gas.
The sun’s qi is the yang of the sky, which is the brilliance of the sun and the moon. Therefore, it is best to put white tea in metal cans, clay pots, or wrapped in kraft paper, and then put it in the glass window to keep it from rain and sunlight.
As the saying goes, "white tea is tea for one year, medicine for three years, treasure for seven years, and it will be terrible in nine years." The better the white tea is stored, the more fragrant, sweet, smooth and moist it tastes. (Editor: Yang Xin)
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This article is from the magazine Health and Wellness.
