Specifications

  Tie Guan Yin (Iron Buddha)Oolong Tea

Introduction:

Tie Guan Yin (Iron Buddha) is one of the most famous Chinese Tea. It is lightly oxidized and rolled into balls. The best is produced in Anxi, Fujian Province. There is many high mountains and misty and rich soil, especially suitable for tea growing. The best is characterized by a delicate floral aroma and sweet, mellow taste.

Legend Tie Guan Yin

Deep in the heart of Fujian's Anxi County there was a rundown temple that held inside an iron statue of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy. Everyday, on his walk to his tea fields, a poor farmer would pass by and reflect on the worsening condition of the temple.
Something has to be done, thought Mr. Wei. But he did not have the means to repair the temple, poor as he was.
Instead the farmer brought a broom and some incense from his home. He swept the temple clean and lit the incense as an offering to Kuan Yin. It's the least I can do, he thought to himself.
Twice a month for many months, he repeated the same task. Cleaning and lighting incense. One night, Kuan Yin appeared to him in a dream. She told him of a cave behind the temple where a treasure awaited him. He was to take the treasure for himself, but also to share it with others.
In the cave, the farmer found a single tea shoot. He planted it in his field and nurtured it into a large bush, of which the finest tea was produced. He gave cuttings of this rare plant to all his neighbors and began selling the tea under the name Ti Kuan Yin, Iron Goddess of Mercy.
Over time, Mr. Wei and all his neighbors prospered. The rundown temple of Kuan Yin was repaired and became a beacon for the region. And Mr. Wei took joy in his daily trip to his tea fields, never failing to stop in appreciation of the beautiful temple.

Processing

Iron Buddha (Tie Guan Yin) is picked up to four times a year, in Spring, mid-Summer, late Summer and Autumn. Spring and Autumn are the best seasons. Timing of the picking is crucial – around the middle of the day is preferred. Pickers pluck two or three leaves and one bud. The tea is then allowed to wither briefly in the sun before being gently tumbled to bruise the leaves. The tumbling and drying steps may be repeated to achieve the desired flavour. Tie Guan Yin is fixed with a final baking and curled into the characteristic loose fitted shape by hand.