Vicony Tea Directory

	Lu'an Guapian Tea- Dried Tea Leaves

Gua Pian Tea（瓜片茶）

Gua Pian Tea Introduction

Known as a mild, sweet, crisp green tea with hints of smokiness, Lu An Gua Pian Tea（六安瓜片）is the result of a labor intensive picking style in which the farmers cut the pointy tip end and woody stem of each leaf creating indentically sized "melon pieces". Carefully groomed leaves are then pan fired at a slow bake over a charcoal fire and frequently turned to impart a delicate hint of smokiness. This tea is one of chinese top ten famous teas and originated in Anhui province in 1776 during the Qing dynasty.

The Name of Gua Pian Tea

Originally Lu An Gua Pian Tea was called Gua Zi Pian or “sunflower seed” because of its resemblance to the popular tea house snack. Over the years, the name has been shortened to Gua Pian causing some people to mistakenly call this tea “melon seed.” By either name, this is a special tea for its harvesting and processing techniques. The long leaves are thin and soft creating a rich flavor without bitterness. Overall, Lu An Gua Pian is a rare long leaf green tea with a clean bright green color, full soft flavor and long finish.

Producing areas and production of Gua Pian Tea

	The Dried and Brewed Gua Pian Tea Leaves

Lu An Gua Pian is grown in Dabie Shan in Anhui province, a mountainous area that has a misty, humid and cloudy climate which contributes to Gua Pian Tea’s superior quality. In the middle of April, fresh shoots are plucked with the bud and the next first, second and third tea leaves. The buds and very tender leaves are then removed and sometimes used to make another famous tea, Emerald Eyebrow. Only the first, second and third tea leaves are used to produce Lu An Gua Pian tea.

The chosen leaves are withered to reduce leaf moisture and then baked and simultaneously rolled to stop oxidation and give Gua Pian Tea its unique melon seed shape. Then it goes through several drying processes which demand considerable skill. After drying, the tea is sorted, winnowed to remove broken tea and then graded.

As Lu An Gua Pian contains tea leaves without buds and stems,it is not difficult to distinguish it from other types of Green Tea by observing dried or brewed tea leaves, The finished Gua Pian tea has a strong aroma and a refreshing and sweet aftertaste, which is rare among Green Teas. Top Quality Lu An Gua Pian is sought after by green tea lovers but it is difficult to obtain it even in China.

Gua Pian Tea Records

In 1915,Lu An Gua Pian Tea was awarded the Gold Prize at the Panama World Expo.

In 1942,Lu An Gua Pian Tea for the second time was awarded the Gold Prize at the Panama World Expo.

In 1955,Gua Pian Tea was listed among the top ten chinese famous teas by chinese tea expert evaluation committee.

In 1972,Luan Guapian Tea was presented to American President Nixon by chinese premier Zhou Enlai as national gift during his visit to China.

In 1999,Gua Pian Tea was granted as the chinese name-brand product at the Chinese Agricultural Expo.

In 2001,Gua Pian Tea won the title of King of Chinese Tea at the Chinese Tea Expo.

In 2002,Lu An Gua Pian was approved as a registered brand by Chinese State Administration for Industry and Commerce.

In 2008,The skills and know-how of Lu An Gua Pian production was granted as chinese intangible cultural heritage.

See Also:

• Longjing Tea
• Green Tea
• Tai Ping Hou Kui
• Chun Mee Tea
• Gunpowder Tea
• Da Fang Tea
• Huo Qing Tea