Qingming and Guyu: The Tradition of Tea Drinking in Spring

In the Gregorian calendar, there are two important solar terms in April: Qingming at the beginning of the month and Guyu at the end of the month.

During the Qingming period, everything grows beautifully and brightly, hence the name "Qingming" which means "clear and bright"; during the Guyu period, all kinds of grains grow due to the rain, hence the name "Guyu" which means "grain rain".

Qingming is a time when the weather is mild and clear, making it the most refreshing time of the year. Guyu is a time when spring rain falls, allowing spring grains to be sown and grow. Because of the importance of these two solar terms to life and farming, they have been rich in folk customs since ancient times. Qingming is a time for outings, ancestral worship, and warding off evil spirits with willow branches, while Guyu is a time for eating fresh shoots, enjoying flowers, and climbing hills... There are countless folk customs, but what sets them apart from other solar terms is the tradition of drinking tea. In southern China, the best time to pick tea leaves is during Qingming and Guyu.

The tea picked before Qingming is famous and known as Mingqian tea, also known as the highest quality spring tea. The new tea leaves picked at this time are tender, soft, shiny, plump, and rich in buds and hairs. The color is green and there are fewer purple buds. Especially after the dormant period of winter, the content of aromatic and flavorful substances is abundant. However, due to the limited sprouting of tea trees before Qingming, the amount of tea picked is limited, making Mingqian tea particularly precious. The tea picked before Guyu is called Yurqian tea, which is the counterpart of Mingqian tea and is also known as the second spring tea. Although it is not as precious as Mingqian tea, it has a good shape in water, is rich in various vitamins and amino acids, has a fresh taste, pleasant aroma, and is a fine tea of the year.

The folk customs of drinking tea during Qingming and Guyu have been interesting since ancient times.

Frying green tea leaves is an important activity during Qingming and Guyu. People pick tender tea leaves before Qingming or Guyu and manually complete the entire process of tea making. The "killing green" process of frying fresh tea leaves in a pan best showcases the bustling tea picking season and the level of tea making. After the "shaking off water" and "drying" processes, the light green and fragrant new tea is ready. Every household will take some to give to their neighbors to taste, joyfully evaluating the new tea and speculating on the price it will fetch this year.

Hosting tea banquets is also an important custom in tea-producing areas. Along with the April outings, tea farmers always invite a few old friends to visit the green tea mountains and enjoy tea at home. In addition to tasting self-made Mingqian or Yuqian tea, they also stir-fry some vegetables for the guests, such as stir-fried eggs with Chinese toon and stir-fried fresh bamboo shoots. Among them, the most special dish is stir-fried tea leaves with eggs. This dish is usually not eaten by ordinary households because the tender tea leaves in April are very precious. However, when esteemed guests come, even if the tea leaves are precious, they must be served.

Sending new tea has become an important custom of interpersonal communication in tea-producing areas. Handmade new tea by tea farmers is something people find most rare. Tea farmers will pack the new tea made in April into small bags of five qian or one liang, casually mentioning that it was picked on the day of Guyu. The deep affection inside is understood by everyone.

April tea, whether it is Mingqian or Yuqian, is not only precious but also has high health value. One of its values is that it contains the colors of spring. Tea leaves soaked in the rain of early spring and stimulated by sunlight produce a pleasant fragrance. It is refreshing to smell and refreshing to drink, which is beneficial to health. Another value is that "tea is the cure for all diseases." Tea polyphenols contained in tea have strong antioxidant and physiological activities. They can eliminate free radicals in the body and prevent the synthesis of various carcinogens. Tea can relieve heat, detoxify, aid digestion, and have therapeutic effects on various diseases. It can prolong life, strengthen the body, and resist aging. The third value is that "appreciating tea" allows one to experience the charm of drinking tea. It is a good way to calm the mind and focus, and it has the effect of eliminating fatigue, refreshing thoughts, and invigorating the spirit.