The Emei Mountain burns into the highest heaven like a sword.
The mountain trail of 120 miles length disappears in a sea of clouds,
It runs among the cliffs above the birds.
Among a bizarre variety of peaks
I distinguish a green lotus.
Monk Mengjian, Ming Dynasty (1369-1644)
The Emei Mountains run more than 200 km from south to north of Sichuan Province. Camantabhara (Chinese Puxian-Pusang) is considered to be their patron saint spirit. He flight away from the peak Wangfoding (Ten Thousand Buddhas) on his three-headed white elephant, but the mountain’s contours remained about him. Front side of the Wangfoding Peak of Ten Thousand Buddhas (height 3099 m) has the soft, rounded shapes. All year round it immersed in the emerald green forests. The back mountains are more steep and rocky. They are hidden in the white fogs and cloud seas.
"Buddha Nimbus " is a wonderful phenomenon of the Emei Mountains, which appears here during the rain at the sunset. The human figure is clearly visible in the midst of concentric circles of the seven rainbow colors. This optical effect is caused by the refraction of sunlight in the mist droplets. But it is believed that only the pure in heart persons can see it.
This sacred mountain remembers many hermits and monks, seekers of enlightenment. In different epochs they came here and built their temples and pagodas. In the ancient times, monasteries were flourishing here, but now only ruins resemble about that. And what has survived to this day is tea gardens. After all, as we know, "tea and Chan have one taste". Tea gardens are constant companions of night vigils and morning prayers and it is usually situated somewhere in the neighborhood of the temple, covered in cloud mists. Old and present tea garden grow at the Pavilion of Clear Sound Qinginge, at the White Dragon Cave, Bailongdong, at the Monastery of the Black Water, Heyshuaisi, and in many other places.
The Jin Dynasty (1115-1234 AD) historical chronicles "Emei Duzhi" says that: "The tea, which grows behind the Water Monastery is special in all China, his first taste is bitter, then it becomes sweet, it is harvested in the early spring". It is said about the "Temple of Eternity", Wanyansi, Emei's oldest places of worship which was built in the IV century BC. It was called the "Temple of White Waters" at that time. Later, in the Ming Dynasty, the monks of this monastery planted more than 10,000 tea trees on their lands and this tea was delivered to the imperial court.
However, tea was named Emei Zhu Ye Qing only in 1964. The Deputy Chairman of the State Council, Comrade Chen Yi stopped for the night in Wanyansi and the rector of monastery brewed him a cup of fresh green tea. Chen Yi was delighted with great taste and pure aroma and asked the name of the tea. "It still has no name," - said the monk, and asked Chen Yi to give a name for this amazing tea. Since then famous Emei wine Zhy Ye Qing has gotten the tea brother.
The raw material for Emei Zhu Ye Qing is fresh thin and delicate buds. The art of tea producing is compared with jewelry craft. The best tea is harvested before the Qing Ming festival (in early April). The spring tea has yellow-green, shiny, clear infusion and it has strong, pure taste, sweet aftertaste. Summer tea has a bit unclear tea infusion, and its taste is more bitter and astringent. Fall tea has yellow-green infusion color, but the taste is mild and modest.
The dry tea consists of selective, tight, flat, glossy tea buds of bright green color. The pointed shape of tea buds remindes bamboo leaves. The aroma of dry tea is high and fresh, floral with honey tone. The infusion color is clear of very light yellow-green color.
The aroma of brewed tea is fresh, airy, a bit spicy, with honey and floral tones. The taste is mild, silky, sliding and it turns into the sweet aftertaste and desire to drink more and more. It is really magnificent tea, which presents the pure enjoyment.
Infuse this tea with a bit chilled boiled water (90°С). Take 2-3 grams for 120-150 ml volume dish. It is considered in the Zhu Ye Qing motherland that sweet water from the spring near Magic Water Tower is the best for this tea. So if you take the sweet kind of water from any other spring it will release tea advantages. You can get maximum enjoyment of this tea by brewing it in the Sichuan gaiwan. The essential oils come to the cup and you can enjoy the delicate flavor. Don’t infuse it long! As any Sichuan buds tea Zhu Ye Qing is made to be the lightest, airiest and delicate one. And even light concentration of this tea presents you gorgeous, full-bodied taste during all the tea time. You can infuse it for 7-8 times.
