What is Bi Luo Chun?

Biluochun, or Pi Lo Chun (Chinese 碧螺春) is a famous and very ancient Chinese green tea. It is highly valued for its bright colors, intense aroma, and smooth taste.

History of Biluochun

The earliest records of this tea date back to the Ming era, when Biluochun was known as Xia Sha Ren Xiang.

According to legend, during the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Kangxi, on a visit to the Taihu Lake region (in eastern China), tasted a tea called Xia Sha Ren Xiang (吓 煞人 香, in Italian Fragrance scare) and particularly liked it. The tea was grown together with fruit trees, naturally taking on a pleasant floral aroma.

He thought, however, that the name was not suitable for an imperial tea, so he decided to change its name to Biluochun (literally Spring Green Snail). The tea was from then on known throughout the country by this name.

Production of Biluochun

Biluochun, as its name suggests, is harvested in early spring, and picking is stopped immediately after the first rains so that only the most tender shoots are picked.

The fresh leaves are carefully selected, removing leaves that are too large and tough and stems that are too long. After selection, it is immediately cooked in large pans to stop the oxidation process. The cooking is done in several stages. the first one more violent (at about 200°C), the others at lower temperatures, during which the leaves, progressively dehydrated, are rolled until the classic curl resembling the shell of a pebble is obtained.

The entire process (from harvesting to cooking) is completed in a maximum of one working day.

The 5 Quality Levels of Biluochun

According to Chinese national standards, biluochun is classified on the basis of 5 quality levels: premium A, premium B, A, B and C. The differences between the various quality levels are mainly in the cooking process. Those of higher quality are produced by cooking the leaves at lower temperatures, and cooking in each individual pan only a few leaves at a time, so as to avoid breakage at a minimum. In contrast, lower quality ones undergo more violent and fast cooking, in fuller pans.

How to prepare Biluochun

Biluochun is a very delicate tea, so it should be steeped in water that is not too hot (about 70°C). Infusing in water that is too hot, in fact, is likely to cause the bitter flavor to be released. If you do not have a thermometer, a good method is to let the boiling water stand for about a minute before pouring it over the tea leaves.

Below are directions for preparing this green tea:

• Heat the water to 70°C.
• Infuse about 4 grams of Biluochun per cup.
• Cover the steeped tea to keep the heat constant.
• Allow it to steep for about one minute.

Biluochun can usually be infused 3 times, although the floral aroma will gradually become less intense.