Lu'an Guapian
Lu'an Guapian (六安瓜片), or Lu'an Melon Seed Tea, is a green tea from Lu'an, Anhui Province. It is named for its tightly rolled seed-like processed leaves, which are flat and resemble a melon seed. The brightly colored Lu'an Guapian has a particularly smooth taste and sweet aroma. Lu'an Guapian is unique, as it contains tea leaves without buds and stems.
Lu'an Guapian is grown in the Dabie Mountains in Anhui Province, a mountainous area that has a misty, humid and cloudy climate that contributes to Gua Pian Tea’s superior quality. In mid-April, fresh shoots are plucked with the bud and then the first, second and third tea leaves. Only the first, second and third tea leaves are used to produce Lu'an Guapian tea.
The first documentary evidence of Lu'an Guapian dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) when records were found in Lu Yu's Cha Jing, which was designated as a tribute in Qing Dynasty (1636-1911). In 1971, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was gifted with this exquisite green drink during his first visit to China. In 2007, former Chinese President Hu Jintao gave Lu'an Guapian as a State gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Russia.
