Type: Hei Cha

Description: Shi Liang Cha is a special tea from Anhua. Anhua county of Hunan province is famous for many dark teas. The tea is similar to Pu-Erh produced and post fermented. Bai Liang Cha is pressed to long and heavy poles from which later small discs or cakes are sliced. Liang is a traditional Chinese unit for mass.   First appeared in Yuzhou area of Anhua County at the beginning of the XIX century, when the volume of tea export has started to grow rapidly. Tea dealers from Shanxi and other provinces had built factories and sales offices on the banks of the river Zi. Here they were brought tea bought from the peasants in the villages for future packaging. For the convenience of transportation, at the factories the tea was rammed into bundles weighing approximately 100 liang (about 3.8 kg); this kind of tea has been called bai liang cha (One hundred liang tea). Later the weight increased to a thousand liang (37,27 kg) and leading to Qian Liang Cha (One thousand liang tea). A tightly compacted cylinder was braided with palm leaves and bamboo bast, which left a distinctive impression on tea rolls, so these rolls also called Hua Juan (Patterned rolls). The length of one thousand liang cylinder was 5 chi (1.666 meters), the circumference was 1.7 chi (56 cm). This tea has got a pretentious name “the Tea Master of the Universe”. Dealers from Shanxi were making tea in the counties Qi and Yu Ci, so their teas have been called “Qi Yu Ci rolls”. Jianzhou teas were made by dealers from Jianzhou and weighed 1100 liang. These Hua Juan (Patterned rolls) braided with a bamboo mesh travelled far beyond the borders of China.    Dark yellow tea soup, full and sweet herbal flavor in mouth with light floral and nice aftertaste. This tea can be brewed for many infusions in gaiwan or cook for a long time without astrigency or bitter.   Brewing Guide: 

Before brewing, hot rinse this tea by pouring boiling water over the leaves and discarding the water. Use 2 teaspoons of tea (about a quarter sized piece) per 8-12 oz of water. Steep for 2 minutes with boiling water.