喝茶去 Go Have Some Tea. Let it be
“恩施玉露”创制于清朝康熙年间的1680年。其蒸青工艺始于唐，盛于明清。《中国茶经》将“恩施玉露”与“西湖龙井”、“黄山毛峰”等并列为清代名茶。中国茶叶学会副理事长、湖南农业大学教授施兆鹏题词赞誉：“恩施玉露、茶中极品”；日本清水事务所所长、香川大学食品科学教授清水康夫2006年到恩施考察茶叶生产后题字称颂：“恩施玉露、温古知新”。
恩施玉露是中国绿茶制作传统技艺中，唯一采用蒸汽杀青的绿茶制作技艺。最早的文字记载是公元780年唐代的《茶经》 它是中国乃至世界现存最早、最完整、最全面介绍茶的第一部专著，被誉为茶叶百科全书。 日本在唐代之后，从中国引进茶树，学习茶叶制作技艺，蒸汽杀青的绿茶制作技艺成为日本主要的绿茶茶叶制作技艺， 其主要的绿茶也称为玉露（Gyokuro）。
恩施玉露因为在2018年4月， 中国国家主席习近平使用恩施玉露接待印度总理莫迪，名声大噪。
目前国家级认证的茶叶制作传统技艺传承人总共26人， 包括恩施玉露的第10代传承人杨胜伟 . 蔡运松老伯 ,师从扬胜伟老先生, 1979年毕业湖北民族学院茶叶专业, 并获得扬胜伟老先生认可的恩施玉露第11代传承人.
恩施玉露传承谱系（摘引“湖北省第三批省级非物质文化遗产保护名录申报书”）
公元1680年开始：
第一至七代 兰氏，兰氏之子，兰氏之孙至第七代
第八代 杨乃赓，杨润芝，杨义茂
第九代 伍凤鸣，肖执政，吉宗元，王远珍，吴康寿，黄成柱，龙显禄，雷大连
第十代焦大玉,李继禄,杨胜伟，陈光兴，王忠得，陈忠孝，李祖轩，张友维，康继成，黎志炎，黄先齐，曽作夫，胡国楚，陶琼林，蒋作均，周凤慧。雷远贵，赖明书，李宗孟，邹家兴
第十一代 吕宗浩，邱家鹏。苏学章，杨荣凯，蒋子祥，邓顺权，向延极，刘云斌，汪兴平，柯青江，吴建群，张建新，崔青梅。梁金波， 戴居会， 谭显林, 蔡运松,陈昌文，彭清，张强
第十二代 黄勇，杨凡，杜成远，马艳林，唐昌庆，朱恩华，徐林，姚本成，侯伟平。
"恩施玉露" 品牌商标,属于中国国家地理商标保护. 需恩施州政府授权使用. 定期进行审查.
Enshiyulu Logo - an authorized Geographical Indication and audited by local Enshi county to warrant authentic Enshiyulu green tea
Enshi Yulu tea, one of premier quality green tea from Hubei, China, innovated and produced since 1680. The original steaming method could trace way back to Tang Dynasty and Enshi Luyu became famous in Qing dynasty. Enshi YuLu was named by Qian Long Emperor who appreciated the tea so much so he rewarded the tea maker with his own calligraphy insignia. Enshi Yulu was then distinguished as a famous and exclusive "Tribute Tea" to royal family. In the late 17th or early 18th century, Japanese monks learned and brought the hand rubbing and rolling techniques of steamed from Enshi Yulu back to Japan and taught Japanese to perform the hand-rolling process on a special heated table. For example, the original Sencha,“Temomi Sencha” , is hand-rolled on a heated table (Hoiro) which was inspired by Enshi Yulu.
Before moving forwards, it’s important for us to show our respects to those who continued the cultural inheritants. Uncle Cai is the 11th generation of honorable ICH (Intangible Cultural Heritage) representative for the production of Enshi Yulu.
ICH: Intangible Cultural Heritage
2018年夏天, 习主席邀请印度总理品尝恩施玉露. China President Xi entertained India's PM Modi with Enshi Yulu tea in 2018
2017年, CCTV 7 电视台在铜盘水茶园的蔡老伯茶厂录制恩施玉露第10代, 国家级恩施玉露传承人杨胜伟的制作演示. CCTV Channel 7 made this TV program at the Uncle's Cai shop
唐代的茶经认为恩施/四川是茶树的发源地. 恩施 大峡谷，海拔450-1200米，滔滔清江，白云升腾，绝壁群峰，云雾缭绕，栈道连溶洞，暗河涌飞瀑，胜似蓬莱；地缝天坑， 鳞次栉比，美不胜收砂质壤土富含硒。立体生态条件，得天独厚，从不施化肥、农药，甚至水的浇灌, 自然形成恩施玉露茶的独特品味。
The annual average precipitation in Enshi is 57.9 inches and relative humidity is 81%. The altitude is 1200 meters ( 3600 ft ). The Enshi tea plantation has about 60,000 acres. The Enshi has been certified by the Ministry of Agriculture of China as one of the "Tea advantage area" in China.
恩施是全球唯一独立硒矿床所在地，有“中国硒都”之称。茶园茶叶，2009年6月经中国农业 部茶叶 质量检验检疫中心检测结果：含硒量3.8mg/kg，为国家颁布的茶叶标准含硒量的最佳值。恩施是全球唯一独立硒矿床所在地，有“中国硒都”之称 ( by Professor Mary L’Abbé )茶园茶叶，2009年6月经中国农业部茶叶质量检验检疫中心检测结果：含硒量3.8mg/kg,为国家颁布的茶叶标准含硒量的最佳值。恩施州政府制定了"恩施硒茶"的标准. 并且也成立了湖北民院科技学院硒茶学院. 恩施市年加工干茶产量2万吨以上, 其中恩施玉露占1200吨左右.
Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to good health but required only in small amounts . Selenium is incorporated into proteins to make selenoproteins, which are important antioxidant enzymes. Enshi issues a standard definition of "Enshi-Se-Tea" in 2018. Enshi also has a colleage called Selenium Tea College of Hubei University for Nationalities. Enshi produces about 22,000 m tons ( 48,501,698 lbs ) tea and of which , 1200 m tons ( 2,645,547 lbs ) of Enshi YuLu green tea.
Enshi was decribed in "The Classic of Tea" early AD 780, original tea tree location.
Uncle Cai's Tea Ranch 铜盘水茶园 & Its GPS location
恩施地区的茶树主要有3种: 鄂10号(半乔木), 龙井43(灌木,中叶)和 本地小叶种 (半乔木).
Three tea tree cultivars in Enshi: E #10; Longjing #43, and the local "little leaf" cultivar. All of them are small leaf tea tree except LongJing 43 which is medium size leaf tree cultivar.
一级恩施玉露: 一芽两叶
Enshi YuLu Grade #1: 1Bud & 2 Leaves
二级恩施玉露: 一芽三叶
Enshi YuLu Grade #2: 1 Bud & 3 Leaves
恩施硒茶学院老师演示如何鉴别 Presented by Enshi Selenium College
恩施玉露和日本玉露的比较
由于两者均称为”玉露” , 加上日本绿茶的确早期从中国引入. 同时也是采用蒸青工艺, 两者同名的”玉露”确有很多相同地方.
Comparison of Enshi Yulu & Japanese Gyokuro
Yulu is known as "Gyokuro" in Japanese language, but writing in Kanji still has same character "玉露" as how is originated from China. Still interesting to compare two side by side.
1. 采用的茶树
恩施玉露采用 3种茶树: 本地小叶种, 鄂茶#10 (E’ Cha #10 Semi-tree ), 和 龙井#43 灌木(Tea shrub ). 日本的薮北茶树接近龙井#43. 日本的薮北茶树在1953年培育后命名静岡在来6号. 目前占日本85%的种植面积. 是制作日本玉露的主要茶树
2. 遮阳
日本玉露在采集前20天左右要遮阳. 遮阳带来茶叶味道的特殊. 但日本历史上使用遮阳的方法也可能是源于早期茶树需要抗霜冻而采取的措施. While Enshi does not shade the tea before harvest, Japan covers the new leaves before harvesting and most likely becasue of at the old times, the low temp may had frozen the new leaves.
3. 采集方式 Way of Harvesting
恩施玉露完全手工摘, 日本以机械为主. Enshi Yulu completey uses manual picking leaves while Japen mainly uses machine to cut.
4. 杀青 Keep/Kill greenness
30秒左右的蒸气, 完全一样. Same steamed method, about 30 second steaming
5. 揉捻 Rolling/Forming
基本一样. 揉捻程序和温度形成针型. 现代普遍采用相同的机械化揉捻, 两者区别几乎没有了. 但在后期处理过程中, 日本玉露把温度控制90度一下, 而恩施玉露会超过100度C.
Almost same methods. Now days , most of them use same rolling/forming machine. Enshi Yulu has 100C or higher temp during the final processing instead of 90C as in Japan.
6. 玉露标准茶叶级别 Grades
恩施玉露按茶芽, 叶数定义级别. 日本玉露没有明确的级别划分. Enshi Yulu does grade the tea mainly by what original tea leaf.
7. 茶香味道 Aroma/Taste
恩施玉露以草栗香为主, 日本玉露以海藻味为主. Enshi Yulu has more grass/chetnut while Japan Gyokuro has of sea weed.
8. 冲泡方式 Way of Brewing.
恩施玉露建议80-90C 热水在透明杯中冲泡, 而日本玉露建议50-60C温水茶壶冲泡. Enshi Yulu suggests to use 90C water to brew and to enjoy the tea leaf blossoming , while Japan Gyokuro uses to 50-60C water in a teapot.
9. 茶水及茶底 Color and the shape of brewed leaf.
中国绿茶讲究茶底, 要日本对茶底基本完全不在意. 由茶芽制作的特级恩施玉露 没有1芽2叶做的2级恩施玉露的茶水绿, 而大部分日本玉露叶的成分比茶芽多, 茶水颜色会绿一些. Premium Enshi Yulu is lighter than the grade 1 and Japen Gyokuro. The Enshi Yulu grade 2 has about same green as Japan Gyokuro.
Enshi Yulu 恩施玉露
In table
Enshi YuLu | Gyokuro | |
Tea Tree | E#10,Longjing 43 | Shizuoka Zairai No. 6 |
Shading before Harvesting | No | yes |
Tea Picking | Completely hand picked | Main by machine |
Killing(keep) green - steaming | using the same steaming technique for about 30 seconds | using the same steaming technique for about 30 seconds |
Rolling/forming - same machine | 100C or higher for the final processing | 90C for the final |
Quality grading | Strictly grading criteria by no. of buds & leaves | No significant grading criteria |
Aroma/Flavor | Grassy/Chestnut | Sea weed |
Brewing recommendation | 80-90C in glass ware | 50-60C in porcelain teapot |
Color of tea liquor | Premium Enshi yulu of 1bud&1 leaf is lighter than the 1st grade & Japan Gyokuro. The 2nd grade has same green as Japan Gyokuro | greener |
The Enshi Grand Canyon from Uncle Cai's Tea Ranch
Enshi Waterfalls
The floating driveway
The Grand Canyon Trail
Enshi City Downtown
