Price range: $23.90 through $669.00
An Tea – An Almost Lost Tea
Ancha, also known as Liu An, a distinguished tea with roots tracing back to the Ming Dynasty, is a true gem of Chinese tea culture. By the late Ming period, Ancha had already become well-known, celebrated for its unique health benefits, including its ability to remove dampness and aid digestion. This made it a highly sought-after tea, especially in regions like Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and across Southeast Asia, where its popularity peaked. The Republican era marked a golden age for Ancha. In Qimen alone, an impressive 47 tea factory emerged
However, the story of Ancha took a dramatic turn during the Second Sino-Japanese War, when traditional trade routes were disrupted, causing the tea to vanish from the market. For over fifty years, Ancha was lost to history, its production halted and its rich heritage almost forgotten.
The Revival of An Cha
The revival of Ancha is a story of passion and perseverance, spearheaded by tea enthusiast Guan Fen Fa from Hong Kong. Guan’s nostalgia for Ancha led him to send a rare sample back to Qimen, inspiring a mission to restore the traditional production methods.
Wang Shengping, who now serves as the president of the Qimen Ancha Association and the head of Qimen Jiangnan Chun Tea Factory, was one of the few experts chosen to restore this lost tea.
The process of bringing Ancha back to life was anything but straightforward. Wang Shengping and his team faced numerous challenges. They sought out elderly tea masters in Qimen, some of the last keepers of the traditional knowledge. These elders had only fragmented memories of the intricate production process. Despite this, Wang meticulously gathered every bit of information available, even consulting old tea notes that had survived the passage of time. The team experimented tirelessly, adjusting the drying and steaming techniques and refining the aging process.
Each year, Wang sent samples of the tea they produced back to Guan Fen Fa in Hong Kong for feedback. Initially, these samples did not capture the true essence of the original Ancha. However, Wang and his team did not give up. They continued their relentless pursuit, refining each step of the process. Wang’s dedication was unparalleled; he visited local tea masters repeatedly, extracting and verifying every detail to ensure authenticity.
After years of tireless effort, their hard work paid off. Wang Shengping and his team succeeded in perfectly recreating the traditional Ancha, with all its rich, mellow flavors and the distinctive floral honey aroma. This was not just a restoration of a product but a revival of a cultural heritage, a bridge connecting past and present.
In 1992, Wang Shengping established the Jiangnan Chun Tea Factory, ensuring the continuation of traditional Qimen Ancha production methods.
An Cha Grades
Ancha, the traditional semi-fermented tea that blends elements from various tea-making techniques, making it a unique category of its own. It involves a meticulous process known as “sun-dried and night-dewed,” where the tea leaves are exposed to dew and sunlight, then steamed, compressed into bamboo baskets, and aged naturally for three years. This complex process combines aspects of green tea, black tea, and oolong tea production, resulting in a rich, mellow flavor profile with floral honey aromas.
The tea is categorized into several grades based on the quality of the leaves and the specific blend of buds and stems:
Recommedation
For a personal touch, we find Ancha to be the perfect tea for cozy, introspective moments, especially on a rainy day. Its warm and comforting nature provides a soothing experience that is ideal for quiet reflections.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Ancha is how its flavors evolve with each brew, offering a journey of discovery with every sip. The sweet aftertaste that emerges around the sixth infusion is a particularly delightful feature, providing a subtle sweetness that enhances the overall experience.
We highly recommend Ancha to anyone who appreciates a tea that is not only rich in flavor but also steeped in history and tradition. This tea’s unique qualities and evolving character make it a truly special choice for any tea enthusiast.
Origin: Qimen County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province
Tea Factory: Jiangnan Chun Tea Factory 江南春茶厂
Tea Master: Wang Shengping
Cultivar: Zhu Ye Zhong
Aroma: Mellow, earthy, with a hint of sweetness
Appearance: Dark brown, compact short and uniform leaves
Liquor: Bright amber color
Water Temperature: 100°C or 212°F
Number of Infusions: 10 times
Tea to water ratio: 1g/30ml
Infusion time: 1st immediate, 2rd-6th infusion 6s,7th-8th infusion 8s, 9th infusion 10-15s,10th infusion 30-60s.
Recommended brewing vessel: Zhuni, Zini Yixing teapot
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An Cha - Wang Sheng Ping Qimen An Cha Liu An Cha
Warm and delicious. It’s a perfect tea for cold weather🤩
Mellow, sweet, aromatic and relaxing all in one. This tea has a similar feel to Liu Bao Guiqing varietal because of the older stems. But this is sweeter then that !
Some of the best tea I’ve had. Sweet and tasty!