From High Society to Fans Around the World: The Story of Dian Hong

The story of this special tea drink begins with a story about happy people living in a Yunnan village and growing tea. It would seem that there is nothing special here, if not for one incident…

Many years ago, a general mobilization was declared in Yunnan Province. The villagers learned about it during the tea harvest. Wives and mothers filled their husbands' and sons' travel bags with unopened buds and tea leaves, which they immediately set off on their journey without losing a minute. Then, upon arriving at their deployment site, they roasted their valuable load and noticed the beautiful brown hue of the tea. The men brewed the mixture and were pleasantly surprised by the magnificent taste and special aroma of the freshly brewed tea drink. Since then, Dian Hong tea has acquired thousands of fans around the world.

History of tea

In reality, this variety does not have such an ancient history. Yunnan tea growers produced and exported Sheng Puer to South Asian countries for many centuries. This continued until 1935, when this tea underwent a completely different processing. It was then that its amazing taste and nutty-fruity aroma were appreciated by the British at the exhibition in Wuhan, calling it Yunnan red tea.

Tea growing areas

Red tea Dian Hong is grown in a province called Yunnan at an altitude of 1-2 thousand meters above sea level. The main and most popular place of its growth is Fengqing. In fact, this city is the birthplace of this variety, which is translated as "Yunnan red" or "Dian red". Today, Dian Hong is the name of any tea variety made in Yunnan Province and having a reddish infusion. However, at first, this name was given to any tea from Lincang County (Fengqing County), made using a special Fujian technology. Nowadays, there is the Fengqing factory for the production of Dian Hong, which is considered the second most popular tea drink after Puer. Due to the special mild climate, tea leaves and buds are collected during 9 months of the year. The best harvest is the autumn harvest, since at this time of year the tea shoots have tender leaves, and the infusion has a rich taste and magnificent aromatic notes.

According to the quality and form of the final product, Chinese Dian Hong tea is divided into the following varieties:

• Gongfu Cha is considered the highest type of this tea. The tea bush is characterized by fairly strong leaves in the form of stripes, which are covered with many small hairs. The infusion has a rich taste of reddish color and an amazing aroma.
• Ye Cha is distinguished by its long, tightly twisted, shiny, hairy tea leaves. When brewed, it produces a strong, thick infusion.
• Sui Cha has small crushed leaves and a fairly dense structure. The infusion has a reddish color and has a tonic taste.
• Pian Cha has beautiful fan-shaped leaves and a delicate taste.
• Mo Cha is considered the lowest grade of this type of tea, as it has a powdery appearance. It is characterized by a black color and a rather rich taste.

Production technology

The production process of Dian Hong Cha is very labor-intensive. It is made from young leaves and buds. The tea is collected almost all year round, but the autumn harvest is still considered the best. Particularly prized are the unopened medium-sized leaves, which are withered for several hours, and then twisted and squeezed, acquiring the necessary shape. Then the collection is roasted over an open fire to reveal the rich taste of red tea, so famous among world experts.

How to brew Dian Hong tea

Dian Hong is brewed with hot water at a temperature of 80-85 °C, in a ratio of 5 grams per 120 ml of water. A teapot made of Yixing clay is best suited as a dish. The tea should be steeped for only 3-5 seconds, and then all the infusion should be poured out. The second brewing is kept for 10-15 seconds. You can brew the tea more than once, while increasing the steeping time (each time by 5-10 seconds). On average, this amazing tea can withstand about 3-4 brews. Then the infusion should be poured into cups.

Now you know how to brew Dian Hong. The main thing when preparing this drink is not to overdo it with the amount of brewing, since an excessive portion of leaves will provide a bitter taste, which can spoil the impression of Chinese tea.

Description of taste and aroma

Red tea Dian Hong has amazing taste qualities. It has a tart taste and persistent honey-nut aroma. The finished infusion stands out with a magnificent brown-golden hue. Also in this tea drink you can see the softness of the tree.

The effect of drinking tea

Dian Hong has been famous for its miraculous properties for many centuries. This amazing tea drink cleanses the body, removes waste and toxins, normalizes the cardiovascular system, respiratory organs, digestion and does not irritate the gastric mucosa. It is recommended for use by people suffering from digestive disorders.

Chinese tea counteracts the formation of cancer cells and reduces weight. Dian Hong is called a winter tea drink, as it is famous for its warming effect. After drinking it, sweating begins, which helps remove the waste products of harmful bacteria from the body. Therefore, tea is effective for colds, acute respiratory viral infections and warms up perfectly in damp weather.

The miraculous properties of Dian Hong do not end there, it perfectly rejuvenates the skin, invigorates, improves mood for the whole day. It is recommended for people and even children suffering from diseases of the liver, pancreas, genitourinary system. Yunnan tea is also a wonderful preventive measure. Ancient Chinese healers often used this tea drink to strengthen teeth and gums. It helps to improve human performance, relieves headaches after stressful situations or a hard day at work. You can buy Dian Hong tea by choosing from the products below to see for yourself its healing properties.

Interesting facts about tea

Dian Hong is an elite tea that was specially created for the Chinese high society and is intended for true gourmets. After Yunnan tea was put up for auction in London, it gained a lot of fans around the world and, in fact, continues to win the hearts of admirers of this delicious drink. Dian Hong was the favorite tea of Queen Elizabeth, who loved to brew it in transparent teaware and admire its tart taste and sweetish-fruity aroma in the evenings.

Of course, everyone can find something unique in the taste and aroma of Chinese tea. This drink leaves behind a honey-nutty flavor, and the aroma improves the mood even on the gloomiest winter day. Be sure to try red Yunnan tea and discover new facets of this magnificent drink.