名贵即好茶？正山小种PK金骏眉谁更胜一筹？
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老桑说
其实喝茶没有好茶与坏茶之分，最适合你的茶才是最好的茶。
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「 朋友，你好，我是老桑。 」
老桑在马连道茶城天地茶业
逛茶叶店可能会让你应接不暇，因为那里总有很多选择，而乐于助人的销售人员则会说服你买最贵的茶叶。正如我之前写到的，最贵的茶不一定是最好的，正确的方法是找到适合你的茶。
经常有人问我喜欢喝哪种茶。这是一个难以回答的问题，因为我喝很多种茶，而我的喜好也会随着一年中的不同时节发生变化。不过，我每天早上都会泡的一种茶，是正山小种红茶。
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正山小种是世界上最早的红茶，它起源于福建武夷山区西北约60公里的桐木关。早年间，那里的农民生产的是绿茶。
桐木关是红茶的发源地。其地理特征是由一座高山峡谷，陡峭的岩壁和一条贯穿其中的creek（小溪）组成的。它也是联合国教科文组织保护的文化遗产。
故事发生在1658年茶叶丰收的季节，一位聪明的将军带领他的军队穿过这个地区，前往更远的地方执行军事行动。一天晚上，军队占领了这个村庄，打乱了茶农的工作。农民们逃跑了，和猴子一起躲进了山里。第二天，当部队继续前进时，他们又回来了。
由于农民们在前一天就已经采摘了茶叶，但还没来得及对绿茶进行必要的加工，茶叶在一夜之间就被完全氧化了。因为不想浪费原料，勤勉的农民们便又利用当地马尾松林中收集的木头来烘烤隔夜的茶叶，赋予其烟熏的香味。然后他们再把茶叶送到市场上。
正山小种
令他们吃惊的是，茶叶卖得很好，他们还收到了更多的订单。于是正山小种就这样诞生了。17世纪初，荷兰商人将正山小种引入欧洲市场。它最终进入英国王室，供皇家享用。
武夷茶unwittingly（无意间）还在美国革命历史上留下了一抹色彩。1774年，波士顿茶党(Boston Tea Party)向波士顿港倾倒了9.2万磅中国茶叶，以抗议茶税和英国东印度公司(British East India Company)对茶叶贸易的垄断。而船上的许多茶叶都来自武夷山。
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所有的茶都是由茶叶制成的，而完全氧化则是红茶的特性。中国的三种主要红茶都是地域性的：安徽的祁门红茶、云南的滇红和福建正山小种红茶。Terroir（风土）环境和加工方法使这些茶彼此不同，赋予它们各自独特的风味。
另外，每一种红茶都有自己的不同分支。今天市场上的三类主要的正山小种是正山小种红茶、烟正山小种和金骏眉。他们都有一种蜜香和红薯香的特色。当我们在盖碗中沏泡时，其茶汤一般都是明亮而具有琥珀的颜色。
目前最珍贵的正山小种红茶仍然产自桐木关，那里每年只生产大约40吨提供给市场。鉴于正山小种的受欢迎程度，这种茶现在也在中国其他地方生产，也采用同样的加工方法。如今，你必须与一个信誉良好的茶商合作，才能确保你得到的是正宗的桐木关正山小种茶。
金骏眉
虽然正山小种最初是烟熏的，但今天你可以买到烟熏和非烟熏的版本。非烟熏版本有着水果龙眼的口感，而烟熏的版本有烧烤和篝火的味道。烟熏可以accentuate（突出）好茶，但也能掩盖低档茶的缺陷。
金骏眉是正山小种的另一个细类。正山小种是由茶叶和芽尖混合制成的，而金骏眉则只选用芽尖制成。由于采摘和加工成本较高，金骏眉比正山小种名贵很多。金骏眉于2005年进入市场，并随着红茶在中国越来越受欢迎而好评如潮。
“正山小种”意为“中央的山”，指的是高档茶生长的桐木关地区。而来自其他地区生产的茶叶则称为“外山茶”，意指那些生产出来的茶叶质量、口感复杂性、风味较低的产区。“小种”指的是生长在该地区茶树的小叶品种。
正山小种与金骏眉
桐木关的金骏眉茶叶大都含有一种花香，让人想起兰花或玫瑰。中国其他地区金骏眉的加工方法制成的茶可能有更丰富的口味，麦芽香比花香更浓烈。一般来说，正山小种的味道较重，而金骏眉的味道较淡。
还有一些其他细类的正山小种，如金岩红和老枞红茶。我最近拜访了北京马连道茶城一层1-17号的天地茶业，并品尝了那里各品类的正山小种茶叶。我还买了一些正山小种和金岩红。
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由于我更喜欢浓茶，所以我通常会选择正山小种。不过，在送礼物时，我可能会选择金骏眉。对我来说，前者是经济实惠的日常饮茶，而后者则是用作特殊场合的奢侈品。当然，如果你喜欢口味清淡的茶，那么金骏眉可能是你更好的选择。
买茶的时候，我建议你试试几个不同的种类，运用你喜欢的方法来泡茶。许多人评论说，他们在店里品尝的茶，和在家里自己泡的味道不一样。这可能是由于一些因素，比如冲泡的方法、水温以及水本身，都可能会影响茶的味道。
例如，茶叶店经常使用盖碗泡茶，但在家里，我们可能只是把茶放在马克杯或保温瓶里，再添加热水。如果你只是想泡茶然后带走，那就请售货员用杯子或保温瓶帮你沏，你也可以自带饮具。这样，你就可以尽量避免你买的茶和你在店里品尝的味道不一样的情况。
最后说一句，喝茶其实没有正确与错误、好茶与坏茶之分。我们都有自己的个人喜好，所以就喝自己所偏爱的茶咯。
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当我喝正山小种的时候，我喜欢回想它被serendipitous（偶然创造的）故事。有时候，生活中的事情似乎并不如我们所愿。以桐木关的村民为例，他们在关键时刻的制茶工作被打乱，给他们带来的可能是极度的焦虑。然而，他们没有为自己的处境而烦恼，而是找到了一条出路……在这个过程中改变了历史。
你现在的生活中有什么事情让你感到焦虑呢？扰乱你情绪的也许是某种疾病、难以相处的人、富有挑战性的工作环境或压力重重的学业。这发生在我们每个人身上。如果是这样，换个角度看待自己的处境，看看你如何变废为宝，将损失变成收益。
当你正努力在生活中前行时，也许你遇到的所谓“天花板”只是自己向事业顶端攀登路途上下一个阶段的“地板”。
我的朋友，品味正山小种的过程，就是在参与书写茶的历史。丰富的口感，饱含着水果和蜂蜜的味道，以及微红的琥珀色使它成为了一种令人赏心悦目的饮料。如果你喜欢其他茶，当然也很好。总而言之，最适合你的茶才是最好的茶。
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英文版
English
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Is expensive black tea worth it?
Lapsang Souchong vs Jin Jun Mei
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「 Hello, my friend！
I'm John Smagula. 」
A trip to the tea store can be overwhelming, as there are many options with all-too-helpful sales staff urging you to buy the most expensive ones. As I have written before, the most expensive tea is not necessarily the best, and the right approach is to find the tea that’s right for you.
I am often asked which tea I prefer to drink. It’s kind of a trick question, as I drink many teas, and my preferences can change at different times in the year. However, there’s one go-to tea that I usually brew every morning, and that’s Lapsang souchong black tea.
A happy accident
（Lapsang Souchong）
Lapsang souchong is the world’s first black tea, having originated in Tongmu Village in a mountainous region around 60 kilometers northwest of Fujian’s Wuyishan. Early on, farmers there were producing green tea.
Tongmu Village is the birthplace of black tea. Its geography features a high mountain valley with steep walls and a creek running through it. It is also a protected UNESCO site.
The story goes that during peak tea harvest season in 1658, a clever general took his troops through the area on his way to a military campaign. The troops occupied the village that night, disrupting the tea farmers’ work. The farmers fled, hiding in the mountains with the monkeys. They returned the next day when the troops had moved on.
As the farmers had already plucked the tea leaves the day before, rather than process them right away as necessary to make green tea, the leaves set out overnight and became fully oxidized. Not wanting to waste the crop, the enterprising farmers baked the day-old leaves using firewood from the local horsetail pines, imparting a smoky flavor. They then sent the tea to market.
Much to their surprise, the tea was well received, and they received orders for more. And so Lapsang souchong was born. In the early 1600s, Dutch traders introduced Lapsang into the European market. It ultimately worked its way to the British Crown and was served to royalty.
Wuyi teas unwittingly played a role in the American Revolution. In the 1774 Boston Tea Party, colonists dumped 92,000 pounds of Chinese tea into Boston Harbor to protest taxes and the British East India Company’s monopoly on the tea trade. Many of the teas on the ship were from Wuyishan.
Variations on a theme
（Jin Jun Mei）
All teas can be produced from the tea bush, and black tea is characterized by being fully oxidized. China’s three primary black teas are regional: Qimen from Anhui province, Dianhong from Yunnan province, and Lapsang souchong from Fujian province. The terroir and processing methods distinguish these teas among themselves, giving them each a unique flavor.
Each of these black teas has various categories of their own. The three main Lapsangs on the market today are Lapsang Souchong, Smoked Lapsang Souchong, and Jin Jun Mei (Golden Eyebrow). They all tend to have honey and sweet potato notes. When brewed in a lidded bowl (gaiwan), they generally produce a bright, reddish-amber infusion.
The most prized Lapsangs are still from Tongmu Village, which can only produce around 40 tons per year in sales. Given Lapsang’s popularity, the tea is now also sourced from other parts of China, using the same processing methods. Today, you have to work with a reputable tea vendor to make sure you are getting authentic Tongmu Village Lapsangs.
Although Lapsangs were originally smoked, today you can buy smoked and non-smoked versions. The non-smoked versions have a fruity, longyan profile, whereas the smoked versions have barbecue and campfire notes. Smoking can accentuate a good tea but also mask defects on lower-grade tea.
Jin Jun Mei is another category of Lapsang. Lapsangs are made from a combination of leaves and buds, and Jin Jun Mei is made only from buds. As the plucking and processing costs are higher, Jin Jun Mei is more expensive than Lapsangs. Jin Jun Mei was introduced into the market in 2005 and is credited for increasing black tea’s popularity within China.
”Lapsang” means “central mountain,” referring to the region in Tongmu Village where the top-grade teas are grown. Other teas produced in the area are from the “outer mountain,” which has a terroir that is considered to produce teas that are lower in quality, complexity, and taste. “Souchong” refers to the small-leaf cultivar of the tea bush that grows in the area.
Jin Jun Mei teas from Tongmu Village generally have a floral profile, reminiscent of orchids or roses. Teas from other regions of China made with Jin Jun Mei processing methods may have richer tastes, being more malty than flowery. In general, Lapsangs will have a heavier flavor, whereas Jin Jun Mei teas will have a lighter flavor.
There are other forms of Lapsang as well, such as Jin Yan Hong and Lao Cong. I recently visited the Tiandi tea shop on the first floor of Beijing’s Maliandao tea market (Unit 1-17) and tried all the Lapsang varieties they had. I came away with Lapsang as well as Jin Yan Hong.
A question
of personal taste
（Jin Jun Mei and Lapsang Souchong）
Since I prefer heavier black teas, I usually reach for Lapsangs. When giving a gift, though, I may choose Jin Jun Mei. To me, the former is an everyday tea that is economical and practical, whereas the other is more of a luxury for special occasions. However, if you prefer lighter teas, Jin Jun Mei would likely be a better choice for you.
When buying, I suggest trying several different teas, using the brewing method you prefer. Many people comment that the tea they sampled at the store tastes different when they brew it themselves at home. This may be due to a number of factors, as the brewing methods, water temperature, and water itself can all affect the flavor of the tea.
For example, tea stores often use a gaiwan to brew tea, but at home, we may just place tea in a coffee mug or thermos and add hot water. If you prefer just to brew and go, then ask the salesperson to brew in a mug or thermos for you. You can even bring your own. This way, you’ll reduce the chance that the tea you buy tastes different from the one you sampled.
In the end, there is no right or wrong, good or bad tea. We all have our own personal preferences, so go with what you like.
”A Lapsang lesson:
turning trash to treasure
（Jin Jun Mei and Lapsang Souchong）
When I drink Lapsang, I like to think back to the story of Lapsang’s serendipitous creation. At times, it seems things in life just aren’t going our way. In the case of the Tongmu Village farmers, their work at a crucial time was disrupted, most likely causing them great anxiety. Yet rather than fret their circumstances, they figured a way out…changing history in the process.
Is there anything going on in your life right now that is causing you anxiety? Perhaps something such as an illness, difficult person, challenging work situation, or stressful school matter is disrupting your flow. It happens to all of us. If so, look at your situation from a different angle, seeing how you can turn trash to treasure, turn loss into profit.
As you are trying to move up in life, perhaps the “ceiling” you have encountered is just the “floor” of the next level as you ascend to the top.
My friend, to drink Lapsang suochong is to participate in tea history. It’s rich flavor, fruity and honey notes, and reddish amber color make it a delightful drink. But if you prefer other teas, that’s fine too. In the end, the tea that best suits you is really the best tea.
{ 今日英文速记卡 }
1.Creek \ ˈkrēk \
a)含义：n. 小溪
b)例句：
i.Its geography features a high mountain valley with steep walls and a creek running through it.
其地理特征是由一座高山峡谷，陡峭的岩壁和一条贯穿其中的小溪组成的。
ii.I took the young Irish Setter for a walk up the road and along a frozen creek.
我带着我那条幼小的爱尔兰犬猎犬，沿着大路和一条冰冻的小溪散步。
c)近义词： brook, rivulet, streamlet
2.Unwitting
\ ˌən-ˈwi-tiŋ-glē \
a)含义： adj. 不知不觉的
b)例句：
i.Wuyi teas unwittingly played a role in the American Revolution.
武夷茶无意间还在美国革命历史上留下了一抹色彩。
ii.Please forgive my unwitting interruption of your conversation.
请原谅我无意中打断了你们的谈话。
c)近义词： unconscious, unknowing, unmindful
3.Terroir \ ˌter-ˈwär \
a)含义：n. 风土；土壤
b)例句：
i.The terroir and processing methods distinguish these teas among themselves, giving them each a unique flavor.
风土环境和加工方法使这些茶彼此区别开来，赋予它们各自独特的风味。
ii.Many wineries use growing and production methods that preserve or accentuate the aroma and taste influences of their unique terroir.
很多酿造厂利用特殊的种植和酿造方法去保持或强调他们特殊风土条件，以形成特有的香气和口感。
c)近义词： local environmental conditions
4.Accentuate
\ ik-ˈsen(t)-shə-ˌwāt \
a)含义：v. 强调；重读
b)例句：
i.Smoking can accentuate a good tea but also mask defects on lower-grade tea.
烟熏可以突出好茶，但也能掩盖低档茶的缺陷。
ii.To accentuate the wholeness of my mind and spirit, I now smile warmly, make eye contact, and speak in a confident manner.
为了强调我心灵及精神的完整，我现在要亲切地微笑、注视著别人的眼睛、且有自信地说话。
c)近义词： accent, emphasize, stress
5.Serendipitous
\ ˌser-ən-ˈdi-pə-təs \
a)含义：adj. 偶然发现的
b)例句：
i.When I drink Lapsang, I like to think back to the story of Lapsang’s serendipitous creation.
当我喝正山小种的时候，我喜欢回想它被偶然创造的故事。
ii.Leave room for the serendipitous, and when plans don't work out, treat it as an opportunity!
留些空余给那些偶然发现的地方和景点，当计划行不通时，把它当成是一个机会！
c)近义词：chance, accidental, unanticipated
Thank you for watching me to inspire, encourage, and accompany you.
See you next time.
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