![Shui Xian: the water fairy Chinese tea]() Shui Xian: the 'water fairy' Chinese tea |
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Of all the Chinese teas, Shui Xian tea, or ‘water fairy’, may have the most beautiful name. It really is a tea that can cast a spell over any water!
That, at least, was what a Song dynasty emperor said some 900 years ago.
The emperor and his entourage were on a secret inspection tour to a tea plantation in southern China where Shui Xian tea is grown. It was hot summer, and the procession had run out of water. Soon, everyone was as dry as a bone under the searing sun. If they couldn’t find some water, people would die!
So the emperor sent a team to find water. However, after searching high and low, they didn’t find any streams, lakes, or even villages. They were frustrated and tired.
![Shui Xian Chinese tea once saved an imperial army]() Shui Xian Chinese tea once saved an imperial army |
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Then suddenly, one of his men saw a lush tree with bright green leaves. Quite a sight for sore eyes on a hot day like this! Out of curiosity, he picked one leaf and put it into his mouth. The juicy leaf tasted somewhat like an orchid with a subtle fragrance. He chewed it, and before long he was no longer thirsty.
Convinced that the leaves could save lives, he ran to his emperor and declared his discovery. The emperor tried the leaves himself, and it felt like a stream of refreshing spring water was trickling down his throat. Soon, everyone in the procession was chewing the magical leaves.
What plant were these leaves from? Shui Xian, the great oolong Chinese tea.
The emperor named the tea tree ‘water fairy’, referring to its magical power to quench thirst. And to thank the tree, he order ‘water fairy’ tea trees planted throughout his empire.
