The picking time for spring teas in China is usually from March to early May. The price for other famous spring teas, like Spring Snail or Melon Seed, will be as high as 20,000 yuan per 500 grams.
在中国,春茶的采摘时间通常是每年的三月至五月初。碧螺春、瓜片茶等其它知名春茶的价格也将高达每斤2万元。
文中的spring teas就是指“春茶”,一般指由越冬后tea plant(茶树)第一次萌发的芽叶采制而成的茶叶。Spring tea(春茶)、summer tea(夏茶)与autumn tea(秋茶)的划分,主要是依据seasonal variation(季节变化)和茶树young sprout(新梢)生长的间歇而定的。文中提到的Spring Snail就是著名的“碧螺春”,Melon Seed则是安徽的著名春茶“瓜片茶”。
春茶由于茶树nutrient substance(营养物质)丰富,故而mesophyll(叶肉)肥厚,芳香物质和维生素含量较高,滋味鲜爽,香气强烈,外形条索紧结重实。通常green tea(绿茶)色泽绿润,black tea(红茶)乌润,品质较好。春季温度适中,雨量充分,再加上茶树经过了半年冬季的休养生息,使得春季flowery(茶芽)肥硕,色泽翠绿,food value of leaf(叶质)柔软,且含有丰富的维生素,特别是amino acid(氨基酸)。不但使春茶滋味鲜活且香气宜人富有health care(保健)作用。
春天是tea business(茶叶生意)的busy season(旺季)。据中国茶叶流通协会调查,尽管春茶产量只占year's production by volume(年产量)的39%,但是其交易量却占到year's annual business(年度交易)的75%。各地名品春茶的价格均被爆炒到可与茅台比肩,成为一种新的"luxury" good(奢侈品)。