Here we will discuss the Di factors that bring about good tea. The
French word “terroir” is the best match for describing the use of
the Chinese word 地Di in the
context of Tian Di Ren. In On Food and Cooking The Science and
Lore of the Kitchen, Harold McGee describes terrior as the
following factors: “the entire physical environment where the plant
(tea) is, the soil and its structural and mineral content, the amount
of water retained in the soil, the plant’s elevation, the slope,
orientation, the microclimate, the pattern of temperature, sunlight,
humidity, and rainfall.”
We know that
temperature varies from one elevation to another. What can be
sweltering hot at sea level can simultaneously be briskly cold at the
elevation of one mile. Regarding soil content, because of 岩茶
“Yen Cha,” we know that rock vs. earth is one aspect that
contributes to good tea. Yen is a cool character. The character
illustrates a mountain over a stone, indicating soil that is rocky.
Any of the Di factors can vary greatly, even over small distances,
such as from one tea farm to the neighboring farm. Different degrees
of slope will determine the amount of sunlight as well as the amount
of water absorbed by the plants.
In Taiwan, the
influences of terroir are enjoyed by tea aficionados. Tea from Ah Li
Shan, Li Shan , Shan Lin Xi, Dong Ding, Wen Shan, and Miao Li all
express different sets of characteristics that appear year after
year. Each of these areas have their own Di, which is reflected in
the innate characteristics of that area’s tea.
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