Legend has it that the name Gunpowder was given by a young English
clerk in the tea trade who thought its tiny, tightly rolled green
balls looked like gunpowder. It was formerly sold in sizes with
identifications like Pinhead and Pea Leaf. The Chinese name Zhucha
(Pearl Tea) is also an apt description. Pingshui refers to the town
of Pingshui lying southwest of Shanghai across Hangzhou Bay, or more
specifically, south of Shaoxing in Zhejiang province. Gunpowder is
produced there and in surrounding counties.
Rolling the choice tender leaves into this unusual shape requires
special skill. But these tightly rolled nuggets have the ability to
keep longer than other green teas, which quickly lose their flavor
in storage.
When tea is made, the tiny pellets jingle and tinkle into the pot or
cup. Boiling water causes them to open up like flowers and float or
sink slowly to the bottom in graceful patterns of dark and lighter
greens which add a dimension of visual pleasure to tea drinking.
They produce a strong, dark-green brew with a memorable fragrance, a
slightly bitter but not unpleasant flavor, and a long-lasting
aftertaste. Gunpowder is heavier than most other teas, so three to
five grams (one to two teaspoons) to a pot is the recommended
amount.
Chinese exporters also recommend Gunpowder for iced tea flavored
with lemon and sugar, though they probably do not drink it
themselves, as tea is always served hot in China. Gunpowder is
popular in Morocco, where the leaves are boiled and mint and sugar
are added.
Gunpowder was one of the first Chinese teas to be exported,
beginning in the early seventeenth century. When it was presented as
tribute to Emperor Kang Xi (r. 1661-1722), it became one of his
favorites. In the early eighteenth century, despite its relatively
high price, this tea enjoyed popularity in Europe under the names
Green Pearl and Hyson. The latter came from the Chinese Xi Chun,
meaning (Kang) Xi Spring. The name Hyson latter became associated
with a complete different long, twisted tea.
China's highest historical point in Gunpowder production was in
the decade 1883-1894. It was once very popular in the United States,
comprising nearly two-thirds of all tea imported there in 1860.
Today China's exports far surpass that historical high, and the
price has been made lower by volume production.
In 1984 Temple of Heaven Brand Special Gunpowder won a gold medal
at the Twenty-third Judging of the International Institute for
Quality Selections in the Canned Food and Other Food Products
Selections in the Canned Food and Other Food Products Selection held
in Madrid. The Institute is composed of members from ten countries
in Europe and the Americas.
Gunpowder tea is held to be high in fluoride, known to reduce
dental caries - 100 to 150 parts per million, 60 to 80 percent of
which can be extracted, according to Chinese researchers. They say
the human body uses 1-2 milligrams of fluoride a day, which must be
obtained from food and drink. Ten grams of Gunpowder (enough for two
strong cups) can supply this amount.
