A
black tea treated with the juice of the lichee produces a delightful
beverage. The fresh, juicy lichee is one of south China's famous
fruits. For smoothness and color, and juiciness of lichees remind
some Westerners of grapefruit, although the two fruits are not
related. In the present Chinese spelling they are lizhi.
(Alternative spellings seen in the West include litchee and lychee.)
Guangdong province is a big producer of lichees and Lichee Black
tea.
The
Chinese people often recall a bit of their history in connection
with lichees. They were a favorite of Lady Yang Yuhan, considered
one beloved of Tang dynasty Emperor Xuan Zong (also known as Ming
Huang, r. 712-756). By paying too much attention to her (She is also
known as Yang Guifei, Honored Concubine Yang) and not enough to
state affairs, he lost his throne.
He
would do anything to make her happy. Lichees are an extremly
perishable fruit, so the emperor arranged to have them brought to
his capital Xi'an from the south by night and day relay riders. To
this day the fruit is also known by the name Feizi Xiao (Feizi's
Smile).
