Opening a rare 1970s Liu An Sun Yishun basket.
An old tea like this is a representation of time and history. It is only from the accumulation of time spanning many decades that enables age tea to transform and reach this exceptional state of maturity. The tea represents a period in history and captures the efforts of the people and culture from a different generation. The crafting of the 1970s Liu An Sun Yishun basket relied on skilled craftsmen and intensive human labor. Big industry and large scale factory operations had yet to fully enter into China. As a result it was through traditional processing techniques combined with human skill and effort that would shape the tea, resulting in a very good age tea that has stood up to the test of time.
The 1970s Liu An Sun Yishun marks the return of Liu An tea production after over 20 years of absence in China. The disappearance of Liu An tea production in China stemming from the 1950s takeover under Chairman Mao Zedong and the Communist Party is a reminder of a key event in world history and the cascading effect on the lives and ideologies of the Chinese people for many decades to follow. At the time Liu An tea being synonymous with the enjoyment and pleasures of the overthrown elite and wealthy class was associated with an old and corrupt China and had no place in the new emerging “The People's Republic of China”. It was only after much of the upheaval and turmoil of the initial 2 decades under Communism have subsided that the production of Liu An tea would restart.
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3 Inner Labels
The small leaves and their uniformity in appearance is the result of meticulous and tremendous effort and labor.
The traditional brewing of Liu An includes steeping the tea leaves and bamboo leaves together.
Small and tender top leaves are used in a high quality Liu An tea.