The Glory of the Leaf

1980s Liu An Sun Yishun

  

1980s Liu An basket

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021 - Presenting Old Liu An Tea

 

1970s Liu An Sun Yishun Basket

A Happy New Year 2021 and my best wishes to all. I am appreciative to all who support this humble blog and those who have reached out to me personally. For those who have given me your trust through your acquisitions I take this opportunity to say thank you. It is my great pleasure and excitement to begin 2021 with this rare antique tea. As a tea lover first and foremost it is my hope that this offering will give more tea enthusiasts the chance to share in the experience and the passion that such great teas generate.

Photo Set - 1950s Liu An Sun Yishun

Capturing the grandeur of old tea. Presenting a close up look at the beauty of the 1950s Liu An Sun Yishun and the historic pursuit for excellence. Premium leaf material combined with meticulous care in production and over half a century of maturation. This dark, heavy, sweet, viscous brew unfolds with layers of complexity that makes for a delectable experience.

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Complementing a Tea Session with Japanese Nerikoh Incense

Heating a Nerikoh ball (Japanese Incense) on charcoal. The strong projection of aroma is enough to scent a small room and create a nice ambience for a tea session. A nice complement to the appreciation of age tea.

Tip: Flatten the Nerikoh ball on the mica plate creates more surface area to heat contact and prevents the ball from rolling freely across. Allow a layer of ash to form on the charcoal before placing the mica plate and incense. This helps to buffer the heat and prevents burning and strong acrid smoke.

More on Handcrafted Incense – Age Nerikoh Balls

Educational Series – The 3 Eras of Liu An Tea

 

The 3 Eras of Liu An Tea is an experience that spans a lifetime. A period of over 60 years of Liu An tea history is captured in these ancient leaves and old baskets that hold them. The story of this renowned and at times forgotten tea is told through the magical brew that connects us to the people and the times of each era.

Opening of the 1970s Liu An Sun Yishun Basket

Opening a rare 1970s Liu An Sun Yishun basket.

Tea Auctions – The Value of Antique Tea

L: 1910s Song Pin Hao, M: 1950s Red Label, R: 1950s Liu An Tea Basket – Understanding the Chinese market and the human element allows us to see the value of antique tea. (Source of photos from L & H Auction Hong Kong)

Tea Auctions – The Rising Tide of Capitalism

The impact of tea auctions have elevated prices in the category of antique tea. This rising tide of capitalism has spread ripple effects far and wide through the market for old tea.

Reflecting on Teas with Cha Qi – A Personal Experience

Natural and organic farms, wild tea trees that grow naturally in a biologically diverse environment that is thriving with life provides the source for quality tea leaves that possess good Cha Qi.

Combining Age Liu An Tea and TCM – A Personal Experience

 

History records the use of age Liu An tea as a "medicine trigger" to enhance Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Fake Liu An Tea Basket

 

The appearance of a tea alone does not tell the full story.

A Comparative Pictorial of 3 Liu An Teas (from 1950s, 1970s, 2005)

An observation of the shape of the Liu An baskets (left 1950s Sun Yishun, middle 1970s Sun Yishun, right 2005 Liu An).

1950s Liu An Sun Yishun

The story of Liu An tea is not well known. For this reason the amazing quality of older Liu An vintages have largely gone unnoticed until recently. The pre1950s era remains the pinnacle for Liu An appreciation when this little basket of tea leaves weighing approx. 600g was enjoyed by the Chinese upper class and considered amongst the top teas in China. 

This early 1950s Liu An Sun Yishun represents the last batches of Liu An tea from an old era that was almost permanently erased from history under the reforms of Communism. This tea is symbolic of the wealth, refinery and pursuit for excellence that the upper class in China enjoyed under the Nationalist Government and capitalism. The production of Liu An tea during this time period was catered mainly to the wealthy and as a result the quality of the tea was made to a very high standard. This resulted in a highly meticulous and labor intensive production that is evident today in the quality and elegance of the brew and the astonishing uniformity of the leaves in shape and size that are compressed in these baskets.

Chairman Mao & The Communist Party - A History Recorded by 2 Teas

i) Sailing the seas depends on the helmsman, waging revolution depends on Mao Zedong, ii) 1970s Fu Brick, People’s Unification Tea from the time of Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution, iii) 1950s Liu An Sun Yishun

A part of the allure of old teas is the period of time and history that they represent. Each tea has a story to tell and the 2 old teas that I will be reviewing this month are no different. Both teas come from a time of immense upheaval and unrest that coincides with the rise of Chairman Mao Zedong and the rule of the Communist Party of China. The contrasting qualities of the 2 old teas in many ways mirror the two prominent political parties (Kuomintang, KMT and Communist Party of China, CPC) at the time. The turn of events would cause each to take two very different paths.