Part of Teavana’s Forbidden Kingdom Tea Collection, containing 8 Imperial Reserve Teas, considered part of the “Top 10 Teas of China”. The literal English Translation for the tea is Liu An Melon Seed, or Liu An Melon Slice. The Tea is grown in the Liu An County in the Dabie Mountains of China’s Western Anhui Province.

The tea got its name from the shape of the processed tea leaves. They are flat and oval, resembling a melon seed. In early spring the tea growers cut off the end of the tea tree branches and use the second tea leaf and not the bud, as in most teas. Each leaf’s central vein is cut out and the leaves are pan fried over low heat. During the frying stage, the leaves are shaped into the melon seed shape.

This tea’s recorded history goes back as far as the Tang Dynasty. It was recorded in the Luyu’s famous book The Classic of Tea. It was also recorded during the Qing Dynasty as being the ultimate Green Tea and it was the subject of many poems. This tea has been enjoyed by China’s leaders for centuries. During the reign of Emperor Guangxu, the Empress Dowager Cixi believed that LiuAn Guapian was necessary for her diet and would drink the tea on a daily basis. The finest tea was delivered to The Forbidden City as tribute. Premiere Zhou Enlai loved Liu An Gua Pian Tea and on his death bed asked for a cup of the tea. On Henry Kissinger’s historic visit to China in July of 1971, he was presented with a gift of Liu An Gua Pian Tea leaves.

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