Whether as a means of payment, a noble gift or to simplify transportation, pressed tea has been used for various reasons since the Han Dynasty.Initially, the tea was pressed immediately after harvest and aged in a pressed form, but another processing method quickly took hold.While at the time it was defined as “artificially aged”, today the term “post-fermented” is quite familiar.Fully fermented tea, called “Shou” (mature), is moistened, pressed into a round shape and aged a second time in this pressed form.This tea has a classic sweet, earthy taste and can be steeped up to five times.
How to prepare: Cut a small piece (about 1 tsp) of the tea bag and put it in a cup or teapot. Add a little boiling water and leave for a few seconds. This is to “rinse” the leaves. Then add more boiling water and leave for about 3-5 minutes. The tea can be steeped up to 3-4 times.