Organic Yunnan Green Dragon Pearl 有机云南龙珠绿茶有机云南龙珠绿茶

Classification and Origin

hand-rolled pearl-balls (龙珠, lóngzhū), each weighing approximately 5–8 g.

Yunnan large-leaf variety (云南大叶种, Yúnnán dàyèzhǒng), botanically belonging to Camellia sinensis var. assamica.

Yunnan green tea is sometimes called "Dianlü" (滇绿, Diānlǜ), where "Dian" (滇, Diān) is the historical abbreviated name of Yunnan.

organic product; in China it is confirmed according to the national organic product standard (GB/T 19630) and marked with the Chinese organic certification mark with a certificate number.

Origin: Yunnan province (云南, Yúnnán), predominantly the southern and southwestern tea districts — Xishuangbanna (西双版纳, Xīshuāngbǎnnà), Pu'er (普洱, Pǔ'ěr), Lincang (临沧, Líncāng), Baoshan (保山, Bǎoshān), Dehong (德宏, Déhóng).

Type: green tea (绿茶, lǜchá) — unfermented, with early fixation of the green leaf.

Facts

"dragon pearl" (龙珠, lóngzhū) refers to the image of a dragon playing with a pearl — a widespread motif in Chinese iconography.

not only green tea is rolled into pearls, but also white, red, and sheng pu-erh; green versions are encountered less frequently.

the format is convenient for precise dosing without scales, which became one of the reasons for its popularity.

unlike most famous Chinese green teas, large-leaf raw material of the Assamica variety, characteristic precisely of Yunnan, is used here.

the same raw material base, under different technologies, yields completely different teas — green Dianlü, red Dianhong, and pu-erh.

History and Culture

Yunnan is considered one of the centers of origin of the cultivated tea plant; old and wild large-leaf trees are preserved here.

historically, Yunnan large-leaf raw material was primarily used to make material for pu-erh (sun-dried, 晒青, shàiqīng) and red tea; green tea proper took shape on an industrial scale in the 20th century.

hand-rolling of leaf into balls became widespread in the 2000s, first with white tea and sheng pu-erh, as a method of portioning and convenient transport; green pearls are a later and less mass-scale phenomenon.

Botany and Raw Material

large, leathery, with pronounced veins; buds covered with noticeable silvery down.

the large-leaf variety is richer in polyphenols and caffeine than small-leaf cultivars from eastern China, making the taste denser and fuller.

Cultivar: Yunnan large-leaf tea (云南大叶种, Yúnnán dàyèzhǒng), Camellia sinensis var. assamica.

Pluck Standard: for pearls, tender raw material is usually taken — "one bud and one leaf" (一芽一叶, yī yá yī yè) or "one bud and two leaves" (一芽二叶, yī yá èr yè); pearls made from buds with one leaf are also encountered.

Terroir

Altitude: commercial gardens are usually located at elevations on the order of 1000–2000 m and higher.

Climate: subtropical monsoon and mountain, with warm humid summers, pronounced dry and wet seasons, and frequent fogs in the mountains.

Soil: predominantly acidic red-yellow lateritic soils, rich in iron.

the tea belt of Yunnan lies approximately between 21° and 29° north latitude; the main southern tea districts are in the range of about 21–25° N.

rejection of synthetic agrochemicals, use of biological protection, green manures and natural shading; mandatory buffer from neighboring non-organic plots and a transition period before obtaining the certificate.

Production

by hand, of tender flushes.

brief drying to reduce moisture content and even out the raw material.

heat treatment that inactivates enzymes and stops oxidation; the key step distinguishing green tea.

destruction of cell walls and imparting plasticity to the leaf.

while the leaf is warm and pliable, it is hand-rolled into balls; this is a labor-intensive stage that determines the density and uniformity of the pearl.

bringing to stable moisture content; for Yunnan green tea, hot-air drying (烘青, hōngqīng) is typical.

Organoleptic Profile

Dry Leaf Aroma: fresh herbaceous-green, with nuances of dry herbs and light sweetness.

tight dark-green balls, often with a gleam of the light downy bud tip; uniform, not crumbling under light pressure.

from pale yellow-green to light golden; transparent.

greenery, fresh foliage, sometimes chestnut and floral notes.

unfurled "bud-leaf" sets, elastic, of uniform greenish color.

Taste: full-bodied for a green tea due to the large-leaf raw material; noticeable body, freshness, moderate astringency with returning sweetness (回甘, huígān).

Chemical Composition

Amino Acids: form "umami" and smoothness, soften the perception of astringency.

high content, approximately 20–35% of dry mass; large-leaf varieties are generally richer in polyphenols.

the main group of polyphenols, including EGCG; determine astringency and antioxidant activity.

approximately 3–5% of dry mass; usually higher in large-leaf cultivars.

aromatic compounds, vitamins (in particular group C), microelements.

Health Notes

due to catechins; green tea is traditionally regarded as a source of polyphenol antioxidants.

the combination of caffeine and theanine provides a mild but noticeable stimulation with a relatively even feeling.

the drink without sugar, a customary element of the daily diet.

Brewing

soft, fresh, brought to a boil and cooled.

approximately 80–85 °C; hotter water intensifies astringency and bitterness.

one pearl (about 5–8 g) per 120–200 ml; for a stronger infusion in a gaiwan, two pearls per 150 ml may be used.

Teaware: a transparent glass cup or teapot — to observe the unfurling of the pearl; a porcelain gaiwan (盖碗, gàiwǎn) or brewing teapot are also suitable.

Storage

Shelf Life: optimal taste is usually preserved within 12–18 months from the production date; over time, fresh notes disappear and "flatness" appears.

green tea is not intended for aging; it is drunk fresh.

airtight opaque packaging, coolness, darkness, absence of foreign odors and moisture.

storage in the cold in a tightly sealed container is acceptable; after removal, it is important to let the packaging warm up to room temperature before opening, to avoid condensation.

Price and Authenticity

cost is determined by the quality of raw material (share of buds, season, garden altitude), the reality of organic certification, and the labor-intensiveness of hand-rolling; the latter noticeably raises the price relative to a loose-leaf equivalent.

this is a niche product, not a benchmark "famous" tea, so the price range is wide, and the name "龙珠" in itself does not guarantee a level.