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Description
Ku Ding Cha is a beverage tea consumed in China as an alternative to the more common, ordinary green tea. The standard Chinese tea, from Camellia sinensis, is known as cha, and this term is then applied to other herbs that are consumed in similar manner. Ku Ding describes this particular beverage tea: ku means bitter, which aptly describes the initial taste, and ding is a Chinese character that looks like a spike (middle character, below), depicting the appearance of the dried, long leaves when they are twisted into a narrow nail-like piece; they can also be formed into rolls.
Ku Ding Cha was described in the Bencao Gangmu Shiyi (1765), originally called Dong Qing, which refers to the fact that it is an evergreen tree (dong means winter, or written another way, frozen, and qing means green; it is the tree that stays green through the winter). The leaves of Ilex kudingcha (young plant pictured here) are long, slim, without the points common to other holly plants, and somewhat rubbery in texture.
Considerable health benefit is attributed to Ku Ding Cha. In traditional Chinese medicine terms, it is used to disperse wind-heat, clear the head and the eyes, and resolve toxin, thus being used for common cold, rhinitis, itching eyes, red eyes, and headache. In addition, it is said to calm fidgets and alleviate thirst, especially when one is suffering from a disease that causes fever or severe diarrhea. It transforms phlegm and alleviates coughing, thus used in treating bronchitis. Finally, it is said to invigorate digestion and improve mental focus and memory.
Modern research suggests that the herb, whether derived from Ilex or Ligustrum, promotes blood circulation, lowers blood pressure, and lowers blood lipids, including cholesterol. It has the reputation of preventing deterioration of the heart and brain function and maintaining proper body weight. The main active components appear to be triterpene glycosides (saponins), which have been dubbed kudinosides and kudinlactones; it also contains polyphenols and flavonoids, somewhat like those found in ordinary tea.
One of the main growing locations for Ilex is in Guangxi Province of southwestern China (see map, last page); in particular, in Daxin County. The oldest Ilex tree is found growing there: it is about 30 meters high (100 feet), and has grown for centuries. In that county, there are about 3,400 acres (more than 5 square miles) of Ilex kudingcha trees under cultivation. Ilex is also grown throughout southern and central China and Vietnam.
The experience of drinking the tea is somewhat unusual. The taste of the tea is a pure, distinctive bitter, which, at first, would seem to make it undesirable. But, there is also an underlying sweet taste, one which becomes pronounced once the bitter wears off, a moment after taking a sip of the tea. It doesn't take too long to become accustomed to the taste and then find it attractive, in much the same way that coffee and other bitter drinks are desired. The strength of the tea can be adjusted to one's liking. It takes only a few spikes, typically 3-5 of them, to make a pot of tea for one person; hot water can be added again to the leaves, even several times, to make more tea.
Brewing Guide:
Rinse tea cup and teapot with hot water. Use only 1 stick for every 150ml of water. Steep tea leaves in hot water at 80°c (176°F) to 90°c (194°F) for 20~40 seconds for the first and second brewing. Gradually increase steeping time and temperature for subsequent brewing. 1 stick can be brewn 4~5 times.
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