粵北茶鄉(xiāng)行

文劉照丁 佟虎 LIU Zhaoding TONG Hu 圖徐進(jìn) 韶坤 周偉 榮合 XU Jin SHAO Kun ZHOU Wei RONG He

粵北韶關(guān)市翁源縣藍(lán)河村茶園一角A corner at tea garden at Lanhe Village of Wengyuan, Shaoguan City in Northern Guangdong

粵北地處粵、贛、湘、桂四?。▍^(qū)）的結(jié)合部，主要包括韶關(guān)市和清遠(yuǎn)市所轄縣、區(qū)。好山好水出好茶，粵北堪稱茶的故鄉(xiāng)，目前僅韶關(guān)市就有翁源、始興、乳源等9個(gè)縣、區(qū)在種植茶葉。據(jù)權(quán)威機(jī)構(gòu)評(píng)定，廣東省十大茶鄉(xiāng)中，粵北就有曲江區(qū)羅坑鎮(zhèn)、仁化縣紅山鎮(zhèn)、清遠(yuǎn)英德市上榜，馳名的茶葉品牌有曲江羅坑“雪花巖”高山茶、“猴采紅”原生態(tài)紅茶，仁化紅山銀毫茶，樂(lè)昌沿溪山白毛茶，清遠(yuǎn)英德紅茶等。這些上好的茶葉，以其悠久的歷史、優(yōu)良的品質(zhì)和獨(dú)特的芳香吸引著天下來(lái)客。

早春二月，春寒料峭。我們驅(qū)車向曲江區(qū)羅坑鎮(zhèn)出發(fā)。羅坑鎮(zhèn)位于韶關(guān)市區(qū)的西南部，南接清遠(yuǎn)英德市英紅鎮(zhèn)和橫石塘鎮(zhèn)，是粵北著名的茶鄉(xiāng)。驅(qū)車一個(gè)多小時(shí)后，我們便進(jìn)入了該鎮(zhèn)政府所在的位置，只見(jiàn)這里大山懷抱，竹木成蔭，溪水潺潺，沒(méi)有一絲工業(yè)的痕跡。放眼附近的村寨，似乎被早春?jiǎn)拘蚜怂频模迩拔莺蟮漠嬅鉴B嘰嘰喳喳叫出歡悅的和鳴聲，植物在經(jīng)歷寒冬后悄然吐出新芽，遠(yuǎn)處高山冒出的霧氣繚繞山梁如詩(shī)如畫，大地顯出勃勃生機(jī)。

在羅坑鎮(zhèn)的村前屋后，隨處可見(jiàn)精美的茶文化招牌。這里從古至今就是茶鄉(xiāng)，近年來(lái)在這里發(fā)現(xiàn)的上萬(wàn)棵古茶樹和至今仍然延續(xù)的濃郁的茶文化就是例證。據(jù)該鎮(zhèn)有關(guān)負(fù)責(zé)人介紹，該鎮(zhèn)轄區(qū)面積218平方公里，森林面積32.5萬(wàn)畝，森林覆蓋率86%以上，已建立國(guó)家級(jí)自然保護(hù)區(qū)。以往，羅坑鎮(zhèn)以傳統(tǒng)種植業(yè)和家禽飼養(yǎng)業(yè)收入維持溫飽。改革開放后，該鎮(zhèn)積極探索“一鄉(xiāng)一品”的經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展模式，一些群眾便利用祖上傳下的技術(shù)開始走了種茶制茶的發(fā)展路子。近年來(lái)，該鎮(zhèn)群眾在種茶制茶過(guò)程中發(fā)現(xiàn)了崇山峻嶺中深藏的古茶樹，這一驚人發(fā)現(xiàn)引發(fā)了該鎮(zhèn)經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展的新思考。經(jīng)普查，目前該鎮(zhèn)已發(fā)現(xiàn)上百年的古茶樹12000多棵。為此，他們一方面按照自然保護(hù)區(qū)的要求加強(qiáng)對(duì)古茶樹的保護(hù)，另一方面請(qǐng)有關(guān)專家開展對(duì)古茶樹的研究。目前，該鎮(zhèn)發(fā)展茶園面積達(dá)到8800多畝，茶生產(chǎn)企業(yè)有20多家。該鎮(zhèn)從事茶葉種植、生產(chǎn)、加工、銷售人員有3600多人，占全鎮(zhèn)總?cè)丝?/3以上，茶農(nóng)僅此一項(xiàng)人均純收入近兩萬(wàn)元。實(shí)踐再次證明，綠水青山就是金山銀山。

曲江茶歷史悠久，在曲江區(qū)羅坑鎮(zhèn)，隨處可聽(tīng)到喝茶人講茶史。據(jù)供職于曲江區(qū)文聯(lián)的晏保權(quán)介紹，《中國(guó)茶葉大辭典》就春秋時(shí)期齊國(guó)賢相晏子（名嬰）對(duì)茶的研究進(jìn)行了考辨，晏子堪稱“先古第一茶人”，亦稱為“茶祖”。羅坑鎮(zhèn)先祖對(duì)“茶祖”崇拜有加，在該鎮(zhèn)新屋村旁，就曾經(jīng)造有供奉“茶祖”的廟。又據(jù)唐代“茶圣”陸羽《茶經(jīng)》記載：“嶺南茶產(chǎn)于韶州”，其所記載的韶州茶，經(jīng)考證就屬于曲江茶?！稄V東通志》引《韶州志》：“細(xì)茶出南華者佳?！蹦先A即為現(xiàn)今的曲江區(qū)。《曲江鄉(xiāng)土志》記載：“茶葉樹，其類甚多。其葉可煮茶，以南華、羅坑味甜香濃，經(jīng)宿不變者為美。”這些史料說(shuō)明，曲江區(qū)南華、羅坑等地，早在一千多年前就是茶鄉(xiāng)。

據(jù)介紹，羅坑鎮(zhèn)的茶葉之所以味甜香濃，泡后經(jīng)隔夜仍不變色不變味，得益于這里獨(dú)特的環(huán)境氣候。這里屬亞熱帶季風(fēng)型氣候區(qū)，晝夜溫差較大，日照時(shí)間長(zhǎng)，降雨量豐富。保護(hù)區(qū)內(nèi)有大小溪流18條，匯入羅坑水庫(kù)，保護(hù)區(qū)地形地貌復(fù)雜，山巒重疊，溝壑縱橫，森林茂密，自然資源豐富，動(dòng)植物種類繁多。境內(nèi)發(fā)現(xiàn)的古茶樹群，正是保護(hù)區(qū)內(nèi)山陡險(xiǎn)峻，蛇蜥繁多，眾人懼怕才得以保存下來(lái)的。

廣東省茶業(yè)協(xié)會(huì)理事賴國(guó)清向我們講述了他對(duì)茶的感悟：“雪花巖”高山茶源自唐代中期，茶葉采自海拔500米至1200米的高山森林，具有與眾不同的“木甜杏仁香”和“木甜花香”。這使我們想起流傳于粵北山區(qū)的一首采茶歌：“太陽(yáng)升上半山坡，林中小鳥未出窩，小伙采茶上山去，打著赤腳唱山歌；人人肩頭一掛籮，穿過(guò)森林渡過(guò)河，遠(yuǎn)望古茶參天擎，未攀茶樹喜心窩……”正當(dāng)我們沉浸在小伙子歡快采茶的情景中時(shí)，賴國(guó)清已為我們泡上了色澤清純的“古樹杏仁香茶”。我們端茶細(xì)細(xì)品嘗，果然濃醇鮮爽，潤(rùn)人肺腑，讓人愉悅無(wú)比。

在羅坑鎮(zhèn)坪崗嶺“猴采紅”茶業(yè)公司，曲江區(qū)羅坑茶行業(yè)協(xié)會(huì)會(huì)長(zhǎng)何放平介紹了羅坑茶采茶制茶過(guò)程中融入中華文化元素的做法。他說(shuō)，羅坑鎮(zhèn)的大山中，有一山峰望似靈猴，故名“猴寨峰”，相傳有一對(duì)夫婦隱居于此，禮佛茹齋，善待生靈，平時(shí)靠采峭壁巖茶的收入清淡度日。年復(fù)一年，夫婦漸老，梅花仙子感念其德行，遂化作靈猴陪伴左右，為其攀巖采茶。故事感動(dòng)了世人，人稱其茶為“猴采茶”。

羅坑茶中“古樹雅韻”“古樹神韻”“蟠桃杏仁香”和“古樹古韻”四道茶皆有可觀品之處。這四道茶，外表看均是湯色金黃透亮，但細(xì)細(xì)品茗，卻別有韻致?！把彭崱睖仨樔岷?，味純細(xì)膩；“神韻”滋味甘醇富足，韻味鮮爽突出；“杏仁香”香氣飄揚(yáng)，濃郁大氣；而“古韻”則味醇厚韻，生津回甘。這四道茶，很像中國(guó)古代西施、王昭君、楊貴妃、貂蟬四大美女的性格。

“潔性不可污，為飲滌塵煩；此物信靈味，本自出山原……”告別茶桌，外面已是細(xì)雨霏霏。品茶至此，大家已是神清氣爽。遠(yuǎn)眺山巒處飄逸的霧海，我們以為那便是茶鄉(xiāng)飄出的香氣凝聚，隨著那香氣，茶鄉(xiāng)仿佛已置身于仙界。

翁源縣藍(lán)河村采茶姑娘在采茶Tea picking by tea girls at Lanhe Village of Wengyuan

As a junction of Guangdong, Jiangxi, Hunan and Guangxi provinces, the Northern Guangdong Area mainly includes Shaoguan City and counties and districts under Qingyuan City. Great mountain with pure water and fine-quality tea, the region is called the hometown of tea. At present, only in Shaoguan City, tea cultivation occurs in nine counties and districts,such as Wengyuan, Shixing, Ruyuan and others. According to the assessment by the authority, the Northern Guangdong Area,amongst all the ten tea villages in Guangdong Province, includes Luokeng Town of Qujiang District, Hongshan Town of Renhua Disctrict and Yingde town of Qingyuan City, showcasing some well-known tea brands, such as Snowflake Rock high mountain tea from Luokeng of Quyuan, original ecological black tea of Houcaihong, Yinhao tea of Hongshan, Renhua, white-hair tea of Yanxishan, Lechang, and black tea of Yingde, Qingyuan. These top-quality teas, with their long history, excellent quality and unique aroma, attract visitors from around the world.

In early spring, February, it still felt quite chilly. We drove to Luokeng Town of Qujiang District. Located in the southwest of Shaoguan City, the little town, adjacent to Yinghong Town and Hengshitang Town of Yingde City of Qingyuan to the south, is a famous tea village in northern Guangdong. After more than onehour driving, we entered the location of the town government,where I saw the embrace of the mountains, shady trees and gurgling streams without any trace of industry. Looking around the nearby village, it seemed that it has been awakened by the early spring with the thrushes’ pleasant songs by houses, the plant quietly spit out the sprouts after the winter, the misty mountains surrounded by smoke in distance were picturesque showing great vitality of the land.

Exquisite signs of tea culture could be found everywhere in Luokeng Town. This place has been the tea village since ancient times, tens of thousands of ancient tea trees found in recent years and the strong tea culture continued at present time are the effective proof. According to the people in charge of the town, covering the area of 218 square kilometers, the forest area of 325,000 mu and over 86% of forest coverage, the town has established a national nature reserve. In the past, the Luokeng Town maintains adequate food and clothing with traditional farming and poultry. After the reform and opening up, the town actively explored the economic development model of "one county, one product",and some people began to take the development path of tea plantation by using the technologies passed from their ancestors. In recent years, the town people found ancient tea trees in the mountains in the tea growing process, this amazing discovery triggered the new thinking of the town's economic development. More than 12,000 strains of ancient tea trees over a hundred years have been found after census.To this end, on the one hand, they are required to strengthen the protection of ancient tea trees in accordance with the requirements of nature reserves. On the other hand, relevant experts are invited to conduct research on these ancient tea trees. At present, the town has reached 8800 acres of tea garden area and more than 20 tea production enterprises.More than 3600 people from the town are engaged in tea cultivation, production, processing and sales, accounting for 1/3 of the town's total population. And tea farmers received a per capita net income of nearly 20,000 RMB through this item only. Practice once again proves that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.

羅坑深山枝繁葉茂的古茶樹Flourish ancient tea trees in deep mountains at Luokeng Town

Qujiang tea enjoys a long history. Tea drinkers’ telling history of tea can be found anywhere in Luokong Town, Qujiang District. According to YAN Baoquan, who works in Qujiang federation of literary and art circles,Dictionary of Chinese Teaexamines the study of tea by Qi Dynasty’s renowned chancellor YAN Zi (Style name as YING) from the Spring and Autumn Period. YAN Zi is accordingly regarded as "the first man of tea in ancient times", known as the "tea ancestor".Luokeng Town’ ancestors worshipped the "tea ancestor", as a temple dedicated to the "tea ancestor" has been built near the Xinwu Village of the township. According to the records ofTea Scriptureof LU Yu, the Saint of Tea in Tang Dynasty:"Lingnan tea is produced in Shaozhou", the Shaozhou tea in the records belongs to the Qujiang tea through thorough research.Guangdong AnnalsquotedShaozhou Archives:Nanhua produced the best Dust tea. Nanhua is the Qujiang District at present.Records of Qujiang Archivesshow: "Tea trees are of many kinds. The leaves can be brewed, with those of strongest sweetness and fragrance produced Nanhua and Luokeng, and the most superb remains unchanged through night." These historical facts show that area like Nanhua of Qujaing District, Luokeng and others were the villages of tea as early as a thousand years ago.

According to the reports, the tea sweetness and fragrance with unchanged color and flavor after soaking overnight from Luokeng Town were due to the unique climate here. It belongs to the subtropical monsoon climate zone, showing large temperature difference between day and night, long sunshine and abundant rainfall. There are 18 streams in the reserve, which are imported into Luokeng Reservoir. The protected area demonstrates complicated terrain, overlapping hills, ravines, dense forests, rich natural resources and a great variety of animals and plants. The ancient tea tree groups found in the area are under fine protection accordingly thanks to its steep location and large number of snakes and lizards around, driving people away.

LAI Guoqing, director of the Guangdong Tea Industry Association, told us about his sentiment about tea: "Snow Flake" high mountain tea originated from the middle of the Tang Dynasty. Tea was collected from alpine forests at locations 500 to 1,200 meters above sea level, bearing unique woody almond sweet and woody flower sweet. This reminds us of a piece of tea song circulating in the mountains of northern Guangdong: "The sun rises halfway up the hill, birds still rest in nest, a young man climbing hills to collect teas with bare foot while sing folk songs; everyone shoulders a hanging basket, crossing forests and rivers and looking at the ancient tea trees in distance with happiness in heart…" As we were immersed in the young man's cheerful tea picking scene, Mr.LAI Guoqing had already soaked us the "almond tea of ancient trees" showing pure and simple color. We carefully tasted the tea, finding it refreshing and cool with moisture, endowing people with unprecedented joy.

At the Pinggangling Houcaihong Tea Company in Luokeng Town, HE Fangping, chairman of the tea association of Qujiang District has introduced the methods of integrating elements of Chinese culture into the tea picking and processing. He said that a mountain was shaped like a monkey in Luokeng Town, winning the name of Hou Village Peak. Legends said that a couple lived here in seclusion, showing their devotion by abstaining from meat and praying to Buddha and kind of all life, having a simple life by income from selling rock tea. Year after year, the couple was getting older. Plum fairy read their virtues, and then transformed into a monkey to accompany the old couple, climbing rocks to collect rock tea for them. The story has touched the world, hence the tea is called Houcai Tea.

羅坑鎮(zhèn)古茶籽自然繁殖的新茶樹New tea trees naturally bred by ancient tea seeds at Luokeng Town

Four types of tea of Luokeng Tea as Gu Shu Ya Yun, Gu Shu Shen Yun, Pan Tao Xing Ren Xiang and Gu Shu Gu Yun are of most high quality in admiration and taste. The four teas all show the golden color with translucency in soup, but remain differently charming in taste. "Ya Yun" is gentle and soft with pure and delicate taste; "Shen Yun" is full of sweetness,highlighting the fresh and prominent flavor; "Xing Ren Xiang"spreads fluttering aroma with strong nobility; "Gu Yun" shows strong and pure taste with sweetness and moisture. The four types of tea are much like the characters of four beauties in ancient China, Xishi, WANG Zhaojun, YANG Guifei and Diaochan.

Cleanliness for wiping out troubles; spiritual tastes of nature originate from mountains. Farewell to the tea table, it was already drizzling outside. We were all most refreshed after enjoying tea at this point. Overlooking the mountains at the elegant sea of fog, it occurred to us as if that was the fragrance of tea floating out, and with that aroma, the tea village seemed to be sitting in a fairyland.