The History And Meaning Of Gunpowder Tea 3505

Gunpowder tea is a type of green tea that has been rolled into small, round pellets that resemble gunpowder. It is one of the oldest and most popular teas in the world, especially in North Africa and the Middle East, where it is often brewed with mint and sugar. But what is the origin and significance of the Gunpowder Tea 3505 that is used to grade this tea?

 

Gunpowder Tea 3505 production dates back to the Tang dynasty (618–907) in China, where it was first introduced to Taiwan in the nineteenth century¹. The tea leaves are withered, steamed, rolled, and then dried. Rolling the leaves makes them less prone to damage and preserves their flavor and aroma. It also allows some types of oolong teas to be aged for decades if they are occasionally roasted¹.

 

The name gunpowder tea comes from the resemblance of the tea pellets to the gunpowder used for early cannons. The Chinese name for gunpowder tea is zhū chá (珠茶), which means “pearl tea” or "bead tea". The English name may have been coined by British traders who were impressed by the explosive quality of the tea when steeped in hot water.

 

 

Gunpowder tea is divided into several grades using a combination of numbers and letters. The numbers indicate the size of the pellets, with smaller numbers meaning smaller and higher quality pellets. The letters indicate the quality of the leaves, with more A’s meaning higher quality. For example, 3505AAA is considered the highest grade while 9375 is a relatively lower grade.

 

The origin of the Gunpowder Tea 3505 is not clear, but there are some possible explanations. One is that it refers to the year 3505 in the Chinese lunar calendar, which corresponds to 1946 in the Gregorian calendar. This was the year when China resumed its tea exports after World War II, and gunpowder tea was one of the main products. Another possibility is that it refers to the weight of the tea in grams per kilogram. A third possibility is that it refers to the number of pellets per ounce.