白露：暑退凉风起 闲饮白露茶
“蒹葭苍苍，白露为霜。”白露是一个反映自然界气温变化的重要节气，在公历9月7—9日交节。此时基本结束了暑天的闷热，是秋季由闷热转向凉爽的转折点。白露前后，清晨的露水日益加厚，在草叶面上凝结成一层白白的水滴，这也是“白露”名由之一。
“Carpet of frost on green reeds and white dew.” White Dew is a key solar term that marks the seasonal change of temperature in nature. It normally falls between September 7-9 when muggy nights begin to turn cool. As moisture in the air condenses in the morning, it leaves tiny water droplets on the grass, giving the season its name — White Dew.
中国文化中认为清晨的露水最为洁净，如此珍贵，怎能浪费？因此，中国民间在白露节气有“收清露”的习俗，这也成为白露这天最特别的“仪式”。 在中国古代社会更是有露水煮茶的雅兴。据说乾隆皇帝曾发明“荷露茶”，他命人清晨早起为他收集荷叶上的露珠，用来煮茶。
In Chinese culture, morning dew is precious and should not be wasted. Therefore, there is a tradition of “collecting the dew” during this solar term. In ancient China, making tea using leaves with dew was very popular. It is said that Emperor Qianlong invented the "lotus dew tea". He ordered people to get up early in the morning to collect the dew on lotus leaves for him to make tea.
中国人爱茶、懂茶，民间有“春茶苦，夏茶涩，要喝茶，秋白露”的说法。爱喝茶的人十分青睐“白露茶”，此时的茶树经历了夏季的酷热，迎来了生长的极好时期。白露茶既不像春茶那样鲜嫩、不经泡，也不像夏茶那样干涩味苦，而是有一种独特甘醇的清香味。
The tea culture in China is very strong. There is a saying among people that “spring tea is bitter, summer tea is astringent, but the best tea should be around White Dew in autumn”. Tea lovers are very fond of “White Dew tea” which offers the best of the plant after it has experienced a rapid spurt of growth during the summer. White Dew tea is not as fresh and tender as spring tea, nor as dry and bitter as summer tea, but has a unique mellow fragrance.
白露节气之前采摘的茶叶叫早秋茶；从白露之后到十月上旬采摘的茶叶叫晚秋茶。相比早秋茶，晚秋茶的味道更好一点。如果说春茶喝的是那股清新的香气、淡淡的青草味，那么晚秋茶喝的则是一种浓郁的、醇厚的味道。经过了一夏的煎熬，茶叶也仿佛在时间中熬出了最浓烈的品性。
The tea picked before the White Dew solar term is called early autumn tea; the tea picked between White Dew to early October is called late autumn tea. Compared with early autumn tea, late autumn tea tastes better. While spring tea introduces fresh aroma, light grassy flavor, taste-buds can enjoy the strong, lingering taste of the late autumn tea.
白露时节，已是入秋，最适合饮青茶(又名乌龙茶)。此时，气候干燥，令人口干舌燥、嘴唇干裂，即中医所讲的“秋燥”。秋季喝青茶，可以润肤除燥、生津润肺，十分有利于秋天的保健。因此，在干燥的秋天“贴秋膘”，饱食一餐丰富油腻的食物后，不妨饮茶一杯，帮助体内油脂的溶解。
White Dew also means the entry to autumn, the most suitable period for drinking oolong tea. At this time, the climate is dry, causing dry mouth and cracked lips, which is called "autumn dryness" in traditional Chinese medicine. Drinking oolong tea in autumn can moisten the skin and remove dryness, produce fluid and moisten the lung, which is very beneficial for healthcare during autumn. Therefore, in the dry autumn season, after a meal of rich and greasy food, a cup of tea is nice companion to help dissolve the body fat.
白露饮茶，既有品味，又能养生，喝茶虽然有许多好处，但并不是喝得越多越好，如同好酒需品，猛灌无益，白露茶也不可“贪杯”哟！
White Dew tea can be had for both taste and health. Although drinking tea has many advantages, one should not overdo it. Just as good wine is enjoyed sip by sip — it is useless to pour it endlessly — one shouldn’t be too greedy when it comes to White Dew tea.
