白露：暑退涼風起 閒飲白露茶
“蒹葭蒼蒼，白露為霜。”白露是一個反映自然界氣溫變化的重要節氣，在西曆9月7—9日交節。此時基本結束了暑天的悶熱，是秋季由悶熱轉向涼爽的轉捩點。白露前後，清晨的露水日益加厚，在草葉面上凝結成一層白白的水滴，這也是“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.
中國文化中認為清晨的露水最為潔凈，如此珍貴，怎能浪費？因此，中國民間在白露節氣有“收清露”的習俗，這也成為白露這天最特別的“儀式”。 在中國古代社會更是有露水煮茶的雅興。據説乾隆皇帝曾發明“荷露茶”，他命人清晨早起為他收集荷葉上的露珠，用來煮茶。
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.
中國人愛茶、懂茶，民間有“春茶苦，夏茶澀，要喝茶，秋白露”的説法。愛喝茶的人十分青睞“白露茶”，此時的茶樹經歷了夏季的酷熱，迎來了生長的極好時期。白露茶既不像春茶那樣鮮嫩、不經泡，也不像夏茶那樣幹澀味苦，而是有一種獨特甘醇的清香味。
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.
白露節氣之前採摘的茶葉叫早秋茶；從白露之後到十月上旬採摘的茶葉叫晚秋茶。相比早秋茶，晚秋茶的味道更好一點。如果説春茶喝的是那股清新的香氣、淡淡的青草味，那麼晚秋茶喝的則是一種濃郁的、醇厚的味道。經過了一夏的煎熬，茶葉也仿佛在時間中熬出了最濃烈的品性。
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.
白露時節，已是入秋，最適合飲青茶(又名烏龍茶)。此時，氣候乾燥，令人口乾舌燥、嘴唇乾裂，即中醫所講的“秋燥”。秋季喝青茶，可以潤膚除燥、生津潤肺，十分有利於秋天的保健。因此，在乾燥的秋天“貼秋膘”，飽食一餐豐富油膩的食物後，不妨飲茶一杯，幫助體內油脂的溶解。
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.
白露飲茶，既有品味，又能養生，喝茶雖然有許多好處，但並不是喝得越多越好，如同好酒需品，猛灌無益，白露茶也不可“貪杯”喲！
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.
