【Southeastern Wonders】Fuding Artistic Flower Tea – Floral Basket in Water (Double Dragons Playing with a Pearl)

　　Introduction to Craft Tea:

　　Special flower-shaped craft tea, commonly known as craft tea, is a newly created premium tea. It is a type of flower-shaped tea made by binding multiple tea buds together and belongs to the category of baked green tea. It is mainly produced in Fuding, Mindong, Fujian. Most craft teas are handmade, harvested before the Grain Rain festival when the fresh leaves consist of one bud and one leaf that have not fully unfolded. The fresh leaves undergo processes including fixation, light rolling, initial drying and shaping, bud selection and placement into tubes, shaping and beautification, setting and baking, thorough drying, and storage.

　　The production of artisanal tea can be summarized in three processes:

　　I. Crafting Dried Flower Stamen from Tea Leaf Packages:

　　Carefully hand-picked edible flowers that meet quality standards—such as jasmine and gomphrena—are baked until they’re 90% dry, then threaded through their stamens using cotton yarn. After shaping, they’re baked again until fully dried.

　　II. Outsourcing the Production of Tea-Shaped Designs:

　　After being processed using 2-7 cm tea buds with stems, the lower portion is tightly bound into a bundle with one or more strands of cotton yarn.

　　3. Overall Styling:

　　Secure the arranged dried flowers (Step 1 of the crafting process) to the bundled stem base of tea buds (Step 2 of the crafting process) using fine thread, then press them into various shapes—such as spherical or mushroom-like forms—and finally bake thoroughly until completely dry.

　　One of our company's specialty tea varieties—Soulmates:

　　Ingredients: Chrysanthemum, Gomphrena, Silver Needle Tea.

　　The health benefits of various dried flowers:

　　1. Fragrant jasmine flowers

　　Jasmine flowers, once hailed by ancient people as "the most fragrant scent in the human world," boast pristine, snow-white petals and an intensely pure, richly aromatic fragrance—fresh, elegant, and long-lasting. Their delightful aroma is both robust and captivating. Fresh jasmine blossoms are warm in nature, with a sweet, slightly pungent flavor. They are renowned for their ability to regulate vital energy, relieve emotional tension, calm the mind, dispel impurities, and harmonize the body's functions.

　　Jasmine is a flower known for its ability to regulate the flow of vital energy; both its blossoms and leaves possess cooling and detoxifying properties that help relieve fever and ease symptoms on the surface of the body. Green tea, on the other hand, boasts a fresh, long-lasting aroma and yields a bright yellow-green infusion. Despite green tea’s naturally cooling nature, pairing it with warm, sweetly flavored fresh jasmine flowers can gently balance its coolness while enhancing its ability to soothe stagnation, alleviate emotional tension, calm the mind, harmonize digestion, and even reduce greasiness and cleanse impurities. Visually, the vibrant green of the tea leaves complements the delicate, snow-white hues of the jasmine blossoms—creating a cool yet elegant contrast. When the white petals float gracefully atop the emerald-green brew, the interplay of colors evokes a serene, almost poetic beauty.

　　2. Osmanthus

　　Osmanthus is a cherished ornamental tree and an economically valuable edible flower. When in bloom, it truly lives up to its poetic description: "With leaves dense as layers of greenery, its blossoms scatter golden hues across the landscape." Countless golden stars dot the lush, emerald-green canopy, releasing a delicate fragrance that drifts gently on the breeze—so subtle yet lingering for weeks on end. Revered as the "king of autumn blooms," it exudes an elegant, pure, and almost otherworldly charm. Its scent is both refreshing enough to cleanse the soul and rich enough to carry its aroma far and wide. Beyond its beauty, osmanthus flowers are not only delicious but also serve as an exceptional ingredient in artisanal tea blends. Indeed, this remarkable flower is celebrated as much for its exquisite flavor and medicinal properties as it is for its role in creating delectable dishes that bridge East and West.

　　Osmanthus flowers have a sweet taste and warm nature, offering benefits such as warming the stomach, calming the liver, tonifying the kidneys, and dispelling cold. They help generate saliva to combat bad breath, dissolve phlegm, relieve coughs, soothe the lungs, stimulate appetite, relax muscles, and improve circulation. Osmanthus is particularly effective in treating conditions like phlegm-related asthma, intestinal bleeding with bloody stools, gastric prolapse, gastric and duodenal ulcers, as well as strengthening bones and muscles, promoting blood flow, warming the lower back and knees, and eliminating blood stasis. Additionally, it can aid in recovering from lumbar sprains, addressing symptoms such as nocturnal emission, measles, amenorrhea accompanied by abdominal pain, persistent bad breath, and blurred vision.

　　3. Chrysanthemum

　　Chrysanthemums boast a rich and diverse array of colors, along with uniquely shaped flower heads. They are renowned for their resilience—thriving even in frost and cold—and exuding an elegant, fragrant charm that lingers in the breeze. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, chrysanthemums belong to the category of flowers that disperse wind-heat and relieve exterior syndromes. Their flowers, roots, and young shoots are cool in nature and have a bitter-sweet taste, while the leaves are mild in temperature and offer a slightly pungent-sweet flavor. These herbal components are celebrated for their ability to dispel wind, clear heat, detoxify, and improve vision, making them particularly effective for treating headaches, dizziness, wind-fire-related redness of the eyes, heart-and-chest discomfort due to internal heat, as well as boils and swelling caused by toxins. The flowers specifically help soothe the liver and sharpen eyesight, often used to alleviate symptoms like headwind-induced dizziness and eye opacity. Meanwhile, the leaves are prized for their cooling effects, aiding in reducing internal heat, enhancing vision, and promoting overall health of the five internal organs. Modern research has further confirmed that chrysanthemums play a vital role in regulating cardiovascular function and possess potent anti-aging properties. This is closely linked to their rich content of various trace elements—most notably selenium, a key anti-aging compound—as well as vitamins A and B1.

　　4. Gomphrena:

　　"Can flowers bloom for a thousand days? Humans may thrive for just a hundred—but if a flower could truly stay vibrant for a thousand days, that would truly be nature’s extraordinary gift. Most blossoms, though breathtakingly beautiful and full of charm during their brief lifespans, wither away within a mere hundred days. Yet those flowers that manage to bloom endlessly must surely carry with them countless blessings, such as the *Gomphrena*—the "thousand-day red." Because of this remarkable resilience, people often associate it with eternal love and undying romance. In its native lands of India and South America, it even goes by a poetic name: "grapho," derived from Greek, meaning "a colorfully dyed pen tassel"—a title that perfectly captures its Latin genus name, *Comphrena*."

　　Gomphrena is a naturally dried flower, and it also makes an exquisite artisanal tea ingredient. When vibrant-colored gomphrenas are steeped in hot water for an extended period, their hues gradually fade, allowing the flower buds' brilliant colors to infuse into the tea—transforming the brew into a delightfully soft pink that’s as pleasing to the eye as it is soothing to the palate.

　　Qianrihong contains essential amino acids, vitamins C and E, and various trace elements, offering benefits such as liver cleansing and improved vision, relief from coughs and asthma, blood pressure regulation and detoxification, as well as skin-nourishing and beauty-enhancing effects.

　　5. Calendula

　　The orange-yellow flowers, resembling sun-like marigolds—also known as calendulas—are native to Southern Europe and the Mediterranean coast. Legend has it that when the ancient Romans noticed these flowers blooming on the first day of the Roman calendar, they named them after "Calends," the Roman term for the first day of each month. This is how the plant’s genus name originated. Meanwhile, the ancient Egyptians believed calendulas could help slow down the aging process, while Indians revered them as sacred flowers. By the medieval period, calendulas were already being used to heal wounds—and even employed as a powerful defense against plagues like the Black Death.

　　Calendula flowers contain minerals like phosphorus and vitamin C, with the petals being the primary part utilized. Drinking calendula tea promotes sweating, boosts diuresis, and helps clear damp-heat from the body. During a cold, sipping calendula tea can aid in reducing fever while providing a cooling effect to calm overheated energy. Additionally, it has antispasmodic properties and supports digestion, making it especially beneficial for individuals suffering from digestive system ulcers. Beyond that, calendula tea also enhances blood circulation, helping women maintain a refreshing and balanced mood during their menstrual cycles. It even helps alleviate alcohol intoxication, thereby supporting liver health as well.

　　6. Carnations

　　"Who pities the longest bloom, as spring dew gives way to autumn winds?" In May, as flowers begin to fade with the arrival of spring's farewell, only carnations continue to thrive. Known also as "Dianthus," the carnation belongs to the Carnation family and stands out not only for its elegant yet vibrant colors but also for its subtle, pleasant fragrance. Rich in various trace elements essential for the human body, carnations help improve blood circulation, boost metabolism, calm the mind, relieve dryness, detoxify the body, promote radiant skin, slow down aging, and even support the healthy functioning of a woman's hormonal system.

　　7. Lily

　　The lily symbolizes purity, chastity, and innocence—it is considered an auspicious symbol. With its sweet, pleasant taste and lingering aftertaste, the lily effectively quenches thirst and calms the mind. It’s particularly beneficial for alleviating symptoms like dry cough caused by internal heat, soothing the chest and lungs, and providing relief from chronic bronchitis. Additionally, it boasts calming properties as well.

　　Artisanal Tea Brewing Method:

　　Artistic floral tea is the perfect blend of tea tasting and aromatherapy. When savoring this exquisite floral brew, it’s often said: "Before you even taste its sweet nectar, you’re already captivated by its divine fragrance." Fully immerse yourself in the unique harmony of floral notes—light yet richly evocative—and the delicate, elegant tea essence that defines this craft. As you sip and inhale its aroma, you’ll naturally feel a profound connection between heaven, earth, and humanity, where a fresh, robust, and serene floral scent gracefully intertwines with the refined, uplifting aroma of tea. The experience is deeply soothing, leaving you refreshed, uplifted, and utterly enchanted—inviting you to lose yourself in the poetic rhythm of "first sensing the fragrance, then admiring the color, and finally savoring the subtle elegance." Regularly enjoying artistic floral tea not only nurtures your mind and calms your body but also promotes overall well-being, helping you maintain a balanced, joyful, and healthy state of being.

　　1. Place the dry tea leaves into a transparent cup, then pour in boiling water;

　　2. The leaves slowly unfold;

　　3. The flowers enclosed within the leaves are gradually unfolding as well;

　　4. Finally, it blossoms into a flower within the tea.