An Ji Bai Pian Pre-Qing Ming

This Pre Qing Ming (meaning the very first shoots or sprouting or, the very first flush) is a lovely and s bea. Why is this a good thing? During winter the tea bushes are dormant but can be "stressed" with winter conditions, and build up "defenses" by storing up nutrients. Then these components come forth vividly with the first growth.  The yields are small, and so these first plucks are expensive, and the picking usually lasts only a week, if that.

The An JI Bai Pian (An Ji is a place name; bai means white, and pian means slice/piece) was re-discovered a few decades ago in Zhejiang, and its unique feature is that the wet leaves become paler -- to a shade of ivory or celadon (not quite truly white). However, how pale the infused leaves become depends on rainfall, ambient conditions, and the pluck quality.