六堡茶：可以喝的古董，兼具药用价值的茶中珍品
六堡茶作为中国历史名茶，近年来备受关注。如果说绿茶是轻狂少年，白茶是东方美人，红茶是成熟贵妇，那么六堡茶就是艳光四射的舞娘和学富五车的智者。在很多茶人眼中，六堡茶是"采天地之灵气，得自然之造化"的茶中圣品。
Liubao Tea, as a famous historical Chinese tea, has attracted much attention in recent years. If green tea is a reckless youth, white tea is an oriental beauty, and black tea is a mature noblewoman, then Liubao tea is a dazzling dancer and a wise scholar. In the eyes of many tea lovers, Liubao tea is a "holy product that absorbs the essence of nature".
六堡茶有着神奇的传说：相传龙母下凡到苍梧六堡镇，发现当地百姓生活贫苦。她尝试多种方法无果后，发现黑石山下的泉水异常甜美。于是龙母让农神在此播下茶树种子，培育出了叶绿芽美的茶树，这就是六堡茶的起源。
Liubao tea has a magical legend: It is said that the Dragon Mother came to Cangwu Liubao Town and found the local people living in poverty. After trying many methods in vain, she discovered the exceptionally sweet spring water at the foot of Heishi Mountain. So the Dragon Mother asked the God of Agriculture to sow tea seeds here, cultivating tea trees with green leaves and beautiful buds - this is the origin of Liubao tea.
六堡茶的海外传播
The Overseas Spread of Liubao Tea
六堡茶通过"茶船古道"成为海上丝绸之路的重要商品。清代中期，大批华工"下南洋"，马来西亚成为六堡茶重要的出口地区。当地华人喜爱六堡茶的原因有二：化解乡愁和消病祛疾。
Liubao tea became an important commodity on the Maritime Silk Road through the "Ancient Tea Boat Route". In the mid-Qing Dynasty, large numbers of Chinese laborers went to "Nanyang" (Southeast Asia), making Malaysia an important export region for Liubao tea. The local Chinese loved Liubao tea for two reasons: relieving homesickness and curing diseases.
马来西亚气候湿热，矿工们常患中暑、风湿等疾病。他们发现常喝六堡茶的人很少得病，这是因为六堡茶富含硒、锌、氨基酸等微量元素，能增强免疫力。六堡茶因此被称为"可以喝的古董"。
The hot and humid climate in Malaysia often caused miners to suffer from heatstroke, rheumatism and other diseases. They found that people who regularly drank Liubao tea rarely got sick, because Liubao tea is rich in trace elements such as selenium, zinc and amino acids that can boost immunity. Therefore, Liubao tea is called "a drinkable antique".
六堡茶的独特工艺
The Unique Process of Liubao Tea
六堡茶的制作是一个缓慢的过程：杀青、揉捻、渥堆发酵、烘焙，然后经过数月乃至数年陈放。新制的六堡茶需要时间"后发酵"才能完成蜕变，汤色变得酒红，口感醇厚，留下陈香、松香等独特香气。
The production of Liubao tea is a slow process: fixing, rolling, pile fermentation, baking, and then aging for months or even years. Newly made Liubao tea needs time for "post-fermentation" to complete its transformation, with the soup color turning wine-red, the taste mellow, leaving behind unique aromas like aged fragrance and pine fragrance.
与大多数茶叶"以新为贵"不同，六堡茶"越陈越香"。好的六堡茶经过十几年甚至几十年的自然发酵，才能完成脱胎换骨的改造，就像法国红酒一样越老越香。
Unlike most teas that are "better when fresh", Liubao tea "becomes more fragrant with age". Good Liubao tea needs more than ten or even decades of natural fermentation to complete its transformation, just like French red wine that gets better with age.
六堡茶的药用价值
Medicinal Value of Liubao Tea
六堡茶具有显著的祛湿、调肠胃、降三高功效。在中医里，湿气是最难调理的症结，而六堡茶对祛湿效果显著。这也是为什么当年南洋华工将其视为生活必需药品。
Liubao tea has significant effects in removing dampness, regulating the stomach and intestines, and lowering the three highs (blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar). In traditional Chinese medicine, dampness is the most difficult problem to regulate, and Liubao tea is remarkably effective in removing dampness. This is why Chinese laborers in Nanyang regarded it as a daily necessity medicine.
如今，随着"一带一路"倡议的实施，六堡茶的历史文化价值越来越受重视。这款兼具饮用和药用价值的茶中珍品，正以其独特的魅力走向世界。
Today, with the implementation of the "Belt and Road" initiative, the historical and cultural value of Liubao tea is receiving more and more attention. This tea treasure with both drinking and medicinal value is going global with its unique charm.
