Longjing tea from bluish to deep green after steeping. Before infusion, higher quality Longjing teas have a very tight, flat shape and light green color. A study by Wang and Ruan (2009) found that one aspect of the perceived low quality of Longjing teas was a higher concentration of chlorophyll, producing a darker green color. The study revealed that free amino acids and theanine concentrations contribute positively to what is perceived as a good taste. Longjing tea was granted the status of Gong Cha, or imperial tea, in the Qing dynasty by the Kangxi Emperor. According to the legend, The Kangxi Emperor's
The Chinese Language: Fact and Fantasy Part IV discuss Chinese writing. Part I has discussion of spoken Chinese. The book discusses attempts to reform Chinese that occurred in the 20th century, as well as the development process of hanzi over time. A good portion of the book is devoted to attempts at debunking what DeFrancis calls the "six myths" of Chinese characters. The myths are: All of these are dealt with in separate chapters, at length, in the book. William G. Boltz of the University of Washington wrote that the majority of the book "is an entirely worthy and satisfactory accomplishment that will reward the general