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
Shantang Street Shantang Street Shantang Street (; Suzhou Wu: Se daon ka, ), also known as Seven-mile Shantang (), is a street in northwestern Gusu District, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. The street connects Changmen () in the east with Huqiu in the west, with a total length of about 3,829.6 meters (2.38 miles), or a little more than seven li or traditional "Chinese miles". In 2015, the Shantang Street Scenic Area was added to the list of China's "National Historic and Cultural Streets". Construction of the Shantang Canal (Chinese:山塘河) started in 825 AD, during the Tang Dynasty by Bai Juyi, a poet and