The Legend of the Golden Flower: From Myth to Reality

See the spell of the golden flower. In our busy lives, it is often easy to get caught up in everyday tasks and forget to appreciate the beauty around us. However, every now and then, we are fortunate enough to witness something truly magical – something that captivates our senses and reminds us of the wonders of the natural world. One such enchantment is the sight of a golden flower in full bloom. When we see a golden flower, it is as if time stands still. Its vibrant, radiant petals instantly catch our attention and draw us closer.

A delightful treat for the fall season, Bewitching Blossoms is filled with tempting orange gerberas, lavender mini carnations, and blue larkspur. Even though this arrangement has the perfect hints of spook for Halloween, it's great for more than just that. Surprise that person in your life that likes a little boldness!

Cube Vase nbsp, Greens Ivy nbsp, Salal nbsp, Flowers Lavender Roses nbsp, Purple Stock nbsp, Purple Spider Mums nbsp, Purple Mini Carnations nbsp, Purple Lisianthus. People regularly claim their tea is 没打农药 化肥的 this is what most westerners mean when they say organic they also offer pictures of their 农残检测报告 to prove there are no pesticides.

Its vibrant, radiant petals instantly catch our attention and draw us closer. Each delicate petal seems to be infused with sunlight, emitting a warm and inviting glow. The flower's sturdy stem proudly holds the weight of this magnificent creation, standing tall and majestic amidst a sea of green.

Is the mold on heicha (AKA "golden flowers") safe?

It seems that most, if not all, of the pressed heicha here in China is marketed for its mold, literally translated as “golden flowers.” Is this mold actually safe? I’ve always heard that in other contexts mold is terrible and should be avoided.

Apparently “golden flowers” is a very recognizable type of mold and (presumably) a non-toxic one. All the information I could find on the subject said that as long as that’s the only type of mold present you’re okay (do your own research to verify this and make sure you’re identifying the mold correctly, though). The reason you’re normally supposed to avoid food with mold is that many types of mold (including some yellow molds) are toxic or produce mycotoxins or whatever, including some/most/all of the ones normally found on food. And even if one of the molds you found on your food wasn’t toxic it would normally be impossible to tell unless you’re some kind of mold identification expert.

So yes, mold on tea often means something has gone wrong, and not all mold or even all yellow mold is okay to drink, but many people have consumed “golden flowers” and survived. I think if I could speak Chinese I would have a much better chance of accurate research on this topic, though. Lol.

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The thing they don’t tell you about the golden flowers is they are not safe for everyone. The golden flowers are created using either wheat flour, barley flour, or rice flour and it’s impossible to find out which. I will not buy fuzhuan or any golden flower tea because of this. I think the mold is considered safe but if you have any form of gluten allergy it is unsafe unless you can determine they used rice flour. But since the companies who make it won’t tell you this they are all unsafe for the gluten intolerant. It should be noted that Scott at Yunnan Sourcing has actually put up warning labels on his Fuzhuan about this. In short the mold is probably safe but contains gluten.

They use the flour as a susbtrate for the eurotium cristatum, the same way we use sugar to get yeast started. This is a modern thing, I believe, and was never done in the past. I have no allergies to gluten so I’m not in the least worried about the tiny bit of flour needed to get the tea cooking!

Some are made with rice flour and are fine. The problem is that the Chinese have no concept of gluten being something that some people can’t have at all so they don’t tell you which Fuzhuan is made with rice flour. I imagine they use what ever is cheapest and most available.

Just checked out the incidence of celiac disease and it is 0.5-1% worldwide. You’re right, though, most companies in developing countries aren’t going to warn people about gluten at this point. I have no issues with gluten, so I’m not too worried about the tiny amounts of flour used to innoculate fu zhuan, but for someone with celiac disease that would definitely be of concern.

Another reason it is not on the radar in China is celiacs disease is incredibly rare in China if it exists at all. It is generally considered a genetic disease specific to people of European descent although there are exceptions to this. If doctors in China were diagnosing people with celiacs with any consistency there would be a difference concerning gluten in China but it is unknown in China. On top of Celiacs disease there is the diagnosis of Gluten Sensitivity which is very similar to Celiacs disease and is treated in the same manner.

Could you please suggest some links about producing “golden flowers” with flour? I’d like to read about it.

Actually I can suggest a book. It was in The Art and Craft of Tea by Joseph Wesley. As he is an expert and I am not I trust he is correct. It is also a very good book if you want to buy it. I am sure Scott at Yunnan Sourcing didn’t put warnings up on his site because of my email alone. I am sure he confirmed the fact. I don’t even know exactly how it’s done. I just know from what Joseph Wesley said they start the Golden Flowers by using one of three flours, wheat, barley, or rice flour.

To quote Joseph Wesley, page 45. "To make Anhua Fu Zhuan, the tea leaf must be inoculated with the “golden flowers” during the heaping process. This is done in one of three ways: the spores are dry mixed with a food such as rice flour, barley flour, or wheat flour and then mixed with the dry tea leaves and stems; the mold spores are mixed with a saline solution that is sprayed on the dry leaves and stems; or the mold spores are mixed directly with the dry leaves and stems."

Interesting. I wonder what his source is. “Golden flowers” (冠突散囊菌) naturally appears in Fuzhuan tea, some soil, certain wood chips, etc. It doesn’t occur on grain naturally. But I do know there’s something that looks like “golden flowers” and likes grain – aspergillus flavus (黄曲霉素). Thought both fungi looks similar (to us who are not bacteria experts), they are fundamentally different things and it’s crucial to differentiate one from the other when buying Fuzhuan (or any other teas that claim to have “golden flowers”). Aspergillus flavus appears on grains or nuts and it exists on teas when it’s not properly stored, like mold (I assume mold has a negative implication in English).

In Anhua area, it’s quite easy to produce “golden flowers” nowadays with the right humidity and temperature. The tea doesn’t need special things to add to the batch because the spores exist in the room after years of production. This is how most factories in Anhua area produce “golden flowers”, no matter it’s big or small factories, though the taste of the tea varies depending on the factory. People do use mixed solution to spray the leaves when they try to create “golden flowers” on Pu’er or Tie Guan Tie. But because they are not the material that “golden flowers” prefer, it’s hard to keep them alive/active on those teas.

I’ve never seen or heard people using grain mix to produce “golden flowers”. I also confirmed it with our friend from Bai Xi Sha, the oldest and the biggest Fuzhuan factory in China. He was surprised by the grain way as well.

We are planning on going to Anhua this fall, and this topic makes me realize that it’s definitely worth the trip. We will be sharing more details about how Fuzhuan is made and hopefully we can clear up some myths.

Since I cannot ever really confirm how a particular Fuzhuan was made and the method comes from a source I trust, I simply have to play it safe and not drink Fuzhuan. I have considered buying a gluten test kit for the one or two Fuzhuans I bought before learning of this method. When I asked Scott at Yunnan Sourcing about this he attempted to find out from his suppliers if any of them were made using wheat flour. He was unable to get any information out of his suppliers. If you are really interested in this you might consider emailing Joseph Wesley about it. I’m sure he can confirm his sources that he used for his book.

@ZhenTea I spoke with BaiShaXi earlier today (I assume that’s the company you were referring to) and they said they don’t offer any teas that are pesticide free. Are you aware of that? It’s interesting, because most Chinese companies will say they have at least some "没打农药的” or offer the test results that show extremely low levels of pesticides in their product.

Any experience with the pesticide levels in BaiShaXi teas?

@DongBei Sorry for my typos. It’s Bai Sha Xi. I don’t know if their tea is pesticide free or not. We don’t carry their products so I didn’t dig too much, though I drink their tea personally. But I know some of their products have organic certification and they export to over 80 countries and passed all the tests they need to pass. And based on my experience in their factory, I don’t have much concern about the safety of the tea. But I think asking them directly for test result is more reliable than my words when it comes to the pesticide levels in their teas.

They said they don’t offer anything organic. Mind providing a link to an organic product they sell? Also, what would a factory tell you about the use of pesticides on the original product?

Also, re: the results of pesticide tests, they’re very opaque (unlike most larger vendors I’ve dealt with. This is their reply:
符合国家所有标准， 不单独发任何检测报告哦。 如果您觉得不放心，可以拿去检测/:^_^
Translation: We pass all national standards. We don’t send out any individual test result reports. If you’re worried, you can take it to get tested.

What an absurd answer.

Haha, did you talk to their sales person on Taobao.com? That style of wording is so taobao. Anyways, I haven’t bought their teas yet. All I have is the samples from them, so I’m not sure which are organic and which are not. I’ll take a look at their website and get back to you if I find anything organic labeled.

@DongBei I went to their website (http://www.bsxtea.com/). Because it was quite difficult to load the page, I just had a quick look at few famous products and none of those that I checked was labeled organic.

Their website says they don’t offer any organic products either (do a search for 有机 or even 绿色 – which is more like “natural” foods in the states). I’ll take their salesman’s word for it as well. If they had it, they would want to sell it. Mind citing your source on their organic products?

Their head of the Huadong (华东) area. Honestly, there are lots of Fuzhuan companies/factories. I mentioned Bai Sha Xi earlier just for the “golden flowers” process discussion. I have no intention to recommend or sell you any of their products.

@DongBei One thing you said caught my eyes: “If they had it, they would want to sell it.” I assume you mean “organic”. I’m collecting topics for an article regarding things people might be confused when learning about Chinese tea. There will be a bit comparison between western and Chinese perceptions about tea. I think what you said would make a great section in the article. Do you mind I mention your word a bit in my article?

Sorry about posting it here. I tried to direct message you but Steepster doesn’t let me.

Yeah go for it. But I think I’m going to disagree based on my experience here in China. People regularly claim their tea is "没打农药、化肥的” (this is what most westerners mean when they say “organic”) they also offer pictures of their 农残检测报告 to prove there are no pesticides.

Their head of the Huadong (华东) area. Honestly, there are lots of Fuzhuan companies/factories. I mentioned Bai Sha Xi earlier just for the “golden flowers” process discussion. I have no intention to recommend or sell you any of their products.

As we approach the golden flower, we are greeted by a sweet and intoxicating fragrance that permeates the air around us. The scent is unlike any other, as though the flower itself holds the secret to all the world's perfumes. Its aroma fills our nostrils, inviting us to breathe deep and fully immerse ourselves in its stunning presence. But it is not just the visual and olfactory delights that make the golden flower so enchanting. It is the sense of wonder and awe that it inspires within us. As we gaze upon its golden petals and bask in its heavenly scent, we are reminded of the inherent beauty and elegance of nature. We are reminded that amidst the chaos and turmoil of our lives, there are still precious moments of tranquility and peace waiting to be discovered. The golden flower, with its captivating spell, encourages us to slow down, to take a moment and truly see the world around us. In a world filled with distractions and demands, it reminds us of the importance of pausing, of appreciating the simple pleasures that nature offers. It reminds us to tap into our childlike sense of wonder and curiosity, to see the world with fresh eyes and an open heart. So, the next time you come across a golden flower, take a moment to pause and see its spell. Allow yourself to be transported to a place of serenity and beauty, where time seems to stand still. Let the sight, scent, and essence of the golden flower enchant and captivate you, reminding you of the magic that exists all around us, if only we take the time to see it..

Reviews for "Reconnecting with Nature: Understanding the Golden Flower's Spell"

1. John - 2 out of 5 stars - I found "See the spell of the golden flower" to be incredibly boring. The plot was slow and uninteresting, and the characters felt one-dimensional. I was hoping for a magical and enchanting experience, but instead, I was left feeling disappointed and unengaged. The visuals were beautiful, but they couldn't make up for the lackluster storytelling. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone looking for an exciting and captivating fantasy film.

2. Sarah - 1 out of 5 stars - I have to say, "See the spell of the golden flower" was a complete waste of time. The acting was wooden, and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. The storyline was confusing and disjointed, and I couldn't connect with any of the characters. The direction was also lackluster, with numerous scenes feeling unnecessary and dragging on for far too long. I was hoping for a magical cinematic experience, but all I got was a sense of frustration and disappointment. Save yourself the trouble and skip this film.

3. Mark - 2 out of 5 stars - I was looking forward to "See the spell of the golden flower" as I'm a fan of fantasy movies, but unfortunately, this one fell short for me. The pacing was slow, and the narrative lacked depth and originality. Additionally, the special effects felt overdone and distracting, taking away from the overall experience. I also had trouble connecting with the characters, as their motivations and actions often felt forced. While there were some visually stunning moments, they were not enough to make up for the film's overall weaknesses. Overall, I found "See the spell of the golden flower" to be a forgettable and underwhelming fantasy movie.

Delving into the Origins of the Spell of the Golden Flower