Green tea, or lǜchá (绿茶) in Mandarin, is the largest category of unfermented tea, distinguished by its minimal processing that preserves the fresh, vegetative character of the leaf. Because the leaves are heated shortly after plucking—typically by pan‑firing, steaming, or baking—the oxidation cascade is halted, retaining high levels of catechins, amino acids, and volatile aromatics. This unique biochemical profile gives green tea its bright liquor, ranging from pale yellow to jade‑green, and a flavor spectrum that can be sweet, nutty, grassy, seaweedy, or even floral, depending on cultivar, terroir, and processing method. Historical texts such as Lu Yu’s The Classic of Tea (Chájīng, 8th century) extol the virtues of early‑spring picks, while Song‑dynasty scholar Cai Xiang’s Tea Record (茶录) notes that “the finest tea is harvested before the rains, when the buds