Tianmu Cloud Mist Tea

Tianmu Cloud Mist Tea

　　Product Origin: Tianmu Mountain, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province

Product Characteristics: Clear and bright in appearance, fresh and mellow in taste, leaves are thick, buds are prominent, color is deep green, glossy and oily.

Product Components: Contains tea polyphenols, proteins, various vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

Product Efficacy: Offers significant benefits for mental clarity, quenches thirst, promotes diuresis, refreshes the mind, relieves worries, and has certain therapeutic effects on colds, abdominal bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, gastrointestinal discomfort. It also helps prevent tooth decay and fights viruses.

Product Introduction: Commonly known as Tianmu Cloud Mist Tea. Produced in areas such as Xiaolingkeng in Yangling Township, Taizimiao, Longxuan’an, Zhujiayuan, Jinluping in Linmu Township, and Jing Shan Lingxiao Peak in Hengfan Town, Tianmu Mountain. The “Lin’an County Annals” from the Xuantong era records: “Tianmu Cloud Mist Tea is produced in all townships of Tianmu, but the best comes from Tianmu Mountain.” Its quality features tightly rolled strips, thick leaves, clear and bright soup color, clearly distinguishable buds and leaves, fresh and mellow taste, lasting fragrance, light flavor in the first brew, rich in the second, and mellow and smooth in the third. Due to the slow extraction of high mountain teas, the flavors of the second and third brews are especially prized. Lu Yu’s “The Classic of Tea” (Volume Eight: Places of Production) from the Tang Dynasty states: “Tea produced in Tianmu Mountain, Lin’an and Yuzhi counties of Hangzhou, is similar to that of Shuzhou.” Monk Jiaoran, after drinking Tianmu Mountain tea, remarked: “The aroma of the first-picked tea far surpasses that of Longjing.” The Song Dynasty’s “Taiping Huanyu Ji” also notes: “Tianmu Mountain produces many fine teas.” In the Ming Dynasty, Tu Long’s “Kao Pan Yu Shi” listed “Tianmu” alongside five other famous teas—“Huqiu,” “Tianchi,” “Yangxian,” “Lu’an,” and “Longjing”—as premium products. During the Ming Dynasty, Tianmu tea was designated as a “tribute tea.” In the second year of the Xuantong era of the Qing Dynasty (1910), Tianmu Cloud Mist Tea won the gold medal at the “Nanyang Industrial Exposition.” Since then, Tianmu tea has gained widespread fame and been exported to places such as Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. “Tianmu Qingding” is divided into five grades: Dinggu (summit valley), Yuqian (before the rain), Meijian (plum tip), Meibai (plum white), and Xiaoqing (small green). Dinggu and Yuqian are called Qingding; Meijian and Meibai are called Mao Feng; Xiaoqing is a high-grade green tea. Among them, Dinggu is the top grade of Qingding. Picking standards: Dinggu uses one bud with one leaf or one bud and one leaf just unfolding; Xiaoqing uses one bud with two unfolded leaves. Harvesting is done on sunny days after the dew on the leaves has dried. Production Process: From fixation, cooling, light rolling, shaping, to roasting in baskets, the entire process is done manually. Production of Tianmu Qingding ceased during the Anti-Japanese War. After liberation, production resumed in 1979. From 1986 to 1988, it was rated as a provincial famous tea for three consecutive years and in 1989, it received a certificate of qualification for famous tea production issued by the Provincial Department of Agriculture. Currently, there are specialized production sites for Tianmu Qingding.　

Product History: The Tianmu Mountain region has a long history of tea production and is one of China’s ancient tea-growing areas. Lu Yu’s “The Classic of Tea” from the Tang Dynasty records: “Tea from Lin’an and Yuzhi counties of Hangzhou, grown in Tianmu Mountain, is similar to that of Shuzhou.” By the Ming Dynasty, tea scholars had written books listing Tianmu Qingding alongside six other teas, including Longjing, as premium products. According to the “Lin’an County Annals” from the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty: “Cloud Mist Tea comes from Tianmu, produced in all townships, but the best is from Tianmu Mountain.” Later, due to war, it was lost. In the 1980s, through the efforts of the local government, Tianmu Qingding regained its reputation and was honored as a “Cultural Famous Tea” at the Hangzhou International Tea Culture Festival.