Tianzun Gongya

Tianzun Gongya

Tianzun Gongya is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Tianzun Gongya is a renowned semi-roasted green tea, originally named Tianzun Gongyan Tea. It earned its name from Tianzun Rock on the eastern side of Tianzun Peak in Wuge Township, Tonglu County, Zhejiang Province. During the Song Dynasty, it was offered as a tribute tea, making it a historically famous variety.

　　According to the *Tonglu County Annals*, Tianzun Gongya is a renowned semi-roasted green tea, named after Tianzun Rock on the eastern side of Tianzun Peak in Wuge Township, Tonglu County, Zhejiang Province. Tianzun Gongya

　　The tea gets its name from Tianzun Rock on the eastern side of Tianzun Peak. During the Song Dynasty, it was offered as a tribute tea, making it a historically famous variety. Tonglu has been known since ancient times for producing fine teas. Over the dynasties, besides Gongya, other teas such as Que She (Sparrow’s Tongue) and Lian Xin (Lotus Heart) were also produced. However, after many upheavals, these teas were lost over time. Tianzun Gongya was successfully developed and production resumed in 1985.

　　Tonglu has long been celebrated as having “unique mountains and extraordinary waters, unmatched in the world.” Tianzun Ridge features undulating peaks and rugged rocks, with tea bushes growing abundantly in crevices and cliffs—legend has it that they were sown by immortals.

　　Tianzun Gongya is harvested between Qingming (Tomb-Sweeping Day) and Guyu (Grain Rain), using tender buds with one leaf just beginning to unfold. There are about 12,500 buds per kilogram of fresh leaves. Processing features include: light spreading to release fragrance, gentle stir-frying to preserve color, shaping the strips, light rolling to enhance quality, and low-temperature roasting to bring out aroma.

　　The finished tea resembles Shoumei tea, with silver fuzz visible and a green hue tinged with emerald. After brewing, the tender buds take the shape of sparrow’s tongues, and the aroma lingers long.

　　Tonglu has been producing fine tea since ancient times, as recorded as far back as the *Tongjun Herbal Collection* from the Three Kingdoms period, which stated, “Wuchang, Lujiang, and Jinling produce good tea, but none surpasses Tonglu.” The Tang Dynasty’s Lu Yu, in his *Classic of Tea · Chapter 8: Origins*, also noted: “In western Zhejiang, Huzhou produces the best tea, followed by Changzhou. Muzhou (present-day Tonglu) in Tonglu Valley yields tea comparable to that of Hengzhou.” By the Song Dynasty, tea production here was already widespread. Fan Zhongyan, a literary figure of the Northern Song Dynasty, vividly depicted the flourishing scenery of Tonglu, Jiande, and Chun’an in Zhejiang in his poem *The Unrestrained Scenery of Tonglu Commandery*. One of the verses reads:

　　Unrestrained beauty in Tonglu Commandery,

　　Spring hills half-covered with tea.

　　Gentle thunder, ever so curious,

　　Startles the pre-rain sprouts awake.

　　Legend says Wu Zixu once took refuge in the rural areas of Tonglu. He greatly enjoyed song and dance, and later generations named the area Wuge (Song and Dance) Township. The region includes Tianzun Ridge, with overlapping peaks, rugged rocks, misty clouds, and fertile soil. Tea trees grow abundantly in the rock crevices and cliffs, believed to have been sown by immortals. The tea made from these tender buds is of exceptional quality, with a sweet and fragrant taste. The *Tonglu County Annals* records: “Tea from Tianzun Rock in our county is the most fragrant and robust, and was offered as tribute during the Song Dynasty.” When Emperor Gaozong of Song, Zhao Gou, established his capital in Lin’an (now Hangzhou), court officials presented this tea to the imperial court. After tasting it, the emperor found it refreshing and delightful, and decreed that this “fragrant tea with orchid-like aroma” be offered as an annual tribute. He also named the Zhifu Mountain in Zhigu Valley, Wuge Township, where the tea was produced, as Songjia Mountain. Tianzun Gongya Tianzun Gongya

　　Tianzun Gongya is made from tender buds with one leaf just beginning to unfold. The production process includes fresh leaf spreading, fixation, light rolling, initial roasting, cooling, and final roasting. Its characteristics are: light spreading to release fragrance, gentle stir-frying to preserve color, shaping the strips, light rolling to enhance quality, low-temperature roasting to bring out aroma, blending traditional techniques with modern processing methods to achieve both excellent appearance and quality—making it a true delicacy. Once brewed, the tender buds stand out like sparrow’s tongues; the aroma is high and lingering; the liquor is green and bright. Even the dry tea is very attractive, resembling Shoumei tea, with silver tips visible, green tinged with emerald.

　　Quality Characteristics Edited This tea, after brewing, shows tender buds standing out like sparrow’s tongues; the aroma is high and lingering; the liquor is green and bright. The dry tea is also very beautiful, resembling Shoumei tea, with silver tips visible, green tinged with emerald. The finished tea resembles Shoumei tea, with silver fuzz visible, green tinged with emerald. After brewing, the tender buds are shaped like sparrow’s tongues, and the aroma lingers.

　　Tianzun Gongya

　　Tonglu County Xueshuiyun Green Tea Industry Association

　　11181249

　　Tea