Qiyun Melon Seed Tea

Qiyun Melon Seed Tea

　　Qiyun Melon Seed Tea (also known as Sliced Tea) is a special variety of green tea. It is made from locally unique tea cultivars through processes such as leaf plucking, removal of tender buds and stems, and crafted using distinctive traditional techniques to form flat, melon-seed-shaped tea leaves.

　　　　“Qiyun Melon Seed Tea” has a long historical legacy and rich cultural significance. As early as the Tang Dynasty, the Classic of Tea referred to it as “Lu’an tea from Luzhou”; during the Ming Dynasty, scientist Xu Guangqi called it “the finest tea among all Lu’an teas” in his work Nongzheng Quanshu; three renowned scholars of the Ming Dynasty—Li Dongyang, Xiao Xian, and Li Shishi—also praised it multiple times in their poem Ode to Lu’an Tea, stating lines such as “Seven bowls bring a refreshing breeze from Lu’an” and “Lu Yu’s classic left behind this superior grade,” giving “Lu’an Melon Seed Tea” high acclaim. During the Qing Dynasty, it was listed as an imperial tribute, with Empress Dowager Cixi receiving fourteen taels monthly. The great literary master Cao Xueqin’s timeless masterpiece Dream of the Red Chamber mentions it over 80 times, especially the section “Miaoyu Tasting Tea (Qiyun Melon Seed Tea),” which is deeply moving. In modern times, “Qiyun Melon Seed Tea” was designated as a special tribute tea, and the founding Premier 1 even spoke of it on his deathbed. In 1971, when the former U.S. Secretary of State visited China for the first time, “Qiyun Melon Seed Tea” was presented as a national gift to foreign guests. Thus, “Qiyun Melon Seed Tea” has always held a prominent place in the history of China’s famous teas.

　　　　The enduring fame of “Qiyun Melon Seed Tea” both in ancient and modern times, at home and abroad, is also due to its unique origin, craftsmanship, and quality advantages.

　　　　Its main production area is Jinzhai County, a veteran revolutionary base. The entire county lies at the northern foot of the Dabie Mountains, surrounded by high peaks, shrouded in mist, with a mild climate and pristine ecological vegetation, making it a genuinely nature-bred green beverage. Additionally, the picking process of “Qiyun Melon Seed Tea” is unique—tea farmers harvest only the robust leaves from the tender shoots of tea branches, resulting in leaves that are thick and fleshy, with optimal nutrients. It is the only green tea in China that removes both stems and buds.

　　　　The tools used to pan-fry “Qiyun Melon Seed Tea” include primitive raw iron pans, thistle brooms, and chestnut charcoal. The tea undergoes manual stirring and roasting over a fire, repeated up to 81 times. The resulting tea leaves are single, stem- and bud-free, with a glossy dark green color and a frosted sheen, producing a tea soup that is clear, bright green, with a high, lingering aroma and a long-lasting aftertaste. Because of these qualities, “Qiyun Melon Seed Tea” is not only a refreshing beverage for quenching thirst in hot weather but also an excellent remedy for clearing the mind, improving vision, invigorating the spirit, and relieving fatigue. It is also a healthful tonic for aiding digestion, detoxifying, beautifying, and combating tiredness.

　　　　The poet Li Bai once wrote about Lu’an tea: “Water from the Yangtze River, tea from the summit of Qiyun.”

　　　　Origin: Roughly centered around Qiyun Mountain in Jinzhai County, spanning an area of fifty to sixty li. This region was historically under the jurisdiction of Lu’an County, Anhui Province.