Western Anhui Green Tea

Western Anhui Green Tea

　　　Western Anhui is one of the ancient tea-growing regions in Anhui. Records of tea cultivation date back to the early Jian’an era (96–219) of Emperor Xian of Han. By the Tang Dynasty, it had become a commercial product, sold in Hebei, Shandong, and ethnic minority border areas. The Tang Dynasty’s Lu Yu mentioned the Shouzhou tea region in his classic work *The Classic of Tea*. Historical famous teas from this area include Liuan Guapian, Huoshan Huangya, Shucheng Orchid, and Shucheng Zhenmei. Newly created famous teas include: Baishuang Wuhao, Western Anhui Early Bloom, and Qishan Cuimei.

Among them, Liuan Guapian is one of China’s top ten famous teas. Its origins trace back to the Yuan Dynasty, and it was offered as a tribute in the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty’s Xu Guangqi recorded in *The Complete Book of Agriculture and Sericulture*: “The sliced tea of Liuan Prefecture is the finest quality tea.”