Zhenghe White Tea

Zhenghe White Tea

Zhenghe White Tea is a protected geographical indication product.

Zhenghe White Tea is a certified geographical indication trademark.

　　Geographic Scope

　　　　　Chen Yuan’s monograph *Tea in Zhenghe, Fujian* (1943) states: “Zhenghe produces a wide variety of teas, the most renowned being Gongfu and Silver Needle. The former is exported to Russia and the United States, while the latter is shipped to Germany. Next are White Hair Monkey and Lotus Heart, which are mainly sold to Annam (i.e., Vietnam) and the Shantou area. Then there are White Peony teas sold to Hong Kong and Guangzhou, Little Bell teas to the United States, with an annual total value reaching millions, truly the lifeblood of Zhenghe’s economy.”

　　Distinctive Qualities

　　　　 With the recovery of the national economy and the state’s support for tea production, tea cultivation in Zhenghe County has developed, bringing profound changes to the tea-growing regions. Especially since the reform and opening-up, Zhenghe County has fully leveraged its regional, ecological, and green advantages, leading to rapid development in the tea industry, making it a traditional leading industry in the county.

　　Cultural Anecdotes

　　　　　　The Qing Dynasty was a prosperous period for tea development in Zhenghe County. In the 55th year of Qianlong’s reign (1790), Jiang Zhounan, the magistrate of Zhenghe, wrote a detailed poem titled *Ode to Tea*: “Lush tea bushes cover the rocky slopes, sprouting tenderly in the fine rain on clustered boughs; Who’d believe that the famed northern gardens have withered roots? Here in eastern harmony, unique herbs abound. Early spring roasting may lack finesse, yet teeming baskets sell briskly in small markets; Displayed for sale at the foot of Wuyi Mountain, alas, the best go elsewhere.” (Note: Zhenghe is also called Eastern Harmony). This poem reveals the thriving tea production in early Qing-era Zhenghe, even overshadowing the famous Beiyuan production area. During tea season, every available laborer was hired, and since there were likely no local tea firms or shops in the mountainous region, crates of tea were transported by merchants to Wuyishan City for sale, leading to the loss of premium tea — prompting this county official’s deep lament. It wasn’t until the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty (1851) that Zhenghe saw its first tea processing facilities.

　　The protected geographic scope of Zhenghe White Tea as a geographical indication product is based on the boundaries proposed in *Zhenghe County’s Request to Include Zhenghe White Tea in the Protected Geographical Indication Product List* (Zheng Ren Zong [2006] No. 49), covering the entire current administrative region of Zhenghe County, Fujian Province.