Northern Fujian Shuixian Tea

Northern Fujian Shuixian Tea

　　Northern Fujian Shuixian Tea: A type of oolong tea. It was first produced over a hundred years ago in Dahucun Village, Shuiji Township, Jianyang County, in northern Fujian, and its main production areas today are Jian’ou and Jianyang. The finished tea has a robust, evenly formed appearance with twisted tips, a sandy green and glossy color, and a darker green hue near the leaf stems with white speckles—commonly referred to as “dragonfly head, frog belly.” It boasts a rich and fragrant aroma, reminiscent of orchid scent; its taste is mellow and full-bodied, with a sweet and refreshing aftertaste; the liquor is bright reddish and clear, while the leaves at the bottom are soft with distinctly red edges.

　　In the depths of winter when flowers lie dormant, as people admire the graceful beauty and intoxicating fragrance of the narcissus flower, brewing a cup of Narcissus tea and savoring its natural orchid-like flavor—leaving a lingering fragrance at the back of the throat—can truly bring immense delight and a feeling of floating on air.

　　Narcissus tea is one of China’s fine tea varieties and a gem among Fujian’s oolong teas. Today, it enjoys fame across China and beyond, just like the narcissus flowers of southern Fujian. This tea originally comes from northern Fujian. As early as a thousand years ago, tea trees of this variety were found in Jianyang and Jian’ou, but it wasn’t until the Qing Dynasty’s Kangxi era (1662–1722), about 300 years ago, that they were cultivated artificially. During the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty (1857), Zheng Shibao and his son from Xianxi Township, Yongchun, introduced the Narcissus tea from northern Fujian to Dingxianyan in Xianxi. It was later spread and cultivated in Yongchun and other parts of southern Fujian. Yongchun Narcissus tea combines the strengths of both northern and southern Fujian oolong tea processing techniques, making the tea more resistant to multiple infusions, with a more pronounced aroma, richer taste, and brighter liquor—developing a uniquely flavored “Southern Fujian Narcissus Tea.” Yongchun thus became the birthplace of “Southern Fujian Narcissus Tea.”

　　The Southern Fujian Narcissus tea plant is semi-arboreal in nature. It has a distinct main trunk, a flat base, sparse branching, and a tall canopy. The leaves are thick, dark green in color, and shiny on the surface. The buds are sturdy and often covered with fine hairs. Its propagation methods include layering or cutting-based asexual reproduction. It is suitable for making black tea and green tea, but is especially well-suited for oolong tea.

　　When processed into oolong tea, Southern Fujian Narcissus tea has a plump, even, tightly rolled appearance resembling a dragonfly head, frog belly, or dried oyster shell. Its color is glossy, with a mix of brownish-yellow and dark green hues. When brewed with boiling water, as the steam rises, it emits a subtle, elegant, and pleasant fragrance reminiscent of the unique freshness of magnolia—delighting the senses even before the first sip. Initially, the tea may taste slightly bitter or astringent, but after a few sips, it reveals a fragrant, sweet, and mellow taste, rich and refreshing, moistening the throat. In the bright orange-yellow tea liquor, the leaves unfurl to reveal pale yellow centers with green hues and edges tinged with crimson or flecks of red—truly a case of “green leaves with red edges.” Yongchun currently has 18,000 mu of Narcissus tea gardens, producing over 1,300 tons annually, making it the highest-yielding county in the southern Fujian region. Yongchun Narcissus tea has won numerous national tea competition awards and is a renowned, distinctive Chinese tea famous both at home and abroad.