Osmanthus Tea

Osmanthus Tea

　　   Pucheng “Osmanthus Tea,” also locally known as “Osmanthus Blossom Tea.” Osmanthus, commonly called “muxi” (lit. osmanthus), is an evergreen tree and one of China’s top ten famous flowers. Pucheng in Fujian Province, which lies within the mid-subtropical monsoon humid climate zone, is particularly suitable for osmanthus growth and has a long history of cultivation. As early as over 1,500 years ago during the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, there were numerous written records praising Pucheng’s “osmanthus branches piercing the sky” and “fragrant branches with tender leaves.” By the Ming Dynasty, osmanthus had become a local specialty, and tasting, praising, and cultivating osmanthus gradually became a custom, which has been strongly encouraged throughout history.

　　   Product Uses: Primarily used for brewing tea to serve guests; also used in the preparation of sweet foods such as tangyuan (glutinous rice balls) and pastries, as well as in wine-making and the production of preserved fruits. In recent years, some products have been commercialized as local specialties for export trade.

　　　      In 2008, the “Dan Gui Tea Making Technique” was included in the second batch of municipal intangible cultural heritage representative projects of Nanping City; in 2009, it was listed in the second batch of provincial intangible cultural heritage representative projects of Fujian Province.