Lushan Yunwu Tea

Lushan Yunwu Tea

Lushan Yunwu Tea is a Geographical Indication Protected Product.

Lushan Yunwu Tea is a Geographical Indication Certified Trademark.

Lushan Yunwu Tea is an Agricultural Product Geographical Indication.

　　Category: Tea Product: Lushan Yunwu Tea Registration Certificate No.: AG10686 Ministry of Agriculture Announcement No./Date: No. 2277 (2015.07.22) Brief Humanistic History Introduction Lushan Yunwu Tea is one of China’s top ten famous teas. It was first produced in the Han Dynasty and has over a thousand years of cultivation history. During the Song Dynasty, it was listed as a “tribute tea.” It is a local specialty product with a long history, unique intrinsic quality, and rich cultural heritage. The tea is known for its bright green color and tender, even leaf base, qualities derived from the year-round cloud cover at its origin. It has won numerous awards in various tea competitions. In 1959, it was named one of China’s Top Ten Famous Teas, and in 1971, it was listed as a “specialty green tea” of China. With a brand valuation of 1.099 billion yuan, Lushan Yunwu Tea ranked 13th among the 83 national tea regional public brands released in 2010. Tea cultivation on Mount Lushan has a long history, dating back to the Han Dynasty when tea plants were already grown here. According to the Records of Lushan Mountain, during the Eastern Han Dynasty, Buddhism was introduced to China, and there were over 300 Buddhist temples on Mount Lushan, attracting many monks. They climbed steep cliffs and ventured near flying springs to gather wild tea, and cleared cliffs and valleys in the clouds to plant tea trees and produce tea. By the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Mount Lushan had become one of the centers of Buddhism. It is recorded that the renowned monk Huiyuan lived on the mountain for over 30 years, gathering disciples to teach Buddhism and developing tea cultivation. During the Tang Dynasty, Lushan tea was already well-known. The Tang poet Bai Juyi once lived in seclusion on Xianglu Peak of Mount Lushan, where he dug herbs, planted tea, and wrote: “Under the tall pines by the stream’s head, / Wearing a spotted-deer-fur hat and white linen cloak, / My fields are medicinal plants and tea gardens, / My companions wild deer and forest herons.” By the Song Dynasty, famous teas such as Hongzhou Heling Tea, Hongzhou Shuangjing Tea, Bailu, and Yingzhua had emerged. By the Ming Dynasty, the name “Lushan Yunwu Tea” appeared in the Ming Records of Lushan Mountain, dating back over 300 years.

　　Lushan Yunwu Tea is one of China’s top ten famous teas. It was first produced in the Han Dynasty and has over a thousand years of cultivation history. During the Song Dynasty, it was listed as a “tribute tea.” Lushan Yunwu Tea has long been renowned for its “mellow taste, elegant color, fragrant aroma, and clear liquor.” It sells well both domestically and internationally. Upon careful tasting, its color resembles that of tuocha tea but is lighter, like jade resting in a bowl. Its flavor is similar to “Longjing” but richer. When brewed with the mountain spring water of Lushan, it becomes even more fragrant and delicious.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Jiujiang is located on the southern bank of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. To the east, it borders Poyang Lake and is adjacent to Dongzhi County in Anhui Province; to the south, it borders Nanchang and Yichun, connecting with Xinjian, Anyi, Jing’an, Fengxin, and Tonggu counties within the province; to the west, it links to Mufu Mountain and borders Pingjiang County in Hunan Province and Chongyang, Tongcheng, Tongsan, and Yangxin counties in Hubei Province; to the north, it faces the Yangtze River, across which lie Wuxue and Huangmei in Hubei Province, as well as Susong and Wangjiang in Anhui Province. It lies at the junction of Hubei, Hunan, Anhui, and Jiangxi provinces, serving as the northern gateway of Jiangxi. The agricultural product geographical indication protection area for Lushan Yunwu Tea includes Mount Lushan and Poyang Lake (within Jiujiang’s jurisdiction), as well as the Lushan West Sea and surrounding areas, covering 185 towns (offices) including Haihui Town, Minshan Township, and Saiyang Town. The protected area spans from 113°56′30″ to 116°54′01″ east longitude and 28°41′12″ to 30°04′29″ north latitude, covering a protected area of 60,000 hectares with an annual production of 16,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Characteristics: Shape shows prominent tips, color is glossy emerald green, with visible fuzz, uniform and clean; liquor color is bright tender green, aroma is fragrant and lasting, taste is fresh, mellow, and sweet returning, leaf base is tender, green, lively, and neat. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: Moisture content is 4.5%–7.0%, crude fiber content is 6.5%–9%, tea polyphenols are 11%–26%, amino acids are 2.8%–5.2%, caffeine is 2.8%–4.8%, total catechins are 13.7%–18.8%. 3. Safety Requirements: ① Origin environmental quality meets the requirements of Green Food Tea Origin Environmental Conditions (NY/T391-2013). ② Product production strictly follows the requirements of Green Food Tea Production Technical Regulations (NY/T288-2002).

　　Specific Qualities

　　Quality characteristics of Lushan Yunwu: plump buds and leaves, visible white fuzz, emerald green color, orchid-like fragrance, rich taste, fresh and mellow, long-lasting brew, bright liquor, and a lingering aftertaste. Lushan Yunwu features fat buds with visible fuzz, elegant strips, strong fragrance, sweet taste, and clear liquor, making it a premium green tea. It is renowned for its “mellow taste, elegant color, fragrant aroma, and clear liquor,” and sells well both domestically and internationally. Upon careful tasting, its color resembles that of tuocha tea but is lighter, like jade resting in a bowl. When brewed with the mountain spring water of Lushan, it becomes even more fragrant and delicious.

　　Cultural Anecdotes

　　Legend has it that Sun Wukong, the Monkey King of Flower-Fruit Mountain, grew tired of eating immortal peaches, fruits, and wine. One day, he suddenly thought of trying the immortal tea that the Queen Mother of the West drank, and decided to steal some tea seeds from her immortal tea garden to plant on Flower-Fruit Mountain. It was then the golden autumn season. The tea trees had borne seeds, but Sun Wukong didn’t know how to collect them. Just then, a flock of affectionate birds flew by and agreed to help him gather the tea seeds. As the birds carried the seeds toward Flower-Fruit Mountain, they passed over Mount Lushan. The breathtaking scenery captivated the birds. The lead bird couldn’t help but sing, and soon all the birds joined in. As they sang, the tea seeds fell from their beaks through the clouds and landed in the crevices of Mount Lushan’s peaks. From then on, tea trees grew all over Mount Lushan — this is the origin of Lushan Yunwu Tea.