Yongxiu Zanlin Tea

Yongxiu Zanlin Tea

　　Yongxiu Zanlin Tea, also known as "Zanlin Yunjian" and commonly called "Yunwu Jian," is produced in the misty and densely forested Yunjushan Mountain of Yongxiu County. The tea trees grow intertwined with forest vegetation, hence the name "Zanlin Tea." Yongxiu Zanlin Tea was listed as a tribute during the Southern Song Dynasty. Zanlin Tea has participated multiple times in Jiangxi Province and Jiujiang City's famous tea evaluations, consistently earning praise and being recognized as one of Jiangxi Province’s renowned teas. "Yunwu Jian" was also listed as a tribute during the Southern Song Dynasty. Legend has it that both Emperor Kangxi and Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty regarded it as a longevity treasure. In the early 1940s, under the supervision of Monk Haideng, over seventy acres of tea were planted by monks at the Zhenshu Chan Temple on Yunjushan Mountain, and it was once regarded as a precious treasure in Buddhist circles. (Jiujiang)

　　Yongxiu Zanlin Tea is a specialty of Yongxiu County, Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province. Yongxiu Zanlin Tea, also known as "Zanlin Yunjian" and commonly called "Yunwu Jian," is produced in the misty and densely forested Yunjushan Mountain of Yongxiu County. The tea trees grow intertwined with forest vegetation, hence the name "Zanlin Tea." Yongxiu Zanlin Tea was listed as a tribute during the Southern Song Dynasty. Zanlin Tea has participated multiple times in Jiangxi Province and Jiujiang City's famous tea evaluations, consistently earning praise and being recognized as one of Jiangxi Province’s renowned teas.

　　Yongxiu Zanlin Tea

　　Images of Yongxiu Zanlin Tea

　　Yongxiu Zanlin Tea, also known as "Zanlin Yunjian" and commonly called "Yunwu Jian," is produced in the misty and densely forested Yunjushan Mountain of Yongxiu County.

　　Yunjushan Mountain, located in the southwestern part of Yongxiu County, Jiangxi Province, was originally named Oushan. It is a national key scenic spot, and its summit is home to the Zhenshu Temple, an important cradle of Buddhism in China. Covering a total area of 216.5 square kilometers, its main peak stands at an elevation of 969.7 meters. It is a mountainous natural scenic area ideal for religious tourism and leisure sightseeing. Yunjushan boasts stunning natural scenery, especially the Hundred Flowers Valley, which is hailed as a paradise on earth. Along the way, visitors can find peculiar mountains and rocks, streams and waterfalls, ancient temples and memorial archways, stupas and pagodas of monks, and numerous historical sites. The mountain air is fresh, and the vegetation lush, with nearly 2,000 types of natural plants. There are abundant ancient trees, including thousand-year-old fir, camphor, ginkgo, osmanthus, and oak trees, as well as nearly thousand-year-old Bole trees, sweet gum trees, and podocarpus trees. Even in the peak of summer, temperatures rarely exceed 22 degrees Celsius.

　　"Yunwu Jian" was listed as a tribute during the Southern Song Dynasty. Legend has it that both Emperor Kangxi and Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty regarded it as a longevity treasure. In the early 1940s, under the supervision of Monk Haideng, over seventy acres of tea were planted by monks at the Zhenshu Chan Temple on Yunjushan Mountain, and it was once regarded as a precious treasure in Buddhist circles. In the 32nd year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1906 AD), the "Jianchang (now Yongxiu) Local Chronicles" recorded: "Zanlin Tea, commonly known as Yunwu Tea, grows not by human planting but naturally among the forest, absorbing the essence and nourishing itself with clouds and mist. It is harvested by mountain dwellers who brave the thorny paths to pick it. Its color, aroma, and taste are all excellent—surpassing even Yangxian Tea from Changzhou, Longjing Tea from Zhejiang, and Junshan Silver Needle from Hunan!" Here, Zanlin Tea is ranked alongside Yangxian Tea from Yixing, Jiangsu, Longjing Tea from Hangzhou, Zhejiang, and Junshan Silver Needle from Hunan.

　　The picking and processing of Zanlin Tea is extremely meticulous. Harvesting generally takes place four or five days after the Qingming Festival. Depending on the tenderness of the raw materials, it is categorized into special grade, first grade, and second grade for processing. The entire production process includes six steps: withering, fixation, cooling, rolling, shaping, and drying. After the fresh leaves are picked, they undergo "withering" for 1–2 hours to lose some surface moisture, enhance aroma, and facilitate frying. After fixation, the leaves are placed on a bamboo tray and shaken for 1–2 minutes to release heat and improve cleanliness. The shaping process after rolling is crucial for forming the unique quality of Zanlin Tea. This step is carried out in an iron pan at a temperature of 60–80°C, using alternating techniques such as "rubbing, sprinkling, shaking, grasping, and pressing." The tea’s distinctive shape is formed during this process. Finally, the tea is dried until it can be crushed by hand and its moisture content is below 5%, then removed from the dryer, slightly cooled, and packaged for storage.

　　After the 1950s, Zanlin Tea saw significant development. Especially between 1953 and 1957, when the former Honorary President of the Buddhist Association of China, Venerable Xuyun, and the Buddhist Association Director, Monk Haideng, successively served as abbots of Zhenshu Temple, the production of Zanlin Tea grew rapidly due to increased demand from religious activities and tourists. Zanlin Tea has participated multiple times in Jiangxi Province and Jiujiang City's famous tea evaluations, consistently earning praise and being recognized as one of Jiangxi Province’s renowned teas.