Haiqing Green Tea

Haiqing Green Tea

　　   Haiqing Green Tea is a specialty of Haiqing Town, Huangdao District, Qingdao City, Shandong Province. The tea features whole buds, dark green color, and an exquisite, elegant shape — neither quite like peaks nor swords. It has a mellow taste and a fragrant aroma reminiscent of orchids. When brewed, the tea liquor is clear and yellowish-green, making it a high-quality green tea. Varieties include Silver Needle, Longjing (Dragon Well), Biluochun, Mao Feng, and Pan-fired Green.

　　   Haiqing Tea was originally one of the varieties of the Zhuyeshu group from Qimen, Anhui. It was introduced to Haiqing Town in 1966. This town enjoys superior natural conditions and a sound ecological environment. It borders the Yellow Sea to the east and has a warm, temperate, moist monsoon climate with abundant sunlight and rainfall. The mountainous and hilly soils in the area are slightly acidic, classified as yellow-brown earth, rich in organic matter and trace elements. The soil particles are relatively uniform with low clay content, making it highly suitable for tea cultivation. Due to its high latitude, the tea trees in Haiqing have a wintering period 1–2 months longer than those in southern regions, and the large diurnal temperature variation helps accumulate internal substances. The tea is rich in vitamins, minerals, and beneficial trace elements. According to tests by Chinese tea experts, the catechin and amino acid content in Haiqing’s green tea are respectively 13.7% and 5.3% higher than similar products from southern tea regions. The advantageous coastal climate and excellent environment have given Haiqing Green Tea its unique qualities: thick leaves, strong flavor, pea-like aroma, and high endurance for brewing.

　　   Haiqing Town has 78,000 mu of arable land, of which 30,000 mu are used for growing green tea. The annual production of dried tea exceeds 1 million kilograms, generating economic benefits of over 150 million yuan and increasing farmers’ per capita income by nearly 3,000 yuan. The first tea factory in the province was established right here in Haiqing, which once represented the entire province at national tea conferences to share experiences on introducing southern tea varieties to the north. To date, the town has developed six national-level pollution-free tea garden bases, five organic tea garden bases, 43 specialized tea villages, 30,000 mu of tea gardens, and more than 130 processing enterprises, producing over 1 million kilograms of dried tea annually. The town’s green tea processing enterprises have developed twelve major series with over 30 varieties. Eighty-six tea brands have been rated as ministry-level or provincial-level premium teas, winning multiple awards in the national “China Tea Cup” competition for high-quality teas, thus entering the ranks of nationally recognized premium teas. The “Haiqing Feng” brand of green tea won the gold award at the Second China Agricultural Fair, while the “Qingdao Lianxin” and “Haibei Chun” brands received the grand prize at the Sixth National “China Tea Cup” competition. The “Jiaonan Chun” brand of green tea was designated as the official tea for the Third Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue.