Chenhuadian Mineral Water

Chenhuadian Mineral Water

Chenhuadian Mineral Water is a protected geographical indication product.

　　"Chenhuadian Mineral Water" refers to drinking water produced from natural mineral springs in Chenhuadian Town, Yanling County, Henan Province. Fig. 1 Lameiyuan-brand Chenhuadian Mineral Water

　　. Chenhuadian Mineral Water is sweet, refreshing, and rich in trace elements essential to the human body such as strontium and metasilicic acid. Its water quality is low in sodium salt and of the calcium-magnesium bicarbonate type. When used to brew tea, the resulting infusion is thick and aromatic, earning it the reputation of "the finest water in the Central Plains."

　　Geological Environment

　　　　Chenhuadian Town is located in Yanling County, Henan Province, known as the "Hometown of Flowers and Trees in China," and is a historic town famous throughout the Central Plains. Due to geological processes, the underground soil is covered by loose Quaternary sediments. Chenhuadian Mineral Water is primarily sourced from mid-deep groundwater. This mid-deep groundwater is Quaternary loose rock pore water, which, over prolonged contact with surrounding media, dissolves soluble elements from those media, enriching the water and forming mineral water.

　　Tests have shown that Chenhuadian Mineral Water in Yanling County is of the composite strontium and metasilicic acid type, with both metasilicic acid and strontium content exceeding national natural water standards. Limit indicators such as arsenic, copper, fluoride, and nitrite are better than national standards. The water is of high quality and mellow taste, and long-term consumption is beneficial to health.

　　Drinking History

　　　　Chenhuadian Mineral Water has been widely known for a long time. In Chenhuadian Town, teahouses of all sizes line the streets, forming a beautiful scenery. Visitors passing through never miss the chance to stop and enjoy authentic Chenhuadian tea. Chenhuadian tea originates from the high-quality Chenhuadian water, and drinking it has effects such as cooling, quenching thirst, relieving fatigue, refreshing the mind, and preventing illness while promoting longevity. According to surveys, the incidence of diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular conditions, gastrointestinal issues, and diabetes among local residents is lower than in surrounding areas. Many local elderly who live long lives have the habit of regularly drinking tea. Chenhuadians are particular about tea drinking, and the custom of offering tea as a gift is highly respected among locals. According to Volume 12 of the "Yan Official Miscellaneous Notes" from the Ming Dynasty's Wanli era, Chenhuadian in Yanling had the custom of "three teas and six rites." Today, Chenhuadian still retains this folk tradition, and serving tea to guests remains a traditional etiquette for welcoming visitors.

　　Production Situation

　　　　In the mid-1980s, Chenhuadian spring water was renamed Chenhuadian Mineral Water. Due to its good water quality and high reputation, the product sold well in the market, making it a target for counterfeiting by some unscrupulous individuals, which once damaged the reputation of Chenhuadian Mineral Water. To protect the Chenhuadian Mineral Water brand and maintain a good market reputation, the Yanling County government organized anti-counterfeiting teams to crack down severely on illegal activities involving counterfeit Chenhuadian Mineral Water.

　　To standardize the production of Chenhuadian Mineral Water and strengthen supervision, the Yanling County government organized the development of the local standard specification "Chenhuadian Mineral Water" and established a Mineral Water Product Quality Supervision and Inspection Station. Each Chenhuadian Mineral Water producer was required to adopt unified production standards and anti-counterfeiting labels, and every batch of mineral water produced by each enterprise was strictly inspected. To ensure the quality and characteristics of Chenhuadian Mineral Water and maintain the order of its production and business operations, the Yanling County government increased oversight efforts and built a five-level coordinated supervision network with county government leaders and various bureaus as the backbone, townships as the focus, villages as the foundation, and enterprises as the target. The "Interim Provisions on the Production and Business Order of Chenhuadian Mineral Water" were formulated to comprehensively supervise the production and business activities of mineral water enterprises, promote local governments to implement the primary responsibility for quality, and take effective measures to carry out activities related to mineral water production enterprises. Ecological protection was strengthened in the main recharge area of the protected mineral water—the bedrock mountainous region and river basin upstream of the Shuangji River—to limit extraction volumes, ensure water quality, and protect resources.

　　In 2010, the production and sales volume of Chenhuadian Mineral Water accounted for more than 60% of Henan Province’s mineral water output. Products were sold to provinces and cities such as Beijing, Shandong, Jiangsu, and Shanghai, with some exported, gradually opening up the international market. The "Dihao 21st Century" Chenhuadian Mineral Water produced by Xuchang Dihao Group Beverage Co., Ltd. was rated as a "Henan Market Key Recommended Brand" and designated as the official drink of the 13th Zhengzhou National Commodity Fair. The bottled Chenhuadian Mineral Water produced by Yanling Lameiyuan Beverage Co., Ltd. under the Lameiyuan brand won the "Henan High-Quality Product" title in 2006 and was designated as the official drink of the 6th, 7th, and 8th Central Plains Flower and Tree Trade Fairs. In 2008, the company developed China’s first live water production line, achieving a new advancement in the mineral water industry. In 2008, production reached 140,000 tons, with sales amounting to over 250 million yuan. The company had developed 208 high- and mid-range teahouses, effectively driving rapid local economic development.

　　Protected Geographical Indication Product

　　　　In 2010, after review by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, it was decided to implement national protected geographical indication status for Chenhuadian Mineral Water.

　　Protected Area

　　　　The protected geographical indication area for Chenhuadian Mineral Water covers the administrative region of Chenhuadian Town, Yanling County, Henan Province.