Dengcun Tea

Dengcun Tea

　　Dengcun Township in Yichang County, Hubei Province, is located on the northern bank of the Xiling Gorge of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, just 23 kilometers from the world-renowned Three Gorges Dam site. Dengcun Tea is grown on the mountain slopes at altitudes of 800 to 1,200 meters in these rugged highlands, making it a famous tea-producing region in Hubei Province. Due to the high altitude, significant diurnal temperature variation, and the hydrological and climatic effects of the Yangtze River and its tributaries, the area is often shrouded in clouds and mist, enjoys abundant rainfall, and has fertile soil—creating an exceptionally favorable ecological environment for growing high-quality tea. As a result, Dengcun Tea is of outstanding quality. According to tests conducted by the Tea Quality Testing Center of the Ministry of Agriculture, the amino acid content in Dengcun Tea reaches 5.76%, with an optimal ratio of tea polyphenols to amino acids, making it an ideal base for producing premium teas. Yichang’s Dengcun is one of China’s ancient tea regions. Lu Yu, the “Sage of Tea” from the Tang Dynasty and author of the world’s first monograph on tea, the Classic of Tea (Cha Jing), praised the tea from Yichang’s Dengcun as “superior in the Xiling region” after comparing tea quality across the country. With a long history of tea production, advanced machinery, and refined techniques, the people of Dengcun have developed a complete and scientific tea-making process, nurturing a skilled team of modern tea masters. The resulting Dengcun pan-fired green tea features tightly rolled, robust leaves with a glossy green color; it offers a long-lasting chestnut aroma, bright yellow-green liquor, a mellow taste, and vibrant green leaf bottoms. It is a renowned and premium example of pan-fired green tea, widely favored by consumers everywhere.

　　Yichang’s Dengcun places great emphasis on technological investment and new product development. Over the years, it has created a large number of premium teas such as “Dengcun Green Tea,” “Yihong Gongfu Tea,” “Yuming Bijing,” “Three Gorges Spring Snail,” “Three Gorges Sword Tip,” and “Dengcun Cloud Mist,” many of which have won gold and silver awards in municipal, provincial, and national quality competitions.

　　Dengcun tea farmers pay close attention to environmental protection. The tea gardens are located in high mountain valleys, where the environment remains free from pollution by industrial waste gases, wastewater, or solid waste. They emphasize the conservation of natural enemies of tea pests and diseases, rarely use pesticides, and absolutely avoid any pesticides that are banned domestically or internationally. Pest and disease control combines biological and agricultural methods based on careful forecasting. Herbicides are prohibited in the tea gardens, and only small amounts of fertilizer—mainly farmyard manure and green manure—are used. This has led to a rational layout with forests at the mountaintop, tea gardens in the mid-slopes, and farmland at the foot of the hills, completely eliminating the risk of air, water, and soil pollution in the tea gardens. As a result, “Dengcun Green Tea” has been certified as Grade AA Green Food by the National Green Food Office.