Guzhang Maojian

Guzhang Maojian

Guzhang Maojian is a protected geographical indication product.

Guzhang Maojian is a certified geographical indication trademark.

　　Guzhang Maojian is produced in Guzhang County, located in the central part of the Wuling Mountain Range. The county is covered with dense forests and shrouded in mist; crisscrossed by streams and blessed with abundant rainfall; enjoying mild winters and cool summers with a temperate climate; and endowed with fertile soil rich in organic matter, phosphorus, and selenium. Free from pollution, the production environment here provides an unparalleled foundation for the exceptional quality of Guzhang’s famous tea.

　　During the first tea harvest season in March and April, the sun only rises and the clouds disperse around nine in the morning. Even in the height of summer, the weather alternates between clear skies and misty overcasts. Due to the frequent cloud cover and limited sunlight, the tea leaves are bathed in diffused light, resulting in rich nutrient content, strong tenderness, and delicate, downy leaves. The unique quality of Guzhang Maojian lies in the careful hand-picking of bud tea or one-bud-one-leaf early sprouts before the Qingming Festival each year. Through eight meticulous processing steps—spreading, fixing, rolling, pan-firing, cooling, shaping, drying, and sorting—the tea is crafted into the prized "Pre-Qingming Tea." The finished tea features tightly twisted leaves with sharp, elegant buds; a glossy emerald color covered in white down; a fragrant and rich aroma; a mellow and refreshing taste with a lingering sweet aftertaste; a bright yellow-green liquor; and tender, even green leaves at the bottom.

　　Historical records indicate that during the Eastern Han Dynasty, Guzhang was already recognized as one of China’s famous tea-producing regions. By the Tang Dynasty, sprout tea from Xizhou was offered as tribute and later became a royal tribute to the Qing court. Guzhang Maojian is meticulously processed, with tightly twisted leaves that may curl like fishhooks or stand straight like javelins. It is renowned for its vibrant emerald color, visible white down, bright yellow-green liquor, mellow and refreshing taste, long-lasting sweet aftertaste, high and enduring fragrance, and excellent infusability. In 1929, Guzhang Maojian won an international award for famous teas at the Paris International Exposition. In 1957, it was showcased at the Leipzig International Exhibition by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, leading to small-scale exports to West Germany that same year. In 1982, it was ranked first among Hunan’s high-quality famous teas and selected as one of China’s Top Ten Famous Teas. In 1983, it received a certificate of merit from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and was listed as a high-quality export product. In 1988, it won the gold medal at the first Beijing Food Expo. In 1999, it was honored as a "Famous Brand Product" at the 99 China International Agricultural Expo, and was also named a "Hunan Famous Brand Product," as well as the "99 Hunan Market Brand with Highest Market Share" and the "99 Hunan Consumer Preferred Purchase Brand."