Xiangfei Tea

Xiangfei Tea

　　“Three Treasures of Hunan Travel Far — King’s Cigarettes, Ghost Liquor, and Xiangfei Tea.” As one of the three treasures, Xiangfei Tea, also known as Meng’er Tea, is produced in Meng’er, Fengjia, Xinhua, Hunan.

　　The finished tea features plump buds of uniform length and size, with golden-yellow interiors and fully intact white fuzz on the outside. The buds are tightly wrapped and resemble slender silver needles. Meng’er Tea has a long history, being produced and renowned as early as the Tang Dynasty. Princess Wencheng even selected Xiangfei Tea when she married into Tibet. It was listed as a tribute tea during the Later Liang Dynasty and continued to be so in subsequent dynasties. Its characteristics include being made entirely from buds, covered in fine fuzz, with a bright color; it boasts a high and refreshing aroma, orange-yellow liquor, and a mellow taste. Its flavor remains unchanged even after prolonged storage. When brewed, the bright apricot-yellow tea liquor reveals silver needles standing upright, which dance briefly before clustering together at the bottom of the cup. The tea has very high picking and processing standards — for instance, it can only be harvested within 7–10 days before and after Qingming Festival, and there are nine conditions under which picking is forbidden: rainy days, frosty or windy days, insect-damaged leaves, thin or skinny buds, curved buds, hollow buds, open buds, purple-hued buds, and those not meeting size requirements.

　　　　Depending on the production method, Xiangfei Tea is categorized into: black tea such as Meng’er Black, white tea such as Meng’er Snow Bud, green tea such as Meng’er Moon Bud, Meng’er Space Tea, Furong Immortal Tea, yellow tea such as Meng’er Silver Needle, and dark tea such as Qujiang Thin Slice.

　　　　Xiangfei Tea is produced in the deep mountainous areas of the snow-capped Xuefeng Mountain Range at altitudes over 1,800 meters — Fengjia Mountain, Xinhua County, Hunan. This region features high mountains and deep valleys, sea-like clouds and fog, numerous streams and clear springs with high humidity, steep rocky slopes that block sunlight, lush bamboo and forests, deep and fertile soil layers, and organic-only fertilization (mainly farmyard manure and rapeseed cake). There is a large day-night temperature variation, clean and moist air, and zero pollution. In such a unique natural environment, the tea trees are constantly shrouded in high-mountain mist, resulting in fat leaves rich in sap and exceptional endurance for brewing. Even more remarkably, the tea-picking season coincides with the blooming of wild orchids all over the mountains, and the floral fragrance infuses the Meng’er Tea, giving it an exceptionally fragrant and uniquely flavorful profile. According to the basic growth characteristics of tea trees, historically famous teas have mostly come from high-mountain misty regions. Professor Chen Chuan clearly pointed out in his book “Selected Studies on China’s Famous Teas” that famous teas must possess superior geographical conditions — the so-called “high mountains produce good tea,” defining high mountains as those between 500 and 2,000 meters in altitude. Fengjia Town is located in the middle section of the Xuefeng Mountain Range and features typical mountainous terrain with lush trees and fertile land. It governs three administrative areas along the Qujiang River: Fengjia, Shuanglin, and Shangtuan, at altitudes between 500 and 1,400 meters, with an average annual temperature of 20–22°C, humidity above 80%, short sunshine duration, abundant rainfall, warm winters and cool summers, with year-round cloud cover. Given the tea plants’ preference for shade and moisture, this environment is highly suitable for their growth. Moreover, historically documented “Meng’er Tea” produced in Fengjia during the Ming and Qing dynasties fully demonstrates how the area’s unique geography contributes to the superior quality of its tea.

　　　　Xiangfei Tea is made using ancient methods with special craftsmanship and careful selection. It features a slender, tightly twisted appearance, emerald-green color, visible white fuzz, clear liquor, elegant and lasting aroma, mellow and fresh taste, and tender, bright leaf bottoms. When brewed, the young buds float and sink in the cup, appearing and disappearing like maidens in the mist, evoking imagination and a sense of well-being. With its distinctive flavor, the product is sold as far as Hangzhou, Wenzhou, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Shanghai, and Beijing, receiving widespread acclaim from all sectors of society.