Maplewood Tribute Tea

Maplewood Tribute Tea

　　Gutang was originally part of Anhua County. According to the 1992 edition of the *Anhua County Annals*, Anhua has long been known as the “Tea Hometown,” with a long history of tea production. … When the county was established in the Song Dynasty, its tea yield already surpassed that of other counties and prefectures. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties, many locals made a living from tea, continuously improving cultivation techniques. The teas produced, such as “Cloud Mist Tea” and “Hibiscus Tea,” became famous both at home and abroad and were offered as tributes to the imperial court. It is said that in the past, monks from the high-altitude Taixiayuan YunTai Mountain would descend from the mountain every year just before Grain Rain, heading toward the Mian’niu Mountain area. The villagers, puzzled, secretly followed them and discovered they were drawn to this mountain’s tea, which they secretly harvested and took back to YunTai Mountain Temple on Taixiayuan to enjoy alone. When the villagers tried picking a small amount and brewing it, they were immediately struck by its rich fragrance and sweet, lingering taste. Legend has it that during the mid-Qing Dynasty, Tao Shu, Governor-General of Liangjiang, returned to Anhua to visit family. Upon hearing about the famed tea from Maplewood Forest, he had his servant fetch some. He brewed it using a purple clay teapot and mulberry twigs. Observing it, the tea had the color of maojian; smelling it, it carried the aroma of Longjing; and drinking it, the aftertaste was deep and lasting. He then brought several kilograms back to the capital to present to the royal family, and it was designated as tribute tea. From then on, the locals were no longer able to enjoy this tea.

　　The best time to pick Maplewood Tribute Tea is within three days before and after the Qingming Festival, with the standard being one bud and one leaf. Tea picked at this time features visible white pekoe, slender, round, tightly rolled leaves in a deep green color.

　　The production site of Maplewood Tribute Tea is located on Mian’niu Mountain, surrounded by mountains, free from environmental pollution — an ideal environment for producing high-quality tea.

　　The processing of Maplewood Tribute Tea inherits the characteristics of traditional handcrafting while also incorporating modern scientific techniques, further ensuring its quality. Its processing procedure is very meticulous. First, fresh tea leaves are spread out for several hours to allow them to lose some moisture, especially those with rainwater or dew. After high-temperature fixation, the leaves are cooled to room temperature. Then, they are rolled using a tea rolling machine. After destemming, they are placed in a drying machine and dried to 60–70% before being cooled again to room temperature. They are then dried further in the machine to 90%. Finally, the tea undergoes aroma enhancement in a scenting machine. Throughout this process, both manual and mechanical methods are used. In the drying stage, switching to charcoal, coal, or electricity is more environmentally friendly and scientific. During drying, workers continuously toss and shake the tea by hand to ensure even drying. The degree of dryness relies entirely on experience. The final step is aroma enhancement and shaping. Though done by machine, controlling the temperature and timing requires constant experimentation and must be managed by experienced personnel. To ensure quality, bamboo trays must be used for cooling the tea, and smoking, chewing betel nut, or wearing perfume is strictly prohibited in the workshop. Female workers are not allowed to use perfume. When brewing Maplewood Tribute Tea, water at around 85°C is ideal. The tea liquor is clear and bright green, with a delicate aroma, sweet and refreshing taste. Tea picked around Grain Rain, consisting of one bud and two to four leaves, appears dark green, with a clear, yellowish-bright liquor, strong chestnut aroma, and a sweet, lingering taste.