Anhua Gongfu Black Tea

Anhua Gongfu Black Tea

　　Tea is a pillar industry of the rural economy in Anhua. Anhua Gongfu Black Tea is the representative of "Hunan Black Tea" (Huhong), standing alongside Anhui's "Qihong" and Fujian's "Jianhong" as one of China’s premier black teas, renowned both domestically and internationally.

　　For a long time, tea has been a major traditional industry in Anhua and one of the primary sources of fiscal revenue. Currently, the county has a total tea-growing area of 120,000 mu, with an annual output of around 5,000 tons and an annual output value of 30 million yuan. Since the 1990s, the county has focused on developing premium and high-quality teas, achieving significant progress and establishing three major branded teas.

　　Anhua Songzhen (Anhua Pine Needle): In 1959, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Anhua Tea Experimental Farm, leveraging its unique natural conditions and highly suitable soil, cultivated an excellent tea variety and created the premium green tea "Anhua Songzhen." This tea is made from tender one-bud-one-leaf shoots using eight processing steps: withering, fixing, rolling, pan-firing, cooling, shaping, drying, and sorting.

　　Anhua Songzhen is a representative of needle-shaped green teas among China’s specialty greens. It features long, straight, round, and tightly rolled leaves resembling pine needles, with a uniform emerald green color and visible white pekoe. It boasts a rich aroma, mellow taste, clear liquor, and excellent infusibility.

　　Shortly after its launch, Anhua Songzhen quickly gained fame for its distinctive qualities, joining the ranks of China’s top-tier teas and earning widespread acclaim both at home and abroad, along with numerous awards. In 1962, it was named one of Hunan Province’s top three famous teas; in 1964, it was selected for an international exhibition and received praise from both Chinese and foreign visitors; starting in 1986, it was twice recognized as a Ministry of Commerce Famous Tea; in 1988, it won the Gold Award at China’s First Food Expo; on March 7, 1989, the front page of the China-foreign Products Newspaper provided a detailed report, and the tea’s name was inscribed by Li Duo, a renowned calligrapher and member of the Chinese Calligraphers Association; in 1988, it also received the Golden Cup Award for “Five Famous Foods” in Hunan Province; in 1989, it was rated as a High-Quality Agricultural Product by the Ministry of Agriculture; in August 1994, it won the Gold Award at the Ulaanbaatar Trade and Industry Expo; in the same year, it was designated as a National Tourism Product by a joint evaluation of the National Tourism Administration, the Ministry of Internal Trade, the China National Light Industry Council, and the China National Textile and Apparel Council; from 1991 to 1997, Anhua Songzhen was five times rated as a Provincial Famous Tea. Its annual output is around 5 tons.

　　Anhua YinHao (Anhua Silver Tip): Developed jointly between 1992 and 1994 by the Economic Crops Station of Anhua County Agriculture Bureau, the Economic Crops Station of Yiyang Regional Agriculture Bureau, and Tangxi Tea Farm in Anhua County. It has a tightly rolled, slender appearance with visible white pekoe. The tea liquor is bright, and the aroma is long-lasting—hence the name "Silver Tip." In 1994, it was rated as a "Famous Tea of Hunan" by the Provincial Agriculture Department; in 1995, it won the Gold Award at the Provincial Xiangcha Cup; in 1997, it received a Silver Award in the Provincial Famous and Premium Teas Evaluation; in 2000, it won a Silver Award at China’s Second International Famous Tea Competition. Its annual output is around 1 ton, available in Special Grade and Grade One.

　　Qiuxi Silver Coin Tea: Produced by Anhua Qiuxi Tea Factory in 1995, this tea features visible white pekoe, a high and lasting aroma, a mellow taste, and a shape resembling silver coins—hence the name "Silver Coin Tea." In 1995, it applied for a national patent (Patent No. 95 2 23603.2); in 1996, it won the Gold Award at the Hunan “Xiangcha Cup”; in 1998, it received a Silver Award at China’s First International Tea Culture Expo; in December 2001, it was certified as an Organic Tea by the China Organic Tea Research and Development Center. Its annual output is around 2 tons.