Taiqing Shuangshang Lvyacha Tea

Taiqing Shuangshang Lvyacha Tea

Taiqing Shuangshang Lvyacha Tea is a product with geographical indication status.

　　“Shuangshang Lvyacha” is produced in Taiqing Mountain, Li County, Hunan Province, and is the flagship product of Li County Taiqing Mountain Organic Food Company. It is an organic green tea. With a long history, “Shuangshang Lvyacha” was renowned nationwide during the Yuan Dynasty, became a tribute tea in the Ming Dynasty, and was certified as pollution-free tea by the Hunan Provincial Department of Agriculture in 2004.

　　“Shuangshang Lvyacha” is grown in Taiqing Mountain, also known as Taiqing Mountain, where most peaks are above 800 meters in elevation, and Ya’mu Peak reaches 1019.5 meters, known as the “Roof of Li County.” The area is often shrouded in clouds and mist, offering superior natural ecological conditions, and has been a tea-producing region since ancient times. During cultivation, “Shuangshang Lvyacha” is grown using organic and environmentally friendly plant fertilizers. The picking process is meticulously managed — pickers are prohibited from using cosmetics, wearing makeup, or spraying perfume. The production is highly refined, using only single buds picked before Grain Rain from high mountain areas, with each bud being 20 mm long. The tea undergoes six precise steps: withering, fixing, shaping, tipping, drying, and packaging. Each stage is executed with utmost care. Master tea makers rely on their sense of smell to monitor aroma changes, and control machinery with full concentration of mind, breath, and spirit. Every step is filled with mystery. The finished tea features straight, elegant strips, a glossy emerald color, clear and bright liquor, a fresh and lasting fragrance, and a mellow, sweet taste. Producing one kilogram of top-grade tea requires around 80,000 buds.

　　“Shuangshang Lvyacha” has been certified as pollution-free agricultural produce by China’s Ministry of Agriculture, received international certification from the Swiss Institute for Market Ecology (IMO), EU (IMO) organic certification, and national organic tea certification from the Ministry of Agriculture. It has successively won honors such as “Famous Tea of Hunan,” “Famous Tea of China,” “Famous Trademark of Hunan Province,” and “China Well-Known Trademark.” In 2010, it was selected as the official tea for the Hunan Business Conference, and in 2011, as the designated tea for the 18th Shanghai International Tea Culture Tourism Festival.

　　The Ministry of Agriculture of China announced that Li County’s “Taiqing Shuangshang Lvyacha Tea” has been officially granted national geographical indication registration certification, registered and protected under the Ministry of Agriculture.

　　Geographic Scope

　　The protected production area for the geographical indication product Taiqing Shuangshang Lvyacha Tea includes tea-growing regions within longitude 111°12′35″–111°31′34″ and latitude 29°42′57″–29°57′39″, covering a total area of 3,333.33 hectares (including: 859.33 hectares in Taiqing Township, 670.4 hectares in Yangjiafang Township, 369.73 hectares in Huolianpo Town, 355.87 hectares in Ganxitian Town, 346.53 hectares in Fangshiping Town, 384 hectares in Matoupustown, and 347.47 hectares in Dongshi Township), yielding 5,000 tons of dried tea annually.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Features. “Shuangshang Lvyacha” is made from single buds and refined through a combination of mechanical and manual processes. The dry tea features flat, straight, and elegant strips, with a glossy emerald color and visible white pekoe. The liquor is clear and bright, with a mellow, rich, and refreshing taste. It boasts a high, fresh, and lasting aroma with a distinctive chestnut fragrance and a long-lasting aftertaste. The leaves are tender, bright green, plump, intact, uniform, and elastic. When steeped, the buds stand upright elegantly. There are approximately 80,000 buds per kilogram of dry tea. Moisture content is below 5%, and the tea feels slightly prickly when held and crumbles easily when lightly pressed. 2. Internal Quality Indicators. Comprehensive analysis of various test reports shows that “Shuangshang Lvyacha” has excellent physicochemical properties. Total tea polyphenols range between 18.7–28.7g/100g, water extract between 38.2–51.2g/100g, caffeine between 1.5–4.2g/100g, total saponins between 0.3–1.2%, zinc between 3.5–5.5mg/100g, selenium between 7.5–12.0μg/100g, along with multiple nutrients such as thiamine, calcium, riboflavin, magnesium, niacin, vitamin C, manganese, dietary fiber, vitamin E, vitamin A, carotene, potassium, phosphorus, retinol, and sodium. These outstanding properties contribute to the tea’s refreshing taste and long-lasting, high fragrance. Additionally, Taiqing Shuangshang Lvyacha meets the quality standards for pollution-free agricultural products. 3. Safety Requirements: The product complies with the “People’s Republic of China Agricultural Product Quality and Safety Law,” “People’s Republic of China Food Safety Law,” and other relevant regulations and laws.

　　In recent years, “Shuangshang Lvyacha” has utilized the national-level demonstration cooperative — Li County Yunxiu Taiqing Organic Tea Professional Cooperative — as its technical platform, the provincial leading enterprise — Li County Taiqing Mountain Organic Food Co., Ltd. — as its technical guide, and the Hunan Academy of Tea Science and the Provincial Tea Group as technical supporters. Utilizing high-quality tea seedlings, it has promoted advanced organic tea planting and processing techniques across seven townships including Taiqing. To date, it has established 40,000 mu of tea gardens. Its unique “Handmade Production Technique of Shuangshang Lvyacha” is recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of Changde City. The “Shuangshang Lvyacha” brand is a China Well-Known Trademark. The product line includes a range of high-, medium-, and low-grade green, black, and dark teas such as Shuangshang Lvyacha, Taiqing Yunfeng, Taiqing Maojian, Taiqing Yinfeng, Taiqing Green Tea, Shuangshang Red Leaf, Lizhou Red Black Tea, and Chengtoushan Heizhen Tea. Shuangshang Lvyacha organic tea has obtained international organic certifications from China’s COFCC and Germany’s CERES. The product has established sales networks in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Shaanxi, and other regions, covering major cities in over 20 provinces and municipalities. It is also exported to European and American markets through the Provincial Tea Group, reaching overseas markets.