Yueyang Yellow Tea

Yueyang Yellow Tea

Yueyang Yellow Tea is a protected geographical indication product.

Yueyang Yellow Tea is a certified geographical indication trademark.

　　Yueyang has a long history of tea production and a profound tea culture. It is not only an important tea-producing region in Hunan but also a representative origin of Chinese yellow tea. Among its teas, Junshan Silver Needle and Beigang Maojian are particularly outstanding, regarded as the finest yellow teas throughout China’s history.

　　　　According to legend, over 4,000 years ago, during Emperor Shun’s southern tour, his wives Ehuang and Nüying searched for him and arrived at Junshan Island. Upon hearing of Emperor Shun’s passing, they wept bitterly while caressing the bamboo, their tears leaving speckled marks. They also planted the tea seeds they had brought along on Junshan Island to express their grief and gratitude to the local people. These tea seeds were carefully cultivated and eventually grew into three strong tea seedlings at White Crane Temple on Junshan Island, becoming the mother plants of Junshan tea and the origin of yellow tea.

　　　　Furthermore, according to research by Yao studies experts, around the time of the Yanhuang Era, the Chiyou tribal alliance (Chi being the self-designation of the Miao people, and You that of the Yao people) fought against the Yanhuang tribal alliance at the Battle of Zhuolu. After their defeat, they migrated southward. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (770–221 BC), the Yao and Miao formed an alliance and established the Sanmiao Kingdom between “Lake Dongting to the left and Lake Poyang to the right.” Some Yao people moved into Longjiao Mountain in northern Linxiang, where they cleared land and grew tea. To this day, Longjiao Mountain still retains remnants of ancient abandoned settlements, stilted houses, stone steps, stone gates, and old tea gardens, as well as tea-making tools such as stone basins, stone jars, and stone cups used for grinding and brewing tea.

　　　　Folk legend also tells of Li Siyuan, the second emperor of the Later Tang Dynasty. When he first attended court, a court attendant served him tea. As soon as hot water was poured into the cup, a white mist rose, and slowly, a white crane appeared. The crane bowed three times to Emperor Mingzong before flying gracefully into the blue sky. Looking back at the cup, the tea leaves were all standing upright, like a cluster of spring bamboo shoots breaking through the soil. After a while, they slowly sank, resembling snowflakes falling. Surprised, Emperor Mingzong asked the attendant for an explanation. The attendant replied, “This is due to the White Crane Spring (i.e., Liu Yi Well) water from Junshan, brewing the Yellow Feather Tea.” Delighted, the emperor immediately decreed that White Crane Tea be designated as a “tribute tea.” The Ming dynasty scholar Zhang Qiande, in his continuation of Lu Yu’s Classic of Tea, mentioned “Yellow Feather Tea from Yuezhou.” This marks the origin of Junshan Silver Needle tea.

　　　　Yonghu Gan’gao was a famous tea in the Tang Dynasty. Yonghu refers to today’s South Lake in Yueyang City, and Yonghu Tribute Tea is the predecessor of Beigang Maojian, a type of Yueyang Yellow Tea. The Tang Dynasty writer Li Zhao wrote in his Tang Guo Shi Bu (circa 758 AD): “Tea is highly valued in customs, and the number of renowned teas continues to grow… In Hunan, there is Hengshan tea; in Yuezhou, there is Yonghu’s Gan’gao.” It is also said that Princess Wencheng took Yonghu tea with her when she married into Tibet. The late Tang poet monk Qi Ji wrote: “Yonghu is solely for tribute—how could it be shared with common folk?”

　　　　During the late Tang and Five Dynasties period, Ma Yin promoted agriculture and sericulture, encouraged textile production, developed the tea industry, and facilitated trade with the Central Plains. Linxiang, originally part of Baling, became an independent county thanks to tea, reflecting the prosperity of the tea industry at the time. Additionally, Lu Yu’s Classic of Tea mentions Yuezhou tea bowls, listing Yuezhou ceramics alongside those of Yuezhou, Dingzhou, Wuzhou, Shouzhou, and Hongzhou. In fact, these areas were all major tea-producing regions during the Tang Dynasty.

　　　　The Northern Song Dynasty work Yueyang Fengtu Ji by Fan Zhiming records: “The hills around Yonghu once produced tea, known as Yonghu Tea, which is what Li Zhao referred to as ‘Yuezhou Yonghu’s Gan’gao.’ It was highly prized by the Tang people. Though rarely planted nowadays, over a thousand tea bushes remain in the White Crane Monastery garden, whose soil is quite similar to this area. The tea produced here amounts to no more than one or two taels per year. Locals call it White Crane Tea, which tastes extremely sweet and fragrant, unmatched by ordinary teas elsewhere. The soil of the tea garden is also similar, but locals simply do not plant it much.”

　　　　The Ming dynasty text Things Glossed in Scarlet Beads compiled by Huang Yizheng lists 99 current tea names and 101 ancient manufactured tea names, among which Yuezhou’s “Yellow Feather Tea” and “Gan’gao Cold” are classified as ancient manufactured tea names. The Ming dynasty Classic of Tea by Zhang Qiande also records “Yellow Feather Tea and Gan’gao Cold from Yuezhou.” By the Ming dynasty, Yueyang’s tea cultivation had expanded from Baling (now Yueyang County) to Linxiang and Pingjiang. According to the Longqing Yuezhou Prefecture Annals: “Linxiang County, tribute: 16 jin of tea buds. Local specialties: tea (from Longjiao Mountain, richer in flavor than that of Baling, tribute of 16 jin per year); Baling County, local specialties: tea (from the Fourth and Fifth Districts).” At the time, Hunan’s total tribute tea was 70 jin, including 16 jin from Longjiao Mountain, indicating that the tea from Longjiao Mountain was both predominant and of high quality.

　　　　The Qing dynasty text Guide to Wealth Compilation also contains records of Ying’gao tea from Yuezhou’s Yonghu. The Qing dynasty Yiwu Zhi (Records of Hunan Specialties) by Huang Benji states: “Yellow Feather Tea from Yuezhou, and Gan’gao Cold from Yueyang, were renowned teas produced during the Tang and Song dynasties.” By this time, Junshan tea had become an indispensable tribute item for the imperial court. The Baling County Annals record: “Junshan tribute tea has been offered annually since the 46th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty, with an annual tribute of 18 jin.” The Qing dynasty also marked the golden age of Yueyang’s tea industry. Counties such as Xiangyin, Linxiang, Pingjiang, Baling, and Huarong saw rapid development in tea production. By the Guangxu era, Yueyang’s tea-growing area reached over 300,000 mu, with a yield of more than 200,000 dan.

　　　　Yueyang Yellow Tea has evolved from the planting of tea seeds by Ehuang and Nüying on Junshan Island, to Princess Wencheng bringing it to Tibet; from the Baling County Annals noting “Junshan tribute tea has been offered annually since the Qing dynasty, with 18 jin per year,” to its status as a state gift. All of this showcases the long and storied history and legendary quality of Yueyang Yellow Tea.

　　　　Today, the yellow tea industry has become a key, distinctive, and pillar industry in Yueyang, representing a calling card for the charming teas of Hunan.

　　The production area of Yueyang Yellow Tea covers the entire current administrative region of Yueyang City, Hunan Province.