Heshan Black Tea

Heshan Black Tea

Heshan Black Tea is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Heshan Black Tea is a famous local specialty of Heshan. The people of Heshan began cultivating tea during the Song Dynasty. The tea is known for its tightly rolled, slender leaves, glossy appearance, bright infusion color, fragrant aroma, mellow taste, smooth mouthfeel, and its ability to reduce internal heat and aid digestion. Heshan Black Tea boasts a long production history and profound cultural heritage, meeting the requirements of a geographical indication agricultural product — “originating from a specific region, where the product quality and related characteristics are primarily determined by the natural ecological environment and historical-cultural factors, and are named after the geographical area.” In recent years, the municipal Party committee and government have focused on “building agricultural brands and enhancing brand effects,” continuously increasing attention to Heshan Black Tea. First, they formulated and issued the “Heshan Black Tea Production Technical Regulations,” standardizing the cultivation and processing techniques of Heshan Black Tea. Second, they strengthened the standardized production of Heshan Black Tea by establishing a 50-acre “Jiangmen City (Heshan) High-Quality Tea Standardization Demonstration Zone” at the Laisu Village Committee in Gonghe. Third, increased investment has been made, with governments at all levels providing greater support for Heshan Black Tea cultivation. Since 2011, the municipal government has allocated a special fund of 500,000 yuan, enhancing financial, material, and human resources inputs in pre-production, mid-production, and post-production aspects, thereby ensuring solid support for improving the quality and yield of Heshan Black Tea and increasing farmers’ income.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Heshan City is located in the central-southern part of Guangdong Province, in the hinterland of the Pearl River Delta, bordering the Xijiang River and adjacent to Hong Kong and Macao, within the Guangzhou-Foshan metropolitan area. To its southeast are Jiangmen’s Pengjiang and Xinhui districts; to its northwest is Xinxing County; to its southwest is Kaiping City; to its north is Gaoming District; and to its northeast, it faces Nanhai and Shunde across the Xijiang River. It is one of China’s famous hometowns of overseas Chinese. The protected area for Heshan Black Tea includes 21 village committees: Nanjing in Yayao Town; Chashan and Lishui in Gulaoy Town; Fujing and Nabei in Longkou Town; Zhongxin, Longxi, and Pan'guang in Taoyuan Town; Kengwei, Chengxi, Wuxing, Wanhe, and Pingshan in Heshan Town; Laifu and Xinlian in Gonghe Town; Yunxin in Zhishan Town; Baidai, He’cun, Siyun in Zhaiwu Town; and Hecheng and Xianqing in Shuanghe Town. The geographical coordinates lie between 112°28′–113°02′ east longitude and 22°28′–22°51′ north latitude. The city’s black tea cultivation area spans 333.33 hectares, with an annual output of 500 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Features: Heshan Black Tea plants generally grow to a height of 0.8–1.2 meters. The leaves are oval or elongated oval in shape with serrated edges and a bluish-green underside. Once processed into black tea, the leaves are tightly rolled, slender, dark and glossy in color, with a rich aroma and fragrance that fills the palate. When brewed, the tea liquor is vibrant red with a golden rim visible at the edge. It has a smooth mouthfeel and a sweet, mellow taste. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: Heshan Black Tea is rich in nutrients, containing large amounts of essential minerals and amino acids required by the human body. Testing shows it contains 12.4%–15.3% tea polyphenols, 4.1%–4.3% theaflavins, 0.2%–0.4% thearubigins, 0.779%–1.014% theanine, 34.5%–39.2% water extract, 2.0%–2.6% caffeine, and 3.1%–3.2% free amino acids, along with salts and other substances. 3. Safety Requirements: The growing environment for Heshan Black Tea must comply with the non-polluting standards outlined in the “Environmental Conditions for Non-Polluting Tea Production Areas” (NY5020-2001). Pest and disease control follows the plant protection principle of “prevention first, integrated management,” adhering to a non-hazardous approach that prioritizes agricultural, physical, and biological controls, supplemented by chemical methods. Pre-harvest monitoring of agricultural product quality and safety is essential. Processing must strictly follow the “Technical Regulations for Non-Polluting Tea Production” (NY/T5018-2001), and the final product quality must meet the non-polluting tea standards specified in the “Notice of the Office of the Ministry of Agriculture on Issuing the Inspection Catalogue for 58 Types of Non-Polluting Agricultural Products Including Solanaceous Vegetables” (Nongban Zhi [2015] No. 4).