Lingtou Dancong

Lingtou Dancong

　　 “Lingtou Dancong,” also known as “Baiye Dancong,” originates from Lingtou Village in Pingxi Township, Raoping County—a place famed for its “Lingtou Qilan.” Legend has it that this tea plant has a history of several hundred years. Originally growing alone, it emerged from a crevice in a large rock within the Shuangxia Mountain gorge, beside a silver waterfall, with the valley perpetually shrouded in mist. This tea variety matures about one season earlier than others, with leaves that are slightly yellowish green, crimson-edged, and white-centered. At night, they reflect the cool, faint glow of the stars and moon, hence earning the nickname “Gleaming Tea.”

    During the Qing Dynasty, this tea plant was discovered by an elderly tea farmer from Lingtou. Despite the rugged terrain, tea merchants from Southeast Asia and Shantou traveled up the mountain to purchase Lingtou Qilan and were willing to pay high prices—up to seven or eight silver dollars per jin. The tea plant remained in the hands of the same family for generations, passed down through five successive generations. In modern times, it faced three near-extinction crises.

    After the reform and opening-up policies brought new opportunities to the mountainous regions, Lingtou Village seized the moment, leveraging its strengths to cultivate premium teas on a large scale. Currently, the village’s premium tea cultivation area has expanded from 20 mu in 1978 to 450 mu, generating over 300,000 yuan in value and bringing prosperity to every household through tea farming. Raoping County has also vigorously promoted this high-quality tea variety, now cultivating 6,400 mu of premium tea and planning to expand by another 10,000 mu. Lingtou Village has also supplied its premium tea to regions including Guangdong, Fujian, Yunnan, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang, providing over ten million premium tea seedlings to various parts of the country.