Chao'an Tea

Chao'an Tea

　　  Tea is an important part of Chao'an's agricultural economy. The county has over 20,000 acres of tea plantations, producing more than 17,000 dan annually. Major famous teas include Phoenix Shuixian, Phoenix Dancong grown at Wudong Mountain at an altitude of 1,200 meters, Yixianhong Oolong from Shiping Village at the foot of Dashan Mountain, Baizhong Shuixian from Tiepu Village, as well as the newly cultivated Kuding in recent years. In 1986, the then Chaozhou City (now Chao'an County) was listed by China’s Ministry of Commerce as one of the 62 national tea export bases.

    Phoenix Shuixian, produced in Fenghuang Town, is one of China’s renowned types of tea. Fenghuang is surrounded by high mountains, including Phoenix Jigui, Wudong Mountain, and Dashan Mountain, all above 1,100 meters in elevation, with the highest peak, Phoenix Jigui, reaching 1,497.8 meters. The high altitude, frequent cloud cover, short sunshine hours, large diurnal temperature variation (8 to 10 degrees Celsius), and fertile soil create ideal natural conditions for producing premium tea. Phoenix Shuixian has a long history—known as "Shizhao Tea" or "Tribute Tea" during the Song Dynasty. Later cultivars were called "Songzhong." After centuries of propagation, it has formed a diverse group of Shuixian tea trees spread across the foothills of Fenghuang Mountain. Old tea trees aged 100–200 years can be seen everywhere, including one named "Dayexiang," commonly known as "Song Tea." It stands 5.8 meters tall, has a canopy 7.3 meters wide, five branches averaging 34 cm in diameter, and generates annual output value exceeding 10,000 yuan.

    Phoenix Dancong is an elite single-plant selection from the Phoenix Shuixian group, cultivated and processed individually. By 1990, about 3,000 Dancong tea plants from Wudong Mountain in Fenghuang remained. Today, it includes ten major aromatic varieties such as Huangzhi Xiang (Citrus), Guihua Xiang (Osmanthus), Zhilan Xiang (Orchid), Molihua Xiang (Jasmine), Milan Xiang (Honey Orchid), Xingren Xiang (Almond), Yelai Xiang (Tuberose), Milan Xiang (Acacia), and Rougui Xiang (Cinnamon), enjoying fame both domestically and abroad. At the 1995 National Famous Tea Evaluation held in Changsha, Phoenix Dancong was ranked among 32 famous teas and awarded the Ministry of Commerce’s Certificate of Quality Product and an award certificate. In 1986, it participated again in the 800th Anniversary Tea Culture Exhibition in Fuzhou, which included participants from 8 countries, and won the Oolong Tea Category Quality Product Award.

    Tiepu Baiye Shuixian is a premium product selected and cultivated from Phoenix Shuixian. It can be harvested and processed in plots, achieving Dancong-level quality, hence called the group Baiye Dancong. It won the Third Prize for Excellent Scientific and Technological Achievements in Chaozhou City in 1984 and was rated as a Guangdong Provincial Quality Tea in 1987.

    Yixianhong Oolong, also known as Shigu Oolong, is planted in Shigu Ping Village in Fenghuang and grows in the unique environment at the foot of Dashan Mountain. It is crafted using refined processing techniques. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, it had been exported overseas, becoming a prized commodity in tea exports. In 1985, it was named one of the 16 national quality famous teas and awarded the Quality Product Award and Trophy by the Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Republic of China.