Chess Mist

Chess Mist

　　Chess Mist is a specialty of Xiangqi Mountain in Zhaoping County, Hezhou City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The finished product of Chess Mist tea is characterized by tightly rolled, fine and slightly curved leaves, a glossy emerald green color, a rich and fragrant aroma, a fresh and refreshing taste with a lingering sweet aftertaste, a tender green and clear liquor, and bright yellowish-green leaves.

　　Zhaoping County is located in eastern Guangxi, along the middle reaches of the Gui River, with beautiful mountains and rivers, a long history, and profound cultural heritage. The county is rich in natural resources, and tea has become one of its emerging green pillar industries. Currently, more than 160,000 acres of tea are planted across the county, yielding over 7,030 tons of tea annually.

　　Chess Mist is one of the famous special teas in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is produced in Xiangqi Mountain, located between Wen Zhu and Xian Hui townships in Zhaoping County, Guangxi. This area features jagged peaks, towering ancient trees, sea-like clouds and rolling mists, wild herbs covering the ground, blooming flowers filling the air with fragrance, a mild climate, abundant rainfall, fertile soil, and deep layers of earth. Tea trees are grown on hillsides at around 700 meters above sea level.

　　Chess Mist is harvested meticulously when the tea buds are young, typically around the Qingming Festival. The picking standards are as follows: premium grade tea consists of one bud with one newly unfolded leaf; first-grade tea includes one bud with one leaf or one bud with two newly unfolded leaves; second-grade tea is made up of one bud with two leaves. The main processing steps include withering fresh leaves, high-temperature fixation, sieving to dissipate heat, initial rolling into strips, drying to reduce moisture, re-rolling to tighten the strips, tumbling to shape, and slow roasting to fully dry.

　　The quality characteristics of Chess Mist include tightly rolled, fine and slightly curved leaves, a glossy emerald green color, a high and rich fragrance accompanied by the scent of honey and flowers, a fresh and refreshing taste with a lingering sweet aftertaste, a tender green and clear liquor, and bright tender green leaves. Drinking it leaves a lingering floral aroma in the mouth and throat, refreshes the mind and spirit, helps relieve summer heat and inflammation, strengthens the body, and promotes longevity. It truly embodies the distinctive qualities of high-mountain mist tea.