Kaishan White Down Tea

Kaishan White Down Tea

Kaishan White Down Tea is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Name: Kaishan White Down Tea | Origin: Hezhou

　　    Kaishan White Down Tea has a long cultivation history and is one of Guangxi’s famous teas. It is mainly produced in Kaishan Town, Babu District, Hezhou City, Guangxi. The tea grows in lush mountainous areas with fertile soil, abundant rainfall, and persistent mist. The harvesting and processing techniques are primarily manual pan-firing. The finished tea is characterized by its greenish liquor and green leaves, with a sweet aftertaste; its appearance is fine, round, straight, and covered with visible white down; when brewed, the tender buds and green leaves reveal a slightly bitter taste at first that quickly turns sweet, exuding a rich fragrance and leaving the mouth moist; it also has a unique apple-like aroma. Its color, aroma, and taste are all excellent. During his southern tour in the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Qianlong of the乾隆 era praised it as “First-grade Kaishan Tea — no finer tea exists under heaven,” and from then on, the fame of Kaishan White Down Tea spread far and wide.

　　Kaishan White Down Tea is a strip-shaped pan-fired green tea produced in He County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is mainly sold in Guangxi, Beijing, and other regions. The tea-growing area in the county, particularly in Guiling, sits at an altitude of over 1,000 meters, surrounded by mountains on three sides, shrouded in mist all year round, with mild winters and cool summers. The tea plant variety is superior, with oval-shaped leaves and soft leaf texture. Its quality features tight, uniform strips, curled in a spiral shape, with hidden silver-green and visible white down; the liquor is yellowish-green and clear, the aroma is pure and lasting, the taste is strong, refreshing, and sweet; the leaf base is tender yellow and uniform.

　　Historical records state: When Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty traveled to Guilin during his southern tour, an elderly man invited him to taste tea. The emperor lifted the teacup, took a sniff, and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Good tea!” and repeatedly asked, “Where is this tea from?” The old man replied, “The tea comes from Kaishan in He County — it is Kaishan Tea. This tea, the first brew is water, the second is true tea, and the third and fourth brews still offer untapped flavors.” Then the emperor poured the second brew, took a sip, and couldn’t help but clap his hands and exclaim, “Marvelous, truly first-grade Kaishan Tea — no finer tea exists under heaven.” Since then, the reputation of Kaishan White Down Tea from He County has endured to this day.

　　Tang Dynasty’s Lu Yu in “The Classic of Tea” wrote: “Tea as a beverage originated with the Divine Farmer (Shennong).” In the history of Chinese cultural development, things related to agriculture and plants are often traced back to Shennong. The claim that Chinese tea drinking originated with Shennong has also given rise to various viewpoints through folklore. Some believe that while Shennong was boiling water in a pot in the wild, a few tea leaves accidentally fell into the pot. The resulting water was slightly yellow, and upon drinking it, he felt refreshed and invigorated. Based on his past experience tasting hundreds of herbs, he identified it as a medicinal plant — this is the most widely accepted version of the origin of Chinese tea drinking.

　　Geographic Scope

　　The geographic scope of the Kaishan White Down Tea geographical indication product includes Kaishan Town, Guiling Town, Daning Town, and Huangdong Township within the Mengzhu Ridge Mountain Range along the Guangxi-Hunan border. Kaishan White Down Tea originated in the temple ponds, Gaotianchong, Zhaiyanchong, and Gongdanchong areas in the southeastern villages of Kaishan Town in the Mengzhu Ridge Mountain Range. The original ecological tea-growing area is at an altitude of over 500 meters, surrounded by mountains on three sides, with fertile soil, abundant rainfall, mist year-round, mild winters, and cool summers. The coordinate range is between 24°46′24″N to 24°28′54″N latitude and 111°41′12″E to 111°47′41″E longitude. The protected area spans 4,000 hectares, with currently 400 hectares under cultivation and an annual fresh tea yield of 500 tons. The region is part of the hilly area of the Nanling Mountains, where a tributary of the Guiling River flows through Kaishan, Guiling, Daning, Huangdong, and Hejie towns, covering a length of 100 kilometers before flowing into the He River downstream of Hejie Town.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External Sensory Features: Kaishan White Down Tea (green tea) has a tight, uniform shape with pointed tips and visible white down; it boasts a fragrant, rich aroma with a prominent apple scent; the liquor is clear and greenish; the taste is mellow, rich, and refreshing. Kaishan White Down Tea is a historically renowned local tea from Guangxi with superior quality. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: The main quality indicators of Kaishan White Down Tea (green tea) are: moisture ≤6.3%, total ash ≤4.92%, crude fiber ≤11.4%, water extract ≥56.4%, tea polyphenols ≥23.6%, free amino acids ≥2.5%. (3) Safety Requirements: The product’s safety indicators must meet the hygiene and safety standards outlined in (GB 2762–2012 National Food Safety Standard – Maximum Levels of Contaminants in Foods) and (GB 2763–2014 National Food Safety Standard – Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides in Foods).