Guiping Xishan Tea

Guiping Xishan Tea

Guiping Xishan Tea is a protected geographical indication product.

Guiping Xishan Tea is an agricultural geographical indication product.

　　Produced in Guiping, Guangxi.

　　It is named after Guiping Xishan. The mountain borders the Xun River, and the famous Ruyuan Spring flows beside the tea gardens. The nourishing spring water and misty environment create ideal conditions for tea cultivation. History: Its origins date back to the Tang Dynasty, and by the Ming Dynasty, it was renowned across Lingnan (Guangdong and Guangxi), as well as in Hunan and Fujian. According to the "Dangzhou Prefecture Records": “Xishan Tea has a clear green color and a fragrant taste, not inferior to Longjing.” Legend has it that monks and nuns from Xishan Temple introduced tea seeds from the Jiangnan region, leading to the production of Xishan Tea here. The most skilled artisans in roasting Xishan Tea were still the nuns from the mountain temples. Later, due to poor management, Xishan Tea nearly went extinct. In 1949, Master Kuanneng was recommended by Master Ju Zan to come to Xishan in Guiping County to oversee Buddhist affairs. Together with newly ordained Master Changhui, they reclaimed land at Qipanshi and Xishi'an to cultivate tea, bringing Xishan Tea back to life.

　　From the planting of tea trees, fertilization, timing of picking, to the temperature control during roasting, every step of Xishan Tea production is meticulously managed. Tea picking generally begins in late February to early March and continues until November. Xishan Tea undergoes six key processes: withering, fixation, rolling, shaping, drying, and re-drying. Withering involves spreading fresh leaves thinly on bamboo trays in a shaded area. Shaping is done using a “small pot for forming”; drying is carried out in a kiln equipped with five layers of drying screens. First, rough tea is produced, which is then re-dried to become the final product. The tea features tender leaves and fine strips, with visible buds, a bluish-green hue and glossy appearance, and produces a bright emerald-green infusion.

　　Geographic Scope

　　The production area of the Guiping Xishan Tea agricultural geographical indication product covers all administrative towns within Guiping City’s jurisdiction. These include 26 towns: Xishan Town, Mengxu Town, Shilong Town, Houlu Township, Baisha Town, Nanmu Town, Jintian Town, Dongxin Township, Zijing Town, Jiangkou Town, Mule Town, Mugui Town, Shizui Town, Mapi Township, Youma Town, Shepo Town, Xunwang Township, Luoxiu Town, Zhongsha Town, Dayang Town, Luobo Township, Mugen Town, Mazhong Town, Shebu Town, Xiawan Town, and Dawan Town—encompassing 414 administrative villages, 7,763 villager groups, and 1 state-owned forest farm. The total tea planting area spans 1,000 hectares, with an annual output of 2,250 tons. The geographical coordinates are between 109°41′55″ to 110°22′48″ east longitude and 22°52′02″ to 23°48′04″ north latitude. Elevations range from 33.3 to 1,313.6 meters. It borders Pingnan County to the east, connects with Rongxian, Beiliu, Yuzhou District, and Xingye County of Yulin City to the south, links to Gangbei District of Guigang City to the west, and adjoins Wuxuan County and Jinxiu County of Laibin City to the north. The total boundary length is 375 kilometers, with a width of 69 kilometers from east to west and a length of 104 kilometers from north to south.