Guying Tribute Tea of Nayong

Guying Tribute Tea of Nayong

　　　Guying tea, also known as "Guying Tribute Tea," is said to have been an item presented to the imperial court by the Shuixi region during the Qing Dynasty. It is beloved for its unique quality and distinctive flavor.

　　　　Guying tea is produced in Guying Village, Shuidong Township, approximately 60 kilometers east of Nayong County. The area sits at a relatively high elevation of about 1,800 meters. The terrain of the tea-growing region is complex, with overlapping peaks, deep valleys, crisscrossing ravines, and is famously known as a “rugged valley” in Nayong. The slopes are covered with trees such as lacquer trees, birch, and sweet gum, offering rich vegetation. On the hillsides, in valleys, along gullies, and on earthen terraces grow expansive Guying tea gardens.

　　　　The soil in the Guying tea gardens is formed from limestone and basalt, locally referred to as “small yellow loam mixed with sand.” It is relatively good-quality sandy loam soil with a light yellow topsoil layer. The soil has loose density, a fine blocky structure, good fertility, and is conducive to the growth of tea tree roots.

　　　　Guying tea is derived from a century-old arbor-type, large-to-medium leaf variety. The average height of the tea trees is 4.4 meters, with a spread of 4.4 to 4.8 meters. The leaves are pointed, with fine, shallow, thick, and hard leaf teeth. The color is green with a glossy sheen. Young buds are light yellow-green, hairless, and sprout uniformly. This variety exhibits strong cold resistance, and the bud and leaf quality is excellent.

　　　　April is the peak season for tea picking, and the standard is to harvest one bud with four or five leaves. The fresh leaves are then pan-fired in a new earthenware pot, with the optimal temperature ranging from 160°C to 180°C. Once the leaves are added to the pot, they are stirred frequently, combining tossing and stifling until evenly heated. After fixation, the tea leaves are poured into a tray and hand-rubbed into strips. They are then dried in the sun or partially dried over a coal fire. After resting for a period, the semi-dried tea undergoes a second frying. Before this step, a small amount of water is sprinkled on the tea leaves to soften them, and then they are refried until completely dry.

　　　　Guying tea is harvested when slightly more mature, processed through a combination of semi-frying and semi-sunning followed by fermentation, and finished with a low-heat refry. These characteristics give Guying tea its unique style: coarse strips that can withstand multiple infusions (typically three to four times) when brewed in boiling water. When brewed in the locally made clay teapots produced in Nayong, it offers an even more distinctive flavor. The taste is comfortable, fragrant, mellow, and smooth. It has minimal bitterness, with a sweet aftertaste, making it an excellent beverage for refreshment and thirst quenching, as well as a valuable gift for guests.