Zunyi Red

Zunyi Red

Zunyi Red is a geographical indication protected product.

Zunyi Red is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Guizhou is the turning point, the land of triumph, and the blessed land of China’s revolution. The province holds too many of the brightest memories in the history of China’s revolutionary struggle. From the four crossings of the Chishui River to the thousand-mile maneuver through the Wumeng Mountains, the Red Army executed a series of extraordinary maneuvers and miraculously broke free from the encirclement and pursuit of hundreds of thousands of enemy troops... Zunyi in Guizhou is not only a national historical and cultural city but also a red tourism destination in China. In 1935, the “Zunyi Conference” held here made a series of major decisions and established the correct leadership of the Party Central Committee with Mao Zedong at its core, opening up a new phase for the victory of China’s revolution.

　　Shouldering a weighty mission, Zunyi City has adhered to the Party’s advanced thinking. With the joint efforts of the government and tea enterprises, it has now developed into the central hub of the southwestern tea region. Located on the sloping land that transitions from the Yinchuan Plateau to the hills of Hunan and the Sichuan Basin, Zunyi sits at an altitude of about 1,000 to 1,500 meters, within China’s second terrace. Influenced by the mid-subtropical humid monsoon climate, the area boasts extremely rich tea resources.

　　“Zunyi Red” is a premium black tea product developed by Meitan since 2008. It is based on the improvement of processing techniques from the “Qianhong” tea, which was successfully trial-produced in Meitan in the 1940s, using the Qianmei series of national clonal improved tea varieties. It has gained favor among tea industry luminaries such as Zhang Tianfu and Chen Zongmao, as well as consumers, and won gold awards at both the Guangzhou and Shanghai Tea Expos in its very first appearance in tea competitions. The market prospects are promising. If the Long March is likened to a red ribbon around the Earth, where is the most captivating fold in that ribbon? The answer is obvious: Zunyi, Guizhou. If black tea is likened to a red ribbon around the Earth, where is the most captivating fold in that ribbon? The answer is obvious: Meitan, Zunyi.

　　Meitan is one of China’s ancient tea regions and a key tea production base in Zunyi City. With a long history of tea cultivation, even the Tea Sage Lu Yu wrote in his *Classic of Tea*: “In central Guizhou, the districts of Sizhou, Bozhou, Feizhou, and Yizhou often produce tea, which is of exceptional flavor.” The *Guizhou General Gazetteer* from the Qing Dynasty records: “All areas under Guizhou’s jurisdiction produce tea, and Meitan’s Meijian tea was all tribute tea.”

　　During the War of Resistance, the National Zhejiang University relocated to Meitan to operate its campus. The Central Agricultural Experiment Station of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the China Tea Company established an experimental tea factory in Meitan, conducting research on tea planting, breeding, tea processing, and disease prevention, directly boosting the development of Meitan’s tea industry.

　　After Zhejiang University’s relocation, it brought advanced tea cultivation and frying techniques, leading to the production of green tea, black tea, and Meijian tea. In particular, the university’s College of Agriculture introduced the processing techniques of Hangzhou Longjing tea to Meitan, producing high-quality Longjing tea and cultivating a new variety called “Meihong.” Wang Jin, head of the Chemistry Department, once wrote in his poem *Tasting New Tea*: “Allowing its refined taste to surpass Longjing.” It can be said that Zhejiang University’s westward relocation not only changed the lives of individuals but, on a broader scale, transformed the development of Guizhou’s tea industry.

　　Zunyi Black Tea (2 photos) Nowadays, in the tea town of Meitan, greenery abounds everywhere, soothing to the eyes. This green varies in character depending on the location. In Hetaoba, the over 4,000 acres of tea trees seem to have feasted on spring, clad entirely in green—so green they resemble oil paintings spread across the earth, where tea-picking women occasionally bring bursts of silver-bell laughter. Climbing to the Dagupo tea mountain behind the county town, one looks out to see the surrounding hills wrapped head to toe in a green silk scarf, the scarf akin to fine brushwork painting. No matter how high the mountains or steep the slopes, the rows of tea trees remain so neat and uniform, leaving one marveling at the artistry of these farmer-painters. Arriving at Yongxing Tea Sea, another scene unfolds: endless green tea ridges undulate with the hills, the green transforming into ocean waves, and the tea-pickers into tiny sails dotting the waves.

　　In Meitan, tea is an industry of spring, an industry of sunshine, and Zunyi Red is the most radiant beam of this sunny industry.

　　Black tea is the most widely consumed type of tea in the world. From the afternoon tea that originated in British palaces to the ubiquitous black tea houses in cities today, black tea has been imbued with an aura of elegance, fashion, and tranquility. In 1662, when Portuguese Princess Catherine married King Charles II of England, she brought several chests of Chinese black tea as part of her dowry. At the wedding banquet, guests were astonished to learn that the tall glass Princess Catherine frequently raised did not contain wine but a mysterious drink from ancient China never before heard of—its name was black tea.

　　“Zunyi Red” black tea is a newly developed product by Meitan Shengxing Tea Industry Co., Ltd. Based on the characteristics of the Qianmei series of tea tree varieties in Meitan, the company combined the processing techniques of “Meihong” with those of Fujian’s Zhenghe Gongfu black tea, Tanyang Gongfu black tea, and Keemun black tea. It also adopted the unique regional identity of “Red Zunyi” as the product name for this high-quality black tea. In the 2009 “Top Ten Teas of Guizhou” competition, Zunyi Black Tea won the “Special Jury Award” for its excellent tea quality, rich cultural connotations, and unique geographical attributes.

　　Black tea is the most produced type of tea in the world, accounting for over 70%. Speaking of its characteristics, black tea is a highly adaptable type, suitable for brewing, adding milk or lemon, and integrating into Western culture. Additionally, black tea combines practicality with artistry. It warms the stomach, helps prevent colds, and inhibits bacteria, while its tea liquor is bright and beautiful, in shades of amber or orange, offering excellent visual appeal. Black tea is also gentle, suiting various environments, and carries a romantic and cozy feel. The difference between black tea and Tieguanyin is that black tea is fully fermented and can be stored for longer periods. There’s a saying that the older the black tea, the better its aroma—though it’s relatively better when aged. After production, black tea continues to ferment through oxidation during storage, enhancing the smoothness of the tea liquor. Zunyi Red, while upholding the fine qualities of traditional black tea, is based on Meitan’s original ecological tea varieties and uses advanced tea-making techniques to further refine the essence of nature.

　　In 2003, inspired by Meitan County’s investment promotion policies, Shengxing Tea Industry established Guizhou Meitan Shengxing Tea Industry Co., Ltd. on the banks of the Meijiang River in Meijiang Town. The company covers an area of 13,500 square meters, owns over 7,000 acres of pollution-free organic tea gardens, and is a specialized tea company integrating tea planting, production, processing, and sales. It is a leading enterprise in Zunyi’s agricultural industrialization and an outstanding tea company. Adopting a “company + cooperative + base” development model, the company was the first to establish a “Meitan Cuiya Wholesale Department” in Anhui’s E’qiao Tea Market, along with multiple exclusive stores, direct sales points, and wholesale stations including the “Guiyang Shengxing Tea Sales Company” in Guiyang, Guizhou, and the “Zunyi Red General Agent” in Dongguan, Guangdong. As the largest tea-consuming city in China and a window to the outside world, Dongguan is a cultural hub for tea enthusiasts nationwide, earning strong support and recognition from the Meitan County Government.

　　Through unremitting efforts, Zunyi Red has achieved remarkable results in brand enhancement, cultural operations, and system standardization. The company meticulously studies tea, pursues quality, and emphasizes innovation: as early as the early 1960s, Zunyi Red had already gained fame worldwide. The company inherits ancestral traditional production techniques, refines their essence, and researches methods. Through the continuous efforts and R&D of the company team, “Zunyi Red Black Tea” continues its unique tea charm, combining the aromatic profile of Keemun black tea with the refinement of Zhenghe Gongfu, pioneering the ancestors of Zunyi Red tea products and earning widespread acclaim in authoritative domestic tea industry circles. Meanwhile, the company has also developed distinctive green tea products, retaining the fresh taste of the original tea while incorporating the essence of green tea’s mellow fragrance, breaking through local tea dissemination limitations, and making outstanding contributions to Guizhou’s tea industry.

　　The rise of Zunyi Red not only highlights regional cultural characteristics but also serves as a tribute to China’s hard-fought victory. Rich in multiple layers of cultural meaning, it maintains the strong brand cohesion and innovation of Meitan Shengxing Tea, achieving brand expansion and advancing toward becoming an international modern enterprise.

　　The production area of Zunyi Red Tea (Zunyi Red) includes the current administrative regions of Meitan County, Fenggang County, Yuqing County, Daozhen Autonomous County, Zheng’an County, Wuchuan Autonomous County, and Xishui County in Zunyi City, Guizhou Province.