Yaoxi Tribute Tea

Yaoxi Tribute Tea

　　Yaoxi Tribute Tea is a specialty from the Yaoxi area in Xingjing Township, Yuanhe County, Tongren City, Guizhou Province. This tea is highly resistant to brewing—multiple infusions retain flavor without turning tasteless—and offers a naturally fragrant aroma, a slightly greenish liquor, and a rich, elegant taste. It leaves a sweet aftertaste on the tip of the tongue and a refreshing sensation between the teeth.

　　Yaoxi Tribute Tea is a superior local tea variety primarily grown in the Yaoxi region of northern Yuanhe. It belongs to the tea plant category known as “tai cha” (bush tea), and its main characteristics include a fragrant, mellow flavor and excellent brewability. Historical records such as the “Huayang Guo Zhi” and “The Classic of Tea” indicate that high-quality tea from the Yaoxi area in northern Yuanhe can be traced back to the era of the ancient Ba Kingdom. Yaoxi Tea had already gained fame and was presented as tribute by at least the Tang Dynasty.

　　“The Classic of Tea” states: “Tea from central Guizhou is produced in Sizhou, Bozhou, Fuzhou, and Yizhou... often obtained, its taste is extremely good.” The Republican-era “Yuanhe County Annals” also noted: “The best tea comes from Yaoxi in the northern part of the county.” Yaoxi Tea is a type of bush tea, a distinctive local variety with a cultivation history of at least two thousand years, well adapted to the region’s soil and climatic conditions.

　　Yaoxi Tea grows vigorously, yields high production, and is easy to harvest. Yuanhe County currently has nearly 20,000 mu of tea plantation area, with plans to develop 200,000 mu of suitable tea-growing land, mainly for producing Yaoxi Tribute Tea. Yaoxi Tribute Tea is not only a historically renowned traditional tea but also the flagship brand of today’s ecological tea industry in Yuanhe. It serves both as a tea brand and a premium tea variety, with significant cultural, ecological, and economic value.