Yiwu Zhengshan Tea

Yiwu Zhengshan Tea

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　　　　The term “Yiwu Zhengshan Tea” is often misunderstood by many as meaning “premium branded tea,” resulting in numerous tea manufacturers from other regions labeling their purchased and produced teas from outside the area as “Yiwu Zhengshan.” In fact, “Yiwu Zhengshan Tea” only defines the sourcing range of the raw tea leaves and does not indicate that the finished tea is made solely from leaves sourced within that defined area. The author believes that those who use this label are not just engaging in counterfeiting, but are also committing fraud by misleading consumers or passing off lower-quality tea as superior.

　　　　The term “Zhengshan Tea” originally referred to the “Zhengshan Gongcha” (Imperial Tribute Tea) from tea gardens No. 1 to No. 3 on Mansong Mountain within Yibang Mountain of Xiangming Township, Mengla County, part of the “Ancient Six Great Tea Mountains.” This was also known as “Mansong Zhenggong.” During the Ming Dynasty, the “tea tribute” listed among local specialties, and the early Qing Dynasty “tribute tea,” were limited to the early spring tea from the tea gardens No. 1 to No. 3 on Yibang Mountain, especially Mansong Mountain. In the sixth year of the Yongzheng reign, tea from other areas including Youle, Mangzhi, Gedeng, Manzhuan, and parts of Yibang was also included in the “tribute tea.” By the thirtieth year of the Qianlong reign, tea from the Pazha River area of Yiwu (Mansha) Mountain was also added to the “tribute tea.” As a result, various tea-growing mountains had officially designated “tribute tea” areas. However, only the tea from the original Yibang Mountain—especially the tea gardens No. 1 to No. 3 on Mansong Mountain—was considered authentic “Imperial Exclusive Tea.” Tea from other mountains designated as “tribute tea” areas was used by the imperial court for trading horses, gifting dignitaries, or official office consumption, though it was commonly referred to as “tribute tea” in local accounts and inscriptions. To distinguish between the authentic “Imperial Exclusive Tea” and the “official use tea,” the former was specifically called “Zhengshan Gongcha.” Similarly, other tea mountains also distinguished between tea from designated “tribute tea” areas and non-designated areas by referring to the latter as “Zhengshan Tea” for their respective mountains.

　　　　By the end of the Qianlong reign and the beginning of the Jiaqing reign in the Qing Dynasty, when tea trading centers were established and tea merchants emerged, the original center was located in Yibang, Xiangming. Tea merchants in Yibang not only purchased, processed, and sold locally grown authentic Yibang tea, but also bought and processed tea from the other five mountains—Youle, Mangzhi, Gedeng, Manzhuan, and Yiwu—as well as other regions. To differentiate between tea processed and sold by Yibang tea merchants—whether it was authentic Yibang tea or tea sourced from the other “five mountains” or other regions—it was termed “Yibang Zhengshan Tea.” From the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty to the Republican era, the tea trading center of the “Ancient Six Great Tea Mountains” shifted from Yibang to Yiwu. Tea merchants in Yiwu not only purchased, processed, and sold locally grown authentic Yiwu tea, but also sourced and processed tea from the other five mountains—Youle, Mangzhi, Gedeng, Yibang, and Manzhuan—as well as other areas. To distinguish whether the finished tea sold by Yiwu tea merchants was authentically grown in Yiwu or sourced from the other five mountains or elsewhere, the locally grown authentic Yiwu tea was termed “Yiwu Zhengshan Tea.” However, at that time, “authentically grown Yiwu tea” was limited to tea from high-altitude mountain areas above one thousand meters in elevation, starting from the old Luode government office at the northwest corner of the mountain to Yibi at the southeast corner, where ancient tea trees had once grown. Therefore, “Yiwu Zhengshan Tea” only included tea grown in these high-altitude mountain areas above one thousand meters in elevation, from the old Luode government office at the northwest corner to Yibi at the southeast corner. Tea grown in areas below one thousand meters in elevation within the township, such as from the eighth team of Chajiao down to Naimotian Village Committee and the first team of Chajiao, differed significantly in quality from the former. Although it was produced within Yiwu Township, it did not qualify as “Yiwu Zhengshan Tea.” Tea sourced from other regions and processed in Yiwu was even less qualified to be called “Yiwu Tea” or “Yiwu Zhengshan Tea,” as there was a clear difference in quality between the two types.

　　News source: China Pu'er Tea Network (http://www.puercn.com). For full article, see: http://www.puercn.com/puerchazs/peczs/1254.html