Shuifu Bitter Tea

Shuifu Bitter Tea

　　  Shuifu Bitter Tea is a specialty of Shuifu County in Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province. The large-leaf holly bitter tea produced here features single black leaves with a bitter taste that turns sweet after the initial bitterness.

　　  Shuifu County is located at the northernmost part of Yunnan Province, in the triangular area where the Jinsha River and the Hengjiang River meet. It borders Yanjin County to the south, Suijiang County to the west, and faces Yibin County and Pingshan County of Sichuan Province across the Hengjiang and Jinsha Rivers to the east and north respectively.

　　  Shuifu County in Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province, is one of the production areas of bitter tea. The large-leaf holly bitter tea produced here features single black leaves with a bitter taste. Bitter tea is a popular herbal tea and medicinal drink among local people. After being processed and dried, the leaves become brittle and maintain a dark color with a strong bitter flavor—hence the name "bitter tea." It tastes bitter at first but then turns sweet.