Xixiang Green Tea

Xixiang Green Tea

　　Xixiang Green Tea

　　Xixiang Green Tea The history of tea cultivation in Xixiang County dates back to the Qin and Han dynasties, flourished during the Tang and Song dynasties. In 1975, Xixiang was designated as a tea production base county by the provincial and municipal governments. In September 1975, after Wang Shiqing, the then Party Secretary of Xixiang, attended the National Agricultural Work Conference and pledged to establish 100,000 mu (approximately 6,666 hectares) of tea gardens within ten years, the county’s tea garden area rapidly expanded to 30,000 mu. In May 1977, at the National Tea Base Construction Experience Exchange Conference, Xixiang was listed as one of the 100 national tea base counties. In July 1977, the Xixiang County Tea Production Office was reinstated to organize and coordinate tea production across the county.

　　On August 7, 1985, the tea developed in our county passed the technical appraisal by the Shaanxi Provincial Science and Technology Commission. Professor Chen Chuan, the head of the appraisal committee, personally named it “Wuzi Xianhao.”

　　Over the past 20-plus years, the tea industry in Xixiang has developed rapidly with remarkable achievements. The current tea garden area spans 210,000 mu. A number of brands have emerged, such as “Xixiang Tezhao” and “Wuzi Cuibo,” which are not only popular across the province and beyond but have also gained international recognition. Major varieties include:

　　(1) Wuzi Xianhao. This tea is made from tender buds picked around the Qingming Festival from pollution-free tea trees growing at altitudes of about 800–1,000 meters within the county. It undergoes eight meticulous processing steps: fixation, cooling, shaping, spreading, fixing the shape, tipping, roasting, and sorting. Rich in amino acids, caffeine, and tea polyphenols, Wuzi Xianhao is characterized by its “bright green color, shiny tips, fresh and delicate aroma, clear soup, mellow and refreshing taste, and elegant shape.” In 2002, it won the Gold Award in the Famous Tea Evaluation at the 14th China Western Commodities Fair. In June 1995, “Wuzi Mountain” brand Wuzi Xianhao was approved by the China Green Food Development Center to use the Green Food logo (No. LB---30---000638); in 1997, it was awarded the Gold Award at the International Expo and honored as a Famous Chinese Wuzi Xianhao Tea; in 1999, it was recognized as a Famous Brand Product at the China International Agriculture Expo.

　　(2) Xixiang Stir-Fried Green Tea. As the flagship product among Xixiang teas, stir-fried green tea has the longest production history, spanning from late March to the end of September each year. Known for its moderate price, mellow and fresh taste, and long-lasting flavor even after multiple infusions, it enjoys widespread popularity among general consumers. High-quality stir-fried green tea features tightly rolled, robust, glossy, and evenly shaped leaves with a bright green color. It boasts a “high aroma, strong taste, and excellent endurance for brewing, with emerald-green soup and green leaves showing visible sprouts.” The tea contains zinc, selenium, manganese, amino acids, catechins, and tea polyphenols.

　　In June 2007, Chen Zongmao, the only engineering academician in China’s tea industry, along with representatives from more than ten well-known domestic tea research institutions and universities, attended the “Shaanxi Tea Development Seminar” in Xixiang and spoke highly of Xixiang’s tea.