Xixiang Tea

Xixiang Tea

　　Xixiang County has a long history of tea cultivation, dating back to the Qin and Han dynasties, flourishing 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, Wang Shiqing, the then Party Secretary of Xixiang, attended the National Agricultural Work Conference and pledged to develop 100,000 mu of tea plantations within ten years. As a result, the county’s tea plantation area quickly expanded to 30,000 mu. In May 1977, at the National Tea Base Construction Experience Exchange Conference, Xixiang was listed as one of China’s 100 tea base counties. In July 1977, Xixiang County reinstated the Tea Production Office to oversee the organization and coordination of 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, achieving remarkable results. The county now has 210,000 mu of tea plantations. A number of tea brands have emerged, such as “Xixiang Tezhao” and “Wuzi Cuibo,” which are not only popular across the province and beyond but also exported overseas, receiving widespread acclaim. Major varieties include:

(1) Wuzi Xianhao. This tea is made from tender buds picked around the Qingming Festival from tea trees grown in an unpolluted ecological environment at altitudes of about 800–1000 meters within the county. It undergoes eight meticulous processing steps: fixation, cooling, shaping, spreading, re-shaping, tipping, baking, 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 won the International Expo Gold Award and was honored as a Famous Chinese Wuzi Xianhao Tea; in 1999, it was named a Famous Brand Product at the China International Agriculture Expo.

(2) Xixiang Stir-Fried Green Tea. Stir-fried green tea is the flagship product of the region’s tea offerings, with the longest production history. It is produced from late March to the end of September each year. Known for its moderate price, mellow and fresh flavor, and excellent brewing endurance, it enjoys great popularity among general consumers. High-quality stir-fried green tea features tightly rolled, robust, glossy, and uniform leaves with visible sprouting tips, and a fresh green color. It boasts a “high fragrance, strong taste, good brewability, and vibrant green leaves with visible buds.” 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 renowned domestic tea research institutions and universities, attended the “Shaanxi Tea Development Seminar” in Xixiang and spoke highly of the local tea.