Meixian Green Tea

When people talk about green tea, their minds often first turn to the Suzhou-Hangzhou region. Since ancient times, this area has produced high-quality green tea, with nationally renowned varieties such as West Lake Longjing and Dongting Biluochun. Few would expect that way down in Lingnan, in Meixian, Guangdong, one can also find premium green tea.

Venturing into Jiulongzhang in Meixian, you’ll find 99 peaks forming nine mountain ranges that twist and turn like dragons. The aptly named Jiulongzhao (Nine Dragon Ridge) is not only one of the earliest revolutionary bases established in eastern Guangdong, but its unique natural environment has also nurtured thousands of acres of tea plantations. “The village party branch secretary of Jiulong Village, Liang Guoqiang, said the village has been growing tea for over 150 years. With frequent cloud cover throughout the year, high air humidity, and large day-night temperature variations, the tea grown here boasts a lush green color and a mellow, refreshing taste.”

Meinan Town is one of the three major tea-producing areas in Meixian District. The town has over 6,500 acres of tea plantations, yielding around 150 jin (75 kg) per acre annually, for a total output of 975,000 jin (487.5 metric tons). Among this, Jiulongzhao accounts for 1,800 acres, mainly cultivating small-leaf green tea, which has helped establish tea as one of the four main pillars of Meixian’s agriculture.

After tea farmers pick fresh leaves, they must immediately carry out processes such as sun-drying and fixation to preserve the fresh flavor of the green tea.