Taishan Black Tea

As the "Foremost of the Five Great Mountains," Mount Tai is known as the "First Mountain Under Heaven" and is a destination longed for by hikers across the country. Meanwhile, Taishan Daughter Red Tea from Taishan District in Tai'an City is equally renowned in the world of black tea. Many have heard of Jin Jun Mei, Qimen Black Tea, and Lapsang Souchong, but Taishan Daughter Red Tea is in no way inferior to these famous varieties. It has even been mentioned multiple times in ancient literary works.

The culture of Taishan Daughter Tea boasts a long history. During the Ming Dynasty, Li Yuehua wrote in his work *Zitaoxuan Miscellaneous Notes*: “The people of Mount Tai pluck the tender shoots of green tung trees to brew tea, calling it Daughter Tea.” The *Revised Gazetteer of Tai'an County* also records: “Those who live on Mount Tai gather the tender shoots of green tung trees and call them Daughter Tea; the sprouts growing on the shady cliffs of Mount Tai’s springs, shaped like water caltrops, are also called Daughter Tea—all can replace southern teas.” By the Qing Dynasty, Taishan Daughter Tea had become a rare and premium tea cherished by high society. In Chapter 63 of *Dream of the Red Chamber*, the tea connoisseur Jia Baoyu, after drinking, chose to enjoy Taishan Daughter Tea to aid digestion.

Taishan Black Tea features tightly twisted dry leaves in golden and black hues with visible fuzz. The tea liquor is bright orange-red with a distinct golden rim and becomes cloudy when cooled. It has a mellow taste, a pleasant aftertaste in the throat, and an intense, sweet aroma that lingers. The leaves are full, intact, and yellowish-red in color, maintaining good quality even after five or more infusions.