Songyang Tea

Songyang Tea

Songyang tea is a protected geographical indication product.

　　　　Songyang tea has a long history, with records showing it was already produced on a large scale during the Three Kingdoms period. By the Ming and Qing dynasties, its reputation as a fine tea had grown even stronger. All of Songyang’s premium teas share common traits: they are made from tender leaves, undergo meticulous processing, and each has unique appearances and internal qualities that reflect the characteristics of high-mountain teas — truly treasures among teas. With their tender green and crystal-clear liquors, fresh and mellow flavors, and rich, refreshing aromas, they never fail to impress any tea connoisseur.

　　(Lishui)

　　　According to the current *Songyang County Annals*, in 1929, Songyang tea won first prize at the West Lake International Exposition, and since then, it has gained international renown. During the Anti-Japanese War, to avoid the chaos of war, the Zhejiang Agricultural Improvement Institute was relocated to Songyang. There, the Hengshan Experimental Tea Farm and Hengshan Tea Factory were established to serve as demonstration sites for improving tea varieties and elevating tea quality, as well as to upgrade the cultivation, picking, and production techniques of local tea farmers, thereby promoting the improvement of Songyang tea. In the 1960s, the Honglian Brigade of Chishou Commune developed over 100 acres of “Honglian Model Tea Garden.” Inspired by this, the area of standardized tea gardens across the county reached nearly 10,000 acres within a few years. Building on traditional Songyang tea processing techniques, the Songyang County Agriculture Bureau developed and produced a new tea variety, “Songyang Yinhou,” in the early 1980s. In recent years, the popularity and reputation of “Songyang Yinhou” have continued to rise. It was awarded provincial brand product status in 2003 and recognized as one of Zhejiang’s Top Ten Famous Teas in 2004. The continuous research and development efforts of the people of Songyang have preserved the traditional tea-making techniques, promoted the spirit of Songyang’s tea culture, and driven the growth and strengthening of the local tea industry.

　　Songyang tea stands out uniquely in the ancient tea traditions of China. As early as the Three Kingdoms period, Songyang began producing tea, and by the Tang Dynasty, it had flourished significantly. The great Tang poet Dai Shulun, while serving as magistrate of Dongyang County, once visited Hengshan Temple in Songyang. An old monk served him a bowl of locally produced Hengshan tea. So captivated was Dai by the fragrance that he lost track of time until the sun had set behind the mountains. Deeply moved, he composed the poem “Hengshan”: “By chance I entered Hengshan Temple, where the stream runs deep and the path grows quiet. Dew clings to pine leaves, glistening like drops; wind stirs the waves, frothing like foam. The old monk offers me a cup of tea; the slanting sun sees me off in my boat. My heart is set on returning home, so I cannot linger longer.” By the Song Dynasty, the tea-drinking culture in Songyang had become even more prevalent, and tea ceremonies flourished. Monks and literati took pleasure in “tea competitions” (performances of the tea ceremony) without tiring. Monk Zuqian, a native of Songyang, once practiced at Baihe Hall on Xiping Mountain and was known as a master of “tea competitions” at the time. He was also a close friend of the great poet Su Shi. One day, they met and conversed, and Zuqian held a tea competition for Su. Deeply impressed by Zuqian’s exquisite tea skills, Su Shi wrote the poem “Xiping Mountain”: “At dawn the Taoist leaves Xiping Mountain, bringing with him the skillful touch of tea. Suddenly I’m struck by the hare-fur spots on the midday bowl, beaten into the brew of spring wine. The Tiantai milk flowers are unseen in this world, so where now are the Jade River phoenix elixirs? Su Shi wishes to continue the Classic of Tea, making sure Zuqian’s name will live forever.” It is said that later, when renovating the foundation of Baihe Hall on Xiping Mountain, people discovered a stone tablet engraved with this poem by Su Shi. The Ming Dynasty scholar Zhan Jiaqing from the county wrote in his poem “Wanshou Mountain”: “In the empty kitchen by the bamboo, no smoke rises; the sound of tea being brewed blends softly with the chirping of bamboo chickens.” This describes the leisurely rural life where the sounds of boiling tea and crowing chickens intermingle, showing that by then, tea drinking had become commonplace among ordinary households in Songyang. The local Qing Dynasty scholar Zhou Shengjiao wrote in “Reminiscing about Xiping Mountain”: “Drawing water to brew tea, the aroma is pure; one sip and you’d think the drinker had the bones of an immortal.” Drinking Songyang tea refreshes the mind and spirit, a testament to its exceptional quality. The tea culture of Songyang has a long and enduring history, with unique tea-related customs that have been passed down through generations, forming a distinctive regional culture. Tea has influenced the social lives of the people of Songyang for over 1,800 years and has also shaped the region’s traditional culture across the centuries. Today, the relationship between people and tea is even closer, as daily life is inseparable from it. Songyang tea has had a particularly profound impact on the production and livelihoods of local residents. Currently, the county has nearly 100,000 acres of tea plantations, with over 80,000 farmers engaged in the tea industry, generating nearly 200 million yuan in output value. Developing the tea industry has become a primary channel for increasing the income of Songyang’s farmers. The reason Songyang tea is so widely known today and sells throughout the country stems not only from the high demand for tea in modern society but also from the enduring richness of Songyang’s traditional tea culture.