A Brief Introduction to Zhangjiajie's Famous Teas
(Lobster Flower Tea) (Lobster Flower) (Huangshizhai Cloud-Mist Tea) (Qingyan Mingcui) (Qingyan Mingcui) (Suoxi Maojian) Wulingyuan Scenic Area abounds in fragrant teas, including the famous "Qingyan Mingcui," "Lobster Flower Tea," "Huangshizhai Cloud-Mist Tea," "Tianchong Maojian," and "Suoxi Maojian." In the 1982 appraisal, "Qingyan Mingcui" won a ministerial-level gold...
This article has been compiled from historical materials on 'Zhangjiajie Tour Guide Network' (33519.com · Specialty Foods / Cuisine / Customs section). Prices, business hours, administrative divisions, and statistical data mentioned in the text may already be outdated. Before traveling, please refer to the latest announcements from merchants, scenic areas, and local competent authorities; the parts involving folk legends and folk customs are local historical and cultural anecdotes, provided for cultural reference.
(Lobster Flower Tea)
(Lobster Flower)
(Huangshizhai Cloud and Mist Tea)
(Qingyan Mingcui)
(Qingyan Mingcui)
(Suoxi Maojian)
The Wulingyuan Scenic Area is rich in fragrant tea, with famous varieties including "Qingyan Mingcui," "Lobster Flower Tea," "Huangshizhai Cloud and Mist Tea," "Tianchong Maojian," and "Suoxi Maojian." In the 1982 evaluation, "Qingyan Mingcui" won the ministerial-level Gold Cup Award, and in the same year also won the Silver Award at the First National Food Expo. "Lobster Flower Tea" has also been listed as a national famous tea. After tasting and evaluation, and appraisal by tea experts, it was unanimously agreed that "Qingyan Mingcui," "Lobster Flower Tea," and others have beautiful appearances and excellent inner qualities. In appearance, this tea has tightly rolled strips, round and curved, with visible tips, covered in silvery down, and a jade-green color. In inner quality, it has a fresh and rich fragrance, a mellow taste with a sweet aftertaste, a clear green liquor, and even leaf residue. After drinking, it refreshes the spirit and has the wonderful fragrance of roasted chestnut and orchid, with an endless aftertaste. According to research, "Qingyan Mingcui" belongs to the category of high-mountain cloud and mist tea. As the old saying goes: "Good water comes from high mountains, fine tea is nurtured by cloud and mist." Huangshizhai Pipa Jie is over 1,000 meters above sea level, with a mild climate, shrouded in cloud and mist, and suitable temperatures. Therefore, the tea leaves are tender and of good quality. This unique environment provides superior growing conditions for the formation and accumulation of effective components in tea such as amino acids and caffeine, while also inhibiting the formation of coarse, old cellulose. In addition, these peaks have short sunshine hours, little direct light, much diffused light, large temperature differences between day and night, and soil rich in organic matter, thus loose in structure and well-drained. All these factors create favorable conditions for the steady growth of tea. Therefore, "Qingyan Mingcui" tea has won unanimous praise from famous experts everywhere. Zhu Xianming, Secretary-General of the Hunan Tea Society and Associate Professor at Hunan Agricultural College, after tasting this tea, wrote a poem in praise:
Zhangjiajie, pearl of scenery,
No less than Guilin's Seven Star Rock,
Hidden in the boudoir, unknown to all,
One rise to fame brings ten thousand guests.
Sturdy pines on cliffs, so vigorous and fair,
Rare birds and strange beasts even more unique,
Forest seas display their beauty, spreading across the Four Rivers,
Famous tea's fragrance drifts at home and abroad.
Zhangjiajie also has another famous tea, the newly debuted "Lobster Flower Tea." This tea, as the name suggests, is a yellow-green tea carefully made with the unique and precious flower lobster flower, abundantly produced in the scenic pearl Zhangjiajie, as its characteristic. This tea has three main features: first, its shape resembles a shrimp; second, its color is apricot yellow; third, its inner quality is good. In appearance, the strips are stout, with a large head and plump body, and the tail is slightly curved, shaped like a lobster flower. In inner quality, it has a clear and pleasant aroma, an apricot-yellow and crystal-clear liquor, a sweet and refreshing taste with a returning sweetness, a bright yellow leaf residue, and a lingering fragrance on the cheeks and teeth. Therefore, tourists who drink its liquor, as if seeing its form and experiencing its setting, will never forget it...
Professor Lu Songhou, a Hunan tea expert, on May 15, 1982, after tasting famous teas from various places, wrote a poem "Ode to Famous Tea" praising Lobster Flower Tea:
Endowed by heaven, broad and vast between the blue clouds, (referring to "Guangji Cloud and Mist Tea" and "Qingyun Silver Peak Tea")
Uniquely favored is the Lan Needle Tea from Kan Shang. (referring to "Tu Kan Shang Maojian" and "Baojing Lan Zhen" tea)
Skillfully surpassing the elegance of Anhua Pine Needle, (referring to the famous Anhua tea "Pine Needle")
Heavenly craft descends to the mortal world to play with lobster flowers. (Referring to Zhangjiajie's "Lobster Flower" tea)
In the shops of the various scenic areas in Wulingyuan, a special famous tea called "Tianchong Maojian" is also sold. This tea was first produced during the Tianqi reign of the Ming Dynasty (1621-1627), and has a history of more than 350 years. Its origin is as follows: Prince Zhu Rusheng of Wuchang, in order to escape the "Wei Yan Rebellion," shaved his head and became a monk, with the dharma name Monk Kaitian. One year, he came to the Tianchong area of Dayong on the banks of the Lishui River. Seeing the beautiful scenery and green mountains and clear waters here, he stopped to build a temple and established a nunnery named "Dabei An," meaning "great mercy and great compassion" and "compassion for heaven and pity for the world."
(Tianchong Maojian)
(Tianchong Maojian)
After this master settled down, he planted the high-quality tea seeds he had brought in front of, behind, and on both sides of Dabei An. This tea had the effects of being clear and sweet in taste, refreshing the mind, and leaving fragrance on the cheeks and teeth, so it quickly spread. Because his tea garden was in the Tianchong and Maoping area, it was named "Tianchong Maojian." When the Yongshun Xuanfu Commissioner learned of Monk Kaitian's famous tea, he attached great importance to it. He sent his son Peng Kun to Yongding District to study on site, and at the same time presented it as tribute to the powerful eunuch Wei Zhongxian and submitted it to Emperor Xizong Zhu Youxiao for tasting. After tasting it, the emperor was very pleased and immediately issued an order making it tribute tea. From the Ming to the Qing Dynasty, this tea was always presented as a famous tribute tea.
The characteristics of "Tianchong Maojian" are: tightly rolled strips, round and curved, with exposed buds and tips, covered with silver down, emerald green in color, rich and clear in fragrance, mellow and sweet in taste, and even leaf base, with the function of refreshing the mind after drinking. In making this tea, it must go through eight processes: fixing, initial rolling, re-frying, initial baking, shaping, spreading to cool, drying, and packaging. Now this famous tea has been produced in batches in Yongding District, and visitors may purchase it freely.
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