Hubei

Yingshan is located at the southern foot of the Dabie Mountains, with a long history of tea cultivation and production. Its superior ecological environment has nurtured a number of fine tea and renowned tea brands, represented by "Yingshan Cloud Mist Tea." To further enhance the recognizability and market share of Yingshan Cloud Mist Tea, build its brand, and promote high-quality development of the tea industry, the County Tea Industry Promotion Center, in collaboration with Huazhong Agricultural University, the Tea Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and the Fruit and Tea Research Institute of Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, has formulated and released four group standards based on the needs of the tea industry in Yingshan: "Production Technical Regulations for Yingshan Cloud Mist Tea," "Processing Technical Regulations for Yingshan Cloud Mist Tea," "Yingshan Cloud Mist Tea," and "Brewing Technical Regulations for Yingshan Cloud Mist Tea." All tea farmers, tea enterprises, and tea traders are encouraged to implement these standards according to their respective circumstances.

According to weather forecasts, from February 1st to 6th, Hubei Province will experience the most powerful cold wave of the winter, with low temperatures, rain, snow, and ice. The average temperature across the province is expected to drop by 6°C to 10°C. This severe freezing weather will pose a significant threat to the normal growth of tea plants, particularly young ones. Precautionary measures should be taken to minimize the impact of extreme freezing conditions on tea fields and ensure the production of spring tea next year. Influence of Low-Temperature Freezing Weather on Tea Production Severe freezing weather poses a significant threat to the normal growth of tea plants, especially young ones, potentially leading to reduced yields, decreased quality, and even plant death. Measures to Prevent Frost Damage in Tea Plants 1. Covering for Frost Protection For mature tea plants in high-altitude areas, non-woven fabrics, ground films, or shade nets can be used to directly cover the canopy, with better results achieved by erecting a shelter 10cm to 20cm above the canopy. Covering with rice straw or crop stalks provides even better protection against extreme cold. Covering materials should be removed when temperatures rise. 2. Spraying Anti-Freeze Agents For mature tea…

Since February 20, a new round of cold wave has arrived, with freezing rain covering a wide area and the lowest temperature dropping below zero degrees Celsius. To ensure that this year's spring tea sales are not affected, agricultural experts from the Agricultural Science Institute of Xiangyang City, Hubei Province, have actively carried out publicity, mobilization, technical guidance, and service work to ensure effective cold protection in tea gardens and minimize the impact of damage to tea gardens as much as possible. Covering tea trees (photo provided by correspondent) It is understood that Xiangyang currently has a tea garden area of 467,000 mu, with a newly built tea garden area of 70,000 mu. According to the current growth trend of tea trees, most of the old tea gardens can withstand low temperatures. However, high-altitude tea areas, early budding varieties, and clonal tea tree varieties still need special attention, especially as the altitude increases, the frost damage to tea trees will become more evident. In response to this cooling, agricultural experts recommend that tea growers take timely measures such as covering tea trees with shade nets and ground cloths; spraying freeze-resistant agents on tea leaves, such as brassinosteroids and foliar fertilizers,…

Basic Introduction to Zhouxiang Phoenix TeaZhouxiang Town is the birthplace of Meng Zong, one of the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars, where the story of “Meng Zong Crying over Bamboo” took place. Zhouxiang is also a historic tea-producing area, and its Zhouxiang Phoenix Tea has gained fame both at home and abroad for its unique sensory characteristics and intrinsic quality. Nutritional ValueThrough modern scientific separation and identification, there are up to four hundred organic chemical components and more than forty inorganic mineral elements found in tea. Many nutritional and medicinal components are present in the organic chemical components and inorganic mineral elements of tea. Major organic chemical components include: polyphenols, plant alkaloids, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, pectin, organic acids, lipopolysaccharides, sugars, enzymes, pigments, etc. Product CharacteristicsThe appearance is straight and flat, with a green and lustrous color, complete and uniform, with many downy buds. The inner quality is characterized by a persistent chestnut aroma, a bright greenish-yellow infusion, a fresh and smooth taste, and a tender, bright leaf base that remains intact. Manufacturing MethodPicking standards are strict, usually carried out around the Qingming Festival, with an appropriate picking period of about half a month. For top-grade tea, single buds are picked; for…

What is good Hubei tea? A seemingly simple question, but it's hard to sum up in a single phrase. Is expensive tea necessarily good tea? Is scarce tea necessarily good tea? Is tea that boasts ancient trees or master craftsmanship necessarily good tea? The answer to all these is “not necessarily.” Image | Hubei tea mountains shrouded in mist and clouds 01 Hubei’s Good Tea: The Three Essential Elements at the Source Must Not Be Missing For truly good tea, the three essential elements at the source must be right. What are the three essential elements at the source of tea? They are: region, variety, and processing method. Region More than a thousand years ago, Lu Yu, the Sage of Tea, wrote in Chapter One of "The Classic of Tea," about "the origin of tea"; then, in another chapter titled "where tea comes from," he detailed the various sources of tea production in the Tang Empire that he had researched and that were recorded in historical documents. This shows the importance of the origin of tea, that is, "region." Image | "The Classic of Tea" by Lu Yu Currently, 21 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in our country produce tea,…

On August 5th, in the Sanfangping Community of Yuyangguan Town, Hubei Caihua Tea Industry Co., Ltd. distributed 9,600 bags of organic fertilizer, 40,000 yellow sticky boards, and 3,200 bottles of lime-sulfur mixture free of charge to 228 local tea farmers. Previously, technical personnel from the County Tea Development Center provided training for local farmers on practical techniques such as pest control and organic farming to improve their scientific management skills. Caihua Tea Industry, one of the key players in the construction of organic, eco-friendly low-carbon tea and ancient wild tea, plans to promote techniques that reduce chemical inputs and implement green prevention measures against pests and diseases in tea gardens. This will enable the creation of a 3,100-mu (approximately 206 hectares) eco-friendly low-carbon tea base. Additionally, they will develop a demonstration base for the protection of ancient tea trees. According to the 2024 Five Peak Consolidation Plan for Ten Thousand Mu Organic Tea, Ancient Wild Tea Bases, and Eco-Friendly Low-Carbon Tea Bases, this year our county aims to build an additional 10,000 mu (approximately 667 hectares) of eco-friendly low-carbon tea bases and 9,800 mu (approximately 653 hectares) of ancient wild tea bases, building upon the existing ten thousand mu organic…

Due to the influence of multiple low-temperature cold waves last winter and this spring, there is a trend toward increased occurrence of diseases such as tea blister blight. The main diseases and pests occurring in tea gardens across the country include the tea green leafhopper, gray tea looper, tea looper, tea hairy caterpillar, tea thrips, pest mites, black tea scale, angular tea leaf beetle, tea lace bug, green plant bug, tea blister blight, and anthracnose. To effectively control the major tea tree diseases and pests in 2024 and ensure tea production and quality safety, the National Agricultural Technical Extension Center has developed this plan. Control Objectives Achieve a treatment rate of over 90% for major diseases and pests, an overall control efficacy of over 80%, keep the loss due to disease and pest damage under 8%, and reach a green control coverage rate of over 60%. Control Strategy Implement a green control strategy for tea tree diseases and pests based on ecological regulation and agronomic measures, with a focus on physical and chemical luring control and biological control, supplemented by scientific use of pesticides. Prioritize fitness cultivation, immunological induction, sex pheromone trapping, light trapping, color board trapping, biopesticides, and protection…

Basic Introduction of Mopingsi Tribute Tea"Mopingsi Tribute Tea" is named after the village of Mopingsi in Litemple Town, Nanzhang County. Historically known as "Moping Tea," or "Mopingsi Tea," it is also colloquially referred to as "Mopingsi Tribute Tea" and is now commonly known by its registered trademark. With a long history and superior quality, it was renowned for its fragrant flavor in ancient times and highly favored by feudal courts. The "Mopingsi Tribute Tea" product line has won numerous national awards and was once the only tea product in Xiangyang City to be certified as a geographical indication agricultural product by the Ministry of Agriculture.The entry of "Mopingsi Tribute Tea" into the ranks of nationally renowned products is a matter of great joy and celebration. It contributes significantly to the progress of "Golden Nanzhang" towards achieving a moderately prosperous society. The tea plantation is located in Old Forest Gully, 17 miles west of the Litemple Town government, at an altitude of around 550 meters. It is said to have the longest daily sunlight exposure in the area. Currently, there are over 1,200 acres of tea gardens, capable of producing more than 30,000 catties of tribute tea annually. Seven ancient tea…

Pu'er ripened tea has no expiration date and can be stored long-term. However, this does not mean that ripened Pu'er can be stored indefinitely; it is generally suitable for drinking after being stored for three to five years. In comparison, raw Pu'er tea requires around ten years of storage to reach its optimal drinking period. Ripened Pu'er has no expiration date—Pu'er ripened tea can be stored long-term without an expiration date, as long as it is kept under standard storage conditions, Pu'er tea can continue to be stored. How Long is the Expiration Date for Pu'er Ripened Tea? Yunnan Pu'er tea tends to improve with age, and its shelf life can extend from 10 to 20 years. Similarly, aged Wuyi rock tea often has a richer aroma and more robust flavor. Hunan's dark tea, Hubei's Fu brick tea, Guangxi's Liubao tea, and others will not spoil but rather improve in quality if stored properly. Generally, however, most teas are best when fresh. For example, green tea typically has a shelf life of about one year at room temperature. However, factors such as temperature, light, and humidity significantly impact the quality of tea. If stored correctly by mitigating or eliminating these…

In recent years, Sinan County has firmly embarked on a path of eco-priority and green development, leveraging its unique natural ecological treasures to cultivate and promote its eco-friendly tea brand. By strengthening close cooperation and synergistic development mechanisms among tea companies, it has successfully attracted many high-quality clients. Tea loading. At Guizhou BaiFuyuan Eco-Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. in Xujia Dam Town, Sinan County, the workshop is bustling with activity as workers are diligently packing boxes of red oolong tea. This batch of tea was purchased by Guizhou Dingjia Tea Co., Ltd., a supplier of tea drink ingredients for Wahaha Group, and is about to embark on its journey to Wahaha’s tea-based beverage production line. Ready-to-ship tea. Speaking about the 800-ton order of red oolong tea, Liu Housi, head of the Sinan County Tea Industry Association, said with joy, “The first delivery of this order is 60 tons, divided into three batches, and the first truckload has already been dispatched, loaded with 20 tons of high-quality tea.” Transporting tea. To further promote the tea industry, Sinan County established a tea industry association in July this year, pooling the wisdom and strength of various tea cultivation, processing, and related enterprises in the…

1. It's the perfect season for selecting and enjoying fresh green tea. There are many varieties of green tea, and the optimal sales period for high-quality teas is short. You may buy some to try the new season's flavors, stock up on your favorites, or exchange them as gifts with relatives and friends... Before you know it, you've accumulated a good amount of tea. And the typical shelf life indicated for green tea is "one year." Many tea enthusiasts have found themselves with leftovers beyond this timeframe, handling them in various ways. Some continue drinking it as usual, while others believe it can no longer be consumed and dispose of it or use it as fertilizer. Image: Yulü from Enshi, Hubei Can green tea still be consumed after its expiry date (usually one year)? Based on our experience at Tea Encyclopedia: Drink it within the shelf life and as soon as possible; after the expiry date, whether it can still be consumed depends more on the current quality of the tea. In other words, rather than fixating on an uncertain time point, consider the following questions. — How can we store green tea daily to preserve its freshness as much…

Tea picking requires a large amount of labor and is highly seasonal. With urbanization, there has been a significant loss of young and able rural labor, increasing the demand for mechanized tea picking. However, we have gradually discovered that mechanically harvested tea gardens often quickly develop chicken claw branches and experience a rapid decline in the quality of fresh tea leaves.In late April 2023, I conducted a pruning and revitalization experiment in my family's tea garden in Enshi, Hubei, primarily attempting to replicate the tea garden management practices of the West Lake Longjing region in Hangzhou. This involves heavy pruning of the tea plants in late April to early May, followed by fertilization, and another heavy pruning in mid-to-late July to promote the growth of more productive branches, with a light pruning in November. The goal is to maximize the benefits of spring tea production. Figure 1 shows the result of my pruning at the time, preserving the main branches. Figure 1 However, out of laziness, I wanted to see what the effect would be without fertilizing or pruning again in mid-to-late July, so I only performed the initial pruning. During my visit home for the holidays this year, I…

In recent years, Sinan County has leveraged its ecological resource advantages to carefully cultivate and enhance its ecological tea brand. Through strengthening close cooperation and a coordinated development mechanism among tea enterprises, it has successfully attracted the attention of numerous high-quality clients. At Guizhou BaiFuyuan Ecological Agriculture Development Co., Ltd. in Xujia Basin Town, Sinan County, the workshop is bustling with activity as workers are busily packing boxes of red oolong tea for shipment. This batch of tea was ordered by Guizhou Dingjia Tea Industry Co., Ltd., a tea ingredient supplier for Wahaha Group, and is destined for Wahaha's tea product beverage production line. Speaking about the 800-ton order of red oolong tea, Liu Housi, head of the Sinan County Tea Industry Association, said: “The first delivery consists of 60 tons, divided into three batches to be delivered to the customer’s designated location. The first truckload, carrying 20 tons of premium tea, has already departed smoothly.” Thanks to the matchmaking efforts of the Sinan County Tea and Mulberry Technology Promotion Center, Guizhou Dingjia Tea Industry conducted in-depth inspections of several local tea enterprises in Sinan, eventually leading to this collaboration. Lin Songrong, head of Guizhou Dingjia Tea Industry, remarked: “The…

Dark tea undergoes external microbial fermentation, which involves not only the enzymatic reactions of the leaves themselves but also the assistance of external microorganisms. Professor Liu Zhonghua notes that in English descriptions, the process for black tea (red tea in Chinese) is referred to as “oxidation,” while dark tea truly undergoes “fermentation.” The wet-piling fermentation is a unique process in the making of dark tea. The wet-piling process itself is the fermentation process, where compressed dark tea leaves are sprinkled with water under controlled humidity and temperature conditions. This promotes the action of enzymes within the tea leaves and the activity of microorganisms, facilitating the transformation of the tea. The wet-piling process itself is the fermentation process. Compressed dark tea leaves are sprinkled with water under controlled humidity and temperature conditions. This promotes the action of enzymes within the tea leaves and the activity of microorganisms, facilitating the transformation of the tea. When the core temperature reaches 70 degrees Celsius, the pile is turned to ensure even temperature distribution, a process repeated multiple times. When all conditions are optimal, the metabolism of the microorganisms, along with the extracellular enzymes they secrete, can break down many substances in the tea, such…

In order to carry out the "Procuratorial Protection for Enterprises" special work solidly and promote the optimization of a legal business environment, on August 9th, Xu Jianping, a dedicated member of the Procuratorial Committee of the Enshi Prefecture People's Procuratorate, conducted special research on tea industry development under the "Procuratorial Protection for Enterprises" initiative at He Feng County's Kai Rong Industrial Development Co., Ltd. Procuratorial "Protection for Enterprises" specialists from the Enshi Prefecture People's Procuratorate, as well as those from Xianfeng County, Lai Feng County, and He Feng County, participated in the research, with people's supervisors also invited to join. "Kai Rong Company was established in October 2019 and is the largest investment enterprise in He Feng County for Zhejiang tea entering Hubei Province, as part of the county's key investment promotion efforts. Its products are primarily sold in North Africa, West Africa, Western Europe, and other regions. It is the largest tea export company in Hubei Province, exporting over 6,600 tons of tea in 2023, generating foreign exchange earnings of $32 million. It ranks among the top in the province, and it is expected that in 2024, foreign exchange earnings from exports could reach $50 million." During the research,…

In the mountainous northwest of Hubei, on the "Roof of Gucheng" at an average altitude of over a thousand meters in Zhaowan Township, there are two brothers who serve as the Party branch secretaries of two adjacent villages. Their story of sharing resources and collectively developing the tea industry to lead the locals to prosperity and a moderately prosperous life is widely known. "How's the quality of the tea processed by the mechanical arms?" "Not bad, I'll come and process a couple of batches myself then." At the end of June, Wang Anjun, the Party branch secretary of Taozhuang Village, brought his younger brother Wang Anhua to visit the newly purchased equipment in the village. Wang Anhua is the Party branch secretary of Changling Village, and had been worried about the tea production due to insufficient funds to build a new production line. "Brother, can we join forces to build a medium-sized tea processing factory? This way, we can share equipment and labor, saving costs and increasing efficiency," Wang Anhua asked, looking at Wang Anjun. Wang Anjun nodded in agreement, saying, "That's exactly what I was thinking. Let's do this together." Taozhuang Village and Changling Village are both high-altitude villages,…

Congratulations to the Party branch of Anji White Tea Group Co., Ltd. for being rated as a 'Four Strengths' Party branch. Branch Introduction Anji White Tea Group Co., Ltd. was established in September 2022, and is affiliated with Zhejiang Anji Agricultural Investment High-Tech Group Co., Ltd. The company's Party branch was founded at the beginning of 2023 and currently has nine official Party members. Since its establishment, the branch has closely followed the requirements for high-quality development of the "three teas," proactively fulfilling its role, and fully leveraging the "red engine" of Party building to develop the white tea industry that enriches the people in areas such as cooperation between eastern and western regions, increasing farmers' income, and improving the quality and efficiency of the industry. Branch Work Characteristics 1. Bridging Mountains and Seas, Demonstrating Red Commitment. Using Anji White Tea as a golden leaf bond, we continue to provide assistance through "White Leaf No.1" in three provinces and five counties, as well as in regions receiving targeted support. We deepen and solidify the rural revitalization Party building alliance, continuously expand cooperative joint construction and assistance pathways, and sign a branch pairing agreement with Yangliugou Village in Xianfeng County, Hubei…

Guizhou's mountains and waters are endowed with remarkable natural beauty and rich resources. Data shows that Guizhou's tea garden area has expanded from 5.24 million mu in 2014 to over 7 million mu in 2023, ranking it among the top in the country; the province's tea industry's comprehensive output value also jumped from 27 billion yuan to 63 billion yuan during the same period. The Multi-Color Guizhou Network specially launches the column "[Visit Guizhou's Tea]," starting from Guizhou's tea industry chain, interviewing tea farmers, tea makers, scientific researchers, teahouse owners, and foreign tea seekers, reflecting how Guizhou's excellent ecology fosters clean tea and its path of high-quality industrial development. "Qian Tea No.1" took nearly 16 years to develop from a superior strain to a new variety. In April 2019, it was registered by the Ministry of Agriculture as a non-principal crop variety, allowing for its promotion. Its primary developer is Dr. Chen Zhengwu, researcher at the Guizhou Tea Research Institute and leader of the tea plant resource breeding discipline. On August 5th, Dr. Chen Zhengwu told reporters that since its promotion in 2019, "Qian Tea No.1" has been introduced to areas such as Daozhen Autonomous County, Sinan County, Yanhe Autonomous…

Tea, as a treasure of Chinese traditional culture, carries thousands of years of history and culture. Among the many types of tea, Fu tea, brick tea, and dark tea attract countless tea enthusiasts with their unique charm. However, many people are often confused about the relationship between these three. Today, let’s explore the world of Fu tea, brick tea, and dark tea and appreciate their unique flavors. Tea can be divided into six major categories based on its processing method and degree of oxidation: green tea, yellow tea, black tea (in the Western sense), white tea, oolong tea, and dark tea. Dark tea, as one of these, is like a profound and reserved elder, exuding the flavor of time. Dark tea is widely distributed and has a rich variety of types. The “three bricks, three tips, and one flower roll” of Hunan dark tea, the old green brick from Hubei, Tibetan tea from Sichuan, ripe Pu'er from Yunnan, and Liu Bao tea from Guangxi all display unique regional characteristics and production techniques. These varieties of dark tea differ in taste, aroma, and health benefits, satisfying the needs of various tea enthusiasts. Brick tea is a common shape for compressed tea.…

Dark tea is one of the six major types of Chinese tea that involves microbial fermentation in the formation of its quality and flavor. In 2021, China's total production of dark tea reached 396,900 tons, ranking third among the six major types of tea. In 2022, China's dark tea industry entered a new phase of high-quality development. Since the late 1980s, the team of tea experts from Hunan Agricultural University has successively conducted basic research, technological innovation, and product innovation on dark tea, scientifically interpreting the drinking attributes and health benefits of Anhua dark tea. As the health benefits of dark tea have been continuously confirmed by research, it has gradually become an ideal beverage for people to prevent sub-health. I. Tea-Horse Trade and the Origin of Dark Tea The exact time of origin of dark tea remains uncertain. The term "dark tea" was already in use during the mid-Ming Dynasty. The emergence of dark tea is inseparable from the long-lasting tea-horse trade between central China and the border regions. It may have been the long-distance transportation between inland and border areas, between producing and consuming areas, that gave rise to the durable and transportable dark tea category. Therefore, it…

On February 7th, tea experts from Guocha Institute specializing in breeding, processing, cultivation, and plant protection jointly provided technical guidance on the renovation and improvement of low-yielding and inefficient tea gardens in Hong'an. At the Hubei Yude Tea Co., Ltd. base in Dabie Mountain area, the experts addressed a series of issues including tea tree aging, lax management of tea gardens, and poor adaptability of varieties. They proposed new standardized techniques for establishing tea gardens quickly using new tea tree varieties, providing on-site guidance in the tea gardens that are about to be renovated. The aim is to increase tea seedling survival rates and shorten the period it takes for the gardens to become productive. Additionally, considering the overwintering conditions of major pests and diseases in old tea gardens, they suggested measures to prevent major pest and disease outbreaks and provided guidance on integrated pest management. Text and Images: Tan Rongrong

Basic Introduction to Guanyin Lake Green TeaGuanyin Lake Green Tea is a specialty of Xiaochang County, Xiaogan City, Hubei Province.Guanyin Lake Green Tea is a product protected by geographical indication. “The filial piety of Meng Zong spreads across the world, and good tea comes from the shores of Guanyin Lake.” The proposed protected area is a tourist destination, a Buddhist site for over a thousand years, a well-known revolutionary base, and the birthplace of filial piety culture (with the custom of “a cup of tea in the morning, daughter-in-law serving mother-in-law,” which shows respect for the elderly), as well as the birthplace of tea culture. It has a long history of tea cultivation, produces high-quality tea, and especially the tea around Guanyin Lake is of the best quality and enjoys a high reputation in Hubei. It is well-known in Xiaogan and is an essential item for gifts and home use. Guanyin Lake Green Tea is mainly distributed in the Guanyin Lake Ecological Cultural Tourism Resort, Xiaowu Township, Xiaohetown, Weidian Town, and Wangdian Town of Xiaochang County. The cultivated varieties are mainly Echa No.1, Fuding Dahao, and other excellent varieties. Benefiting from the reform and opening-up policy, a number of private…