Basic Introduction to Xiu Shui Ning Hongcha
The production of tea in Xiu Shui has a history of over 1,000 years. The production of Ning Hongcha began in the mid-Qing Dynasty. In the thirtieth year of Guangxu (1904), the premium variety of Ning Hongcha, known as Prince Tea, was listed as a tribute tea and was also called Gong tea. It received an award plaque from Russian and American merchants praising it with the phrase “Tea covers China, prices top the world.” Xiu Shui had already been a prolific producer of tea during the Tang Dynasty.
The production of Black Tea in Xiu Shui County started during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty (1823), and Ningzhou Gongfu black tea soon became one of the famous black teas of that time. “Ning Hong” is characterized by its tight, beautiful strands, visible golden tips, upright shoots, dark lustrous color, lasting fragrance, bright red Infusion, and rich, mellow taste. In 1914, Ning Hongcha won a large plaque at the Shanghai exhibition with the inscription “Tea praised throughout China, prices top the world.”
After 1949, the production of Ning Hongcha developed rapidly, and its quality continued to improve. In 1958, two varieties of high-quality Ning Hong super-grade tea were sold to the Soviet Union, and after evaluation by Chinese and foreign experts, their quality met international standards for high-grade black tea. In 1983, it received a certificate of honor for excellent quality from the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade; in 1984, it was recognized as a high-quality product in Jiangxi Province.
In its heyday, the output reached 300,000 boxes and it was popular in Europe, becoming one of China's famous teas. During the Guangxu period, Luo Kunhua opened the “Houshenglong” tea shop in Du City, Manjiang, producing 100 boxes (each box weighing 25 kilograms) of “Prince Tea,” which he sold to Russian tea merchants for 100 taels of Silver per box. The Russian merchants presented a plaque inscribed with the words “Tea covers China, prices top the world.” According to the “Luo Family Genealogy” (revised edition, volume 2, 1935), “In the past, our region was poor due to the lack of thriving industries. I will greatly expand the tea market to increase sources of profit and enrich the local area. Thus, I assisted my family member Chunsheng in the tea business, and his achievements stood out among the rest. His reputation spread to Cantonese merchants, who were pleased to have him as an assistant. Within a few years, after gathering some capital, he independently established a tea shop. Coincidentally, the Russian prince visited China and tasted his tea in Hankou, praising it highly and paying a generous price, three times the usual rate. Ningcha gained tribute status due to this event, and Luo's name became well-known in the business community.”
Nutritional Value
1. Elimination of Fatigue
The Caffeine in black tea stimulates the cerebral cortex and excites the central nervous system, thus having a refreshing and invigorating effect. It also stimulates blood vessels and the heart, accelerating blood circulation, promoting metabolism, and expediting the excretion of lactic acid (the substance that causes muscle fatigue), making it effective in eliminating fatigue.
2. Prevention of Cold
The flavonoids in black tea have the ability to kill harmful bacteria in food and render the flu virus non-infectious. In addition to preventing colds, rinsing your mouth with black tea can be beneficial when you have a sore throat due to a cold.
3. Prevention of Blood Clot Formation
The polyphenols in black tea have obvious anti-clotting and fibrinolytic effects, which can prevent the formation of thrombi.
4. Anti-inflammatory and Bacterial Killing
The catechins in black tea can bind to bacteria, causing their proteins to coagulate and precipitate, thereby inhibiting and destroying pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, drinking black tea is beneficial for patients with bacterial dysentery and food poisoning; in folk medicine, it is common to apply black tea to bedsores and athlete's foot.
Product Characteristics
Ning Hong has a beautiful, tight appearance, a dark color, and a fresh, attractive red infusion, making it extremely valuable in blended teas. “Ning Hong” is known for its tight, beautiful strands, visible golden tips, upright shoots, dark lustrous color, lasting fragrance, bright red infusion, and rich, mellow taste, earning it fame both domestically and internationally.
Historical Folklore
According to historical records, Xiu Shui has had a tea production history of over 1,000 years. In the second year of Qingtai in the Later Tang (935), the book “Tea Spectrum” written by Mao Wenshi recorded: “The white buds of Shuangjing in Hongcheng are made with extreme precision. By the Song Dynasty, they had become even more renowned domestically. The father-son duo Huang Shu and Huang Tingjian promoted their home-produced ‘Shuangjing Tea' to the capital, gifting it to celebrities such as Su Dongpo, making it well-known in the capital. Ouyang Xiu's “Record of Returning to the Fields” praised it as the best among herb teas. In the fourth year of Jiatai in the Southern Song (1204), Han Miao, the governor of Longxing Prefecture, reported: “Only Fening in Longxing Prefecture produces tea, no other counties do.” At that time, the annual tea production was over two million catties, with teas like “Shuangjing” and “Huanglong” being considered supreme.
In the Daoguang period, the reputation of Ning Hong became prominent. Contemporary tea expert Wu Jue'ao said: “Ning Hong is the earliest branch in history, predating Qi Hong by ninety years. First came Ning Hong, then Qi Hong.” By the mid-nineteenth century, Ning Hong became popular in Europe and America, becoming one of China's famous teas. American tea expert William Ukers wrote in his book “All About Tea”: “Ning Hong has a beautiful appearance, is tightly bound, and has a dark color. Its infusion is a bright, attractive red, making it extremely valuable in blended teas.” He praised “the color, aroma, and taste of Ning Hong are all of the highest quality.” In 1904, Ning Hong produced the imperial tribute tea—Prince Tea. During the Guangxu period, Luo Kunhua's “Houshenglong” tea shop specially produced Prince Tea, which he sold to Russians at the price of two taels of silver per catty in Hankou. In 1914, the top-grade white label Prince Tea participated in the Shanghai exhibition, selling for 48 taels of silver per pound and receiving an award plaque from five foreign merchants with the inscription “Tea covers China, prices top the world.” In the second year of Xuantong, the “Yitaixiang” tea shop opened by Guo Minsheng in Manjiang specially produced tribute tea, and in the fourth year of the Republic of China, Guo Mingqi specially produced tribute tea in Manjiang, both winning the championship at the Nanyang Industrial Promotion Exhibition and receiving the highest honors.
From the eighteenth to the twentieth year of Guangxu (1892-1894), Ning Hong entered its peak period on the international tea market, exporting 300,000 boxes (each box weighing 25 kilograms) annually. In the thirtieth year of Guangxu, Ning Hong exports reached 300,000 piculs. At that time, there were over a hundred tea shops and tea houses in the county, with many engaged in the tea industry. Some of the more famous ones included Zhenzhi Company, Jichang House, Daxijixiang, Yihufu, Hengfengshun, Guangxinglong, Zhengdaxiang, Hengchun House, and Tongtiangu House. The county's export tea accounted for more than one-tenth of the national total. In 1985, Mr. Wu Jue'ao recounted that when he went to London, England, for research in 1934, the small packages of tea on the London market were labeled Ningzhou black tea, but inside were black teas from places like Qimen in