Basic Introduction to Dark Tea of Anhua
Dark Tea of Anhua is a specialty product of Anhua County, Yiyang City, Hunan Province. It is considered the progenitor of Chinese dark tea and was recorded in historical documents as “Qujiang Thin Slice” during the Tang Dynasty (856). It was once listed as a tribute to the imperial court and officially produced as Dark Tea of Anhua in the third year of the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty (1524). By the end of the 16th century, Dark Tea of Anhua had taken the leading position in China and was designated as an official tea during the Wanli period, with large quantities exported to the northwest.
Dark Tea of Anhua is one of the six basic types of tea and belongs to the category of post-Fermented tea. Its main products include Fu brick, Hei brick, Hua brick, Qing brick, Xiangjian, etc. In ancient times, some of it was sold domestically in Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Suiyuan, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Tibet, and Mongolia, while some was processed and compressed into bricks. Apart from being sold domestically in northwest China, it was also exported to the Soviet Union and was specifically referred to as “Brick Tea.”
Dark Tea of Anhua is named after Anhua County in Hunan. As the poem by Tao Shu states, “This is due to the unique local conditions and not due to artificial skill.” Anhua was known as Meishan in ancient times, located in the central-northern part of Hunan on the northern slope of the Xuefeng Mountain Range and along the middle reaches of the Zi River. It is a mountainous area where “eight parts are mountains, half part water, and half part farmland, and one part is dry land and manors.” During the Song Dynasty when the county was established, tea plants were already “growing naturally on cliffs and beside water.” The region is situated near the mysterious latitude of 30°N and the golden ratio point of the Earth's north-south axis. Anhua has a landscape characterized by continuous mountain ranges, scattered hills, terraces, and plains, with strong topographical dissection and well-developed streams and water systems. The soil in the tea gardens is predominantly acidic or weakly acidic, rich in nitrogen, potassium, and other organic matter. Anhua County is located in a subtropical monsoon climate zone with distinct seasons, abundant rainfall, and short cold periods, allowing for a tea growth period of over 7 months.
The region where Dark Tea of Anhua is grown contains 85% of the world's ice dike rock formations. Ice dike rock is called the “stone of longevity” and a lucky stone. The thickness, scale, and quality of the ice dike rock layer in Anhua County are recognized as “the best in the world,” hailed by the scientific community as a “world wonder.” Growing tea in such soil results in an average selenium content of 0.22 ppm in the tea leaves, which is twice the national average and seven times the global average, qualifying it as a moderately selenium-rich tea. This 600 million-year-old relic from the Ice Age era provides the unique geographical environmental conditions that shape the excellent quality of Anhua tea.
Geographical Protection Scope
The geographical indication product protection scope for Dark Tea of Anhua covers the following 32 towns and townships within their current administrative regions: Qingtangpu Town, Meicheng Town, Le'an Town, Xianxi Town, Changtang Town, Dafu Town, Yangjiao Town, Lengshi Town, Longtang Township, Xiaoyan Town, Taoxi Town, Jiangnan Town, Tianzhuang Township, Dongping Town, Zhexi Town, Malu Town, Kuixi Town, Yanxi Town, Pingkou Town, Qujiang Town, Nanjin Township, Gulou Township in Anhua County, Yiyang City, Hunan Province; Taohua Town, Shiniujiang Town, Fuyoushan Township, Lugu Town, Majitang Town in Taojiang County; Xinsidu Town, Nijiangkou Town, Cangshuipu Town in Heshan District; and Xinqiaohetown Town in Ziyang District.
Nutritional Value
The Health benefits of Dark Tea of Anhua are particularly unique. During the special production process of Dark Tea of Anhua, a natural fermentation occurs that generates “Puerariae Polyporus” (commonly known as Golden Flowers). This unique Puerariae Polyporus found in Dark Tea of Anhua contains 18 amino acids and more than 450 components beneficial to human health. Clinical studies have shown that Dark Tea has functions such as relieving greasy feelings, treating bloating, treating diarrhea, eliminating fat, quenching thirst, promoting saliva, invigorating the mind, regulating the digestive system, promoting digestion, and so forth. Drinking it regularly can effectively reduce blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar levels, and enhance the resilience of capillaries. The most significant effects of Dark Tea are its ability to “scrape oil” and lower the “three highs” (high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and high blood sugar), as well as its unique preventive and therapeutic effects on gastrointestinal issues.
Product Characteristics
The infusion of Dark Tea of Anhua is transparent and clean, with a fresh appearance of the infused leaves. Its aroma is rich and pure, lingering for a long time and penetrating the heart. The tea aroma is mixed with medicinal, fruity, and herbal fragrances, spreading the scent from the Zi River throughout Dongting Lake. Dark Tea is now widely recognized by the international tea and medical communities as one of the healthiest beverages in the 21st century. The main varieties of Dark Tea of Anhua include “Three Peaks,” “Three Bricks,” and “One Roll.” The Three Peaks Tea, also known as Xiangjian Tea, refers to Tianjian, Gongjian, and Shengjian; “Three Bricks” refer to Fu Brick, Hei Brick, and Hua Brick; and “One Roll” refers to Huajuan Tea, now collectively known as Dark Tea of Anhua Qianliang.
Historical Folklore
Rising in the Han and Tang Dynasties
The earliest historical record of tea production in Anhua dates back to the Tang Dynasty, and there are experts who speculate that the tea unearthed from the Han Dynasty tomb of Maowangdui in Changsha originated from Anhua, making the history of tea production in Anhua more than 2,300 years old, dating back to the Han Dynasty. In 856, the Tang Dynasty's Yang Ye recorded “Qujiang Thin Slice Tea” in his “Manual of the Kitchen Steward,” which was transported and sold in Jingling and Xiangyang and even reached Chang'an. This is the earliest historical record documenting the history of tea in Anhua.
Continued through the Five Dynasties and the Song Dynasty
Anhua and Xinhua belonged to the jurisdiction of Changsha Prefecture as early as the Han Dynasty, then known as Meishan, divided into Upper Meishan and Lower Meishan. After Zhai Shousu opened up Meishan, the region was further developed in the fifth year of Emperor Xianning's reign (1072) and Anhua County was established, taking the meaning of “returning to peace and moralization,” still under the jurisdiction of Tan Prefecture. At the beginning of the Northern Song Dynasty, the tea in Anhua was described as “growing naturally on cliffs and beside water,” with “only the tea here surpassing that of other prefectures and counties.” According to Wudai Maowenxi's “Tea Spectrum,” “There is a river called Qujiang between Tan and Shaoguan, where there is tea, but it is also home to many poisonous snakes and fierce beasts… Its color is like iron, and when brewed, there is no residue.” It also records that “Qujiang Thin Slice, one jin contains eighty pieces, its color is like iron.” “Qujiang Thin Slice Tea” is the early form of Dark Tea of Anhua. During the Southern Song Dynasty, in the second year of Chunxi (1175), led by Li Hujiang and Lai Wenzheng, two “tea merchant armies” were formed to transport Dark Tea of Anhua, each group consisting of three to four thousand people.
“Four Preserves” Tributed in the Ming Dynasty
Starting from the 24th year of Hongwu (1391), the Ming Dynasty began to procure tributes, among which Anhua annually contributed 22 catties of “sprout tea