Guliao Mountain, located in Dongmen Town, Fusui County, Chongzuo City, Guangxi, is a branch of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, shrouded in mist and clouds throughout the year. Here grows an ancient tree, a wild large-leaf tea known as the “new noble” of the tea world – Guliao Tea.
According to official records, Guliao Tea has been listed as a tribute tea for the imperial court since the Qing Dynasty. In the late Qing and early Republican periods, it was exported to Vietnam and later made its way into the French tea market. Statistics show that there are 5,166 wild ancient large-leaf tea trees in Guliao Village, with over 580 trees over 100 years old, more than 120 trees over 200 years old, over 100 trees over 500 years old, and seven trees over 1,000 years old.
Bathed in sweet rain and nourished by the mountains, these trees are enriched by beneficial trace elements such as potassium, zinc, and Selenium. The resulting tea leaves are dark green in color, sweet and mellow in taste, and carry a unique and enchanting aroma, all qualities that are naturally endowed.
The Origin of the Name Guliao Tea
There is a beautiful legend: In ancient times, a group of fairies descended to earth for a tour. They were enchanted by the picturesque scenery of Guliao Mountain and the crystal-clear springs on the mountain. Delighted, they transformed their elixirs into fairy tea using the mountain spring water, which tasted like liquid gold. Before leaving, they decided to leave a mark and benefit the people, scattering the elixir seeds around the spring. Soon after, several tea trees grew.
One day, the head of a household in the village suffered from severe diarrhea, which worsened each day. The fairies learned of this and appeared in his dream one night, telling him that the tea leaves beside the spring could cure his illness. Upon waking, he followed the instructions in his dream, chewing and swallowing a few young leaves, and his diarrhea stopped immediately. The miraculous effects of the tea soon spread among the people, and they began calling it Guliao Tea, meaning “the tea of the fairy who heals illness,” a name that has persisted to this day.
Guliao Tea of Chongzuo
Nourishing the Mind and Body, Clearing Heat and Detoxifying
Guliao Tea is rich in amino acids and has various health benefits, including invigorating the mind and body, clearing heat and detoxifying, quenching thirst, strengthening the body and promoting urination, preventing colds, aiding digestion, stopping diarrhea and reducing inflammation, and eliminating bad breath. It is a natural health supplement ideal for both home and travel.
Regular consumption of Guliao Tea can enhance appetite, effectively regulate bodily functions, strengthen the body, and delay aging.
Guliao Tea serves both as tea and medicine. A cup of strong tea can stop diarrhea; for skin sores or dermatitis, washing the affected area with water boiled with old tea leaves can help heal. When exhausted and feeling weak, drinking a cup of hot, strong tea can induce sweating, refresh the body and mind, and quickly restore vitality. Using tea as medicine has become a tradition among the local people.
Unique Soil and Climate
Creating a Renowned Tea
Extraordinary Inner Quality
The exceptional quality of Guliao Tea cannot be separated from its unique geographical environment and climate conditions.
Guliao Tea grows at an altitude of over 600 meters on Guliao Mountain in Liutou Village, Dongmen Town, Fusui County. The climate here is mild, with clouds and mist enveloping the high mountains covered in dense forests and lush vegetation. Wildflowers bloom everywhere, while streams wind through the valleys, and cool breezes blow gently. In this pristine mountain valley surrounded by peaks, ancient wild Guliao tea trees grow amidst rocky crevices. Their trunks are tall, requiring ladders for pickers to reach the tender shoots at heights of up to two or three meters.
Guliao Tea of Chongzuo
Tea Production
· Handcrafted Traditions
Throughout history, the people living around Guliao Mountain have always insisted on handcrafting their tea. They go through multiple processes, including withering, rolling, Fermentation, baking, and re-baking, taking time and dedication to craft high-quality tea, ensuring it reaches its best state.
The finished Guliao Tea is dark black in color, with twisted leaves. When brewed with boiling water, it produces a soft white mist, resembling a jade silk ribbon dancing in the air. The leaves stand upright in the cup, like Bamboo shoots emerging from the soil, resembling spears and swords, as if ready to pierce the lid. After floating and sinking several times, the leaves slowly descend, vividly like kites landing and fish swimming in shallow water, forming a magnificent array of colors at the bottom of the cup.
When viewed, the tea soup is golden yellow, clear and bright, pleasing to the eye. When smelled, it has a clean and fragrant aroma, with layers of floral, honey, and fruity scents. When tasted, it is smooth and refreshing, full of fragrance, with a thick flavor and a lingering aftertaste. Even after being steeped 20 times, it still retains a full and sweet taste. According to authoritative testing, the content of polyphenols in Guliao Tea reaches as high as 28.2%.
In 2011 and 2012
Guliao Tea (Zhuangxiang Red) was designated as the
Official Black Tea of the Eighth China-ASEAN Expo.
In 2014
“Guliao Tea”
Received protection as a national geographical indication product.
In 2018
“Guliao Tea”
Was registered as a certification trademark based on geographical indication.
In 2020
It was included in the second batch of mutual recognition and protection products under the China-EU Geographical Indications Agreement.
In December 2020
The production skills of Fusui Guliao Tea were listed as part of the eighth batch of autonomous regional intangible cultural heritage projects protected by the government.
In December 2021
The “Cultivation Technical Regulations for Fusui Guliao Tea” (T/GXAS252—2021) was approved and released by the Guangxi Standardization Association.
Currently
Dongmen Town, Zhongdong Town, and Liuqiao Town in Fusui County are the three major planting bases for Guliao Tea, with 15 farmers' professional cooperatives, tea workshops, and companies engaged in growing and producing Guliao Tea. The planting area has reached 13,