Basic Introduction to Jiangshan Green Peony Tea
Jiangshan Green Peony Tea, originally known as Immortal Cliff Dragon Tea, is produced in areas such as Peijiadi and Longjing at the northern foot of Xianxia Mountain within Jiangshan City. “Immortal Cliff Dragon” is now referred to as Jiangshan Green Peony Tea, a renowned tea of the Green Tea category both ancient and modern. It is grown in villages around Hualong Creek on the sides of Xianxia Mountain in Jiangshan City, Zhejiang Province. It gets its name from its jade-green color, its resemblance to peony flowers, and its origin in Xianxia Mountain. Xianxia Mountain lies at the border of Zhejiang and Fujian Provinces, with a peak elevation of 1,503 meters. The mountainous area is lush with forests, encircled by streams, shrouded in dense fog, well-watered by abundant rainfall, has a warm climate, fertile soil, and rich organic matter content. Jiangshan County has been a famous tea-producing region since ancient times. According to legend, during Emperor Zhengde's (1506–1521) inspection tour of southern China, he passed through Xianxia Mountain, tasted the Xianxia tea, highly praised it, named it Green Ming, and designated it as an imperial tribute tea.
The Xianxia Mountain lies at the border of Zhejiang and Fujian Provinces, with a peak elevation of 1,503 meters. The mountainous area is covered with lush forests, encircled by streams, shrouded in dense fog, has plenty of scattered light, an average annual temperature of around 17°C, a frost-free period of about 256 days, and an average annual rainfall of approximately 1,600 millimeters. Its soil is fertile and rich in organic matter. Since ancient times, it has been a famous tea-producing region. Production started in the Tang Dynasty and was hailed by the great Song Dynasty scholar Su Dongpo as “a rare tea.” It was listed as an imperial tribute tea in the Ming Dynasty.
Geographical Scope
The production area for Geographical Indication Product Jiangshan Green Peony Tea is located within the administrative boundaries of 14 towns in Jiangshan City, Zhejiang Province, between latitudes 28°15′26″N and 28°53′27″N, and longitudes 118°22′37″E and 118°48′48″E. The southeastern part is the Xianxia Mountain range, while the northwestern part is the residual range of Huaiyu Mountain extending from Jiangxi. The central part consists of river valley hills formed by the sedimentation of the Jiangshan River and its tributaries.
Nutritional Value
Anti-Aging
The antioxidants in Jiangshan Green Peony Tea help combat aging. During human metabolism, if there is over-oxidation, it can produce a large amount of free radicals that can accelerate aging and damage cells. SOD (superoxide dismutase) is a free radical scavenger that can effectively clear excess free radicals and prevent them from harming the body. The catechins in Jiangshan Green Peony Tea can significantly increase the activity of SOD and eliminate free radicals.
Weight Loss and Fat Reduction
Jiangshan Green Peony Tea contains theophylline and caffeine, which can activate protein kinases and triglyceride lipase through various mechanisms, reducing the accumulation of fat cells, thereby achieving weight loss effects.
Product Characteristics
The tea trees of Jiangshan Green Peony sprout early, have plump buds and thick leaves, and maintain tenderness well. Therefore, local tea farmers have the habit of picking young shoots early. Generally, the first and second leaves that have just unfolded are picked around the Qingming Festival. To ensure tea quality, traditional methods are used, including spreading out, stir-frying, light rolling, straightening, light re-rolling, initial drying, and final drying. The stir-frying process involves one person stir-frying and another fanning, and the cooling process also requires fanning to cool down. The finished product has a naturally straight shape, exposed white hairs, an inviting emerald green color, a high and fresh aroma, a fresh and mellow taste, a clear green infusion, and bright green leaves that remain intact.
Historical and Folklore
Jiangshan has been a famous tea-producing region since ancient times. Jiangshan Green Peony Tea, originally called “Immortal Cliff Dragon,” began production in the Tang Dynasty and became a “triple excellence” tea of color, aroma, and flavor during the Yuanyou period (1086–1094) of the Song Dynasty. It was hailed as “exceptionally fine rare tea” by the great scholar Su Dongpo.
In the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty, according to legend, Emperor Wu Zong Zhu Houzhao toured southern China and, after passing through “Royal Resting Ridge” on Xianxia Mountain and tasting the tea from Xianxia Mountain, experienced a refreshing surge of saliva, and thus bestowed upon it the name “Green Ming,” designating it as a tribute tea.
According to the Qing Tongzhi “Jiangshan County Annals,” when the great poet Su Dongpo was exiled to Huizhou, Long Ren Mao Pang (courtesy name Zemin, a native of Jiangshan) gifted him tea from Xianxia Mountain. In his “Reply to Mao Zemin,” Su Dongpo wrote, “The extremely fine and abundant rare tea you sent me is something I haven't had since coming south; there are also occasionally hermit monks and recluses with whom I can share it. Other than that, I just seal it up and store it away.” When Su Dongpo served as governor of Hangzhou, his poetic friend Mao Zhengzhong (a native of Jiangshan) also gave him tea from Xianxia Mountain, to which Su Dongpo dedicated a poem titled “Thanks for the Gift of Xianxia Mountain Tea.” The “Jiangshan County Annals” also recorded: “Tea is produced in places like Zhan Village, Shang Wang, and Zhang Village, most notably in the Twenty-seventh District, and the best comes from Mount Jianglang.”
The rubbing of the “Tea Assembly Stele” from the 24th year of Qianlong (1759), preserved in the Chinese Tea Museum, records charitable organizations in the Jiangnan region during the Qing Dynasty that set up pavilions and tea houses to provide free rest and tea to travelers.
In “National Beauty and Heavenly Fragrance: Jiangshan Green Peony,” the famous writer and tea aficionado Wang Xufeng, who won the Mao Dun Literature Prize for his trilogy about tea, mentioned that more than 200 years ago, Lord Macartney, the envoy of the Great British Empire, referred to the Jiangshan area as “China's best tea-growing region.”
In the spring of 1980, the Jiangshan County Native Products Company organized tea science and technology professionals to restore and test-produce this historical tea in areas such as Hualong Creek, Peijiadi, Longjing Pit, and Huangtan Peak. They successfully created a Jiangshan Green Peony Tea with a graceful and natural appearance and an inviting emerald green color.
In 1982, at the national tea appraisal meeting held in Changsha by the Ministry of Commerce, Jiangshan Green Peony Tea was ranked among the top ten teas in the country, placing second, and was included in the ranks of nationally renowned teas.
In August 1986, “Jiangshan Green Peony” was included in “Compendium of Chinese Native Products” published by Xinhua Publishing House.
Awards and Honors of Jiangshan Green Peony Tea
In 1982, it was listed as a nationally renowned tea by the Ministry of Commerce;
In the Republican era, it disappeared. After several changes, “Green Ming” vanished.
In 1980, the Jiangshan Native Products Company organized efforts to restore production, and a Jiangshan Green Peony Tea with a graceful and natural appearance and an inviting emerald green color was born. From then on, Xianxia tea developed from being an imperial tribute tea to becoming a nationally renowned tea, and its story was recorded in the “Compendium of Chinese Native Products.”
After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, production was restored in 1980.
In 1982, it adopted its current name and won the title of nationally renowned tea.
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