“Yangtze River heart water, Mongshan peak Tea.” On the mystical 30th parallel north, there stands a world-renowned mountain of tea, the birthplace of world Tea culture—Mongshan Mountain.

Mongshan Mountain is primarily hilly in topography.

Its rolling hills rise and fall continuously.

Due to abundant rainfall, it is shrouded in mist and clouds all year round.

It is known as the “Rainy Sky of Xishu.”

The slightly acidic soil contains rich organic matter essential for the growth of tea trees.

The natural conditions of geography, climate, and soil are exceptional.

This has given birth to an outstanding thousand-year tribute tea,

Mongshan tea.

Origin of the Making Skills The traditional Mongshan tea making skills date back to the Western Han Dynasty, entering tribute from the first year of Tianbao in the Tang Dynasty. During the Qing Dynasty, it became the exclusive tea for imperial sacrificial ceremonies. According to “Compendium of Materia medica,” “True tea is cold in nature, except for that produced on Mongshan Mountain in Yazhou, which is warm and effective against illness…” Thus, Mongshan tea encompasses five functions: medicinal, beverage, tribute, sacrificial, and commercial, which is rare in Chinese tea history. ▌On June 10, 2025, the traditional Mongshan tea making skills were included in the national intangible cultural heritage.
Varieties of Mongshan Tea

Mongshan tea is the only multi-variety tea among China's many famous teas, including five representative types: Mengding Ganlu, Mengding Huangya, Mengding Shihua, Wanchun Yinye, and Yuye Changchun. Among them, “Mengding Ganlu,” characterized by the technique of “red pot fixation and three stir-fryings with three kneadings,” is particularly renowned.

Making Process

Raw Material Harvesting: The raw materials used for Mongshan tea are mainly local varieties (old Sichuan tea) from the Ming Mountain area, as well as nationally and provincially recognized superior varieties selected from these local varieties such as Ming Mountain White Tip 131, Mongshan No. 9, and No. 23. Harvesting is conducted before Qingming for single buds, one bud and one leaf unfurled, or one bud and two leaves, ensuring uniform standards, absence of diseased or insect-damaged buds, hollow buds, weak buds, and dew-covered buds.

▌Raw Material Harvesting

Fresh Leaf Spreading: Freshly picked tender shoots are promptly spread thinly and evenly in bamboo trays in a cool and ventilated area, gently turned every hour, for a period of 4-6 hours. Fruits, stems, and other foreign objects are removed. This process allows the grassy substances in the leaves to transform into fragrant compounds while also evaporating excess moisture, facilitating the fixation process.

▌Fresh Leaf Spreading

Testing Pot Temperature by Hand: High temperature fixation is required for Mongshan tea preparation, but excessively high temperatures can cause scorching or bursting, while lower temperatures result in weak aroma and bitter taste. Testing the temperature by hand and observing the pot is one of the most important experiences: heat a smooth and clean iron pot until it turns white, with a slightly reddish bottom under dim light. When holding your hand about a foot away from the pot feels very hot with a slight stinging sensation, the temperature is appropriate.

▌Testing Pot Temperature by Hand

Red Pot Fixation: Red pot fixation is a critical step in forming excellent quality. Initially, the leaves are fixed using smothering, followed by tossing, and finally throwing, to ensure even heating and rapid evaporation of moisture. Techniques include scooping, throwing, tossing, and scattering. When the leaves become soft, their color darkens, and a fresh fragrance emerges, the bud color changes from yellowish-green to greenish-yellow, and the tea aroma intensifies, the fixation is considered adequate.

▌Red Pot Fixation

Three Stir-Fryings and Three Kneadings: The traditional Mongshan tea making skills involve 14 steps, including “red pot fixation, starting high then low, and three stir-fryings with three kneadings.” The purpose of the three stir-fryings and three kneadings is to disperse moisture, tightly roll the tea strips, and compensate for any shortcomings in the fixation process.

▌Three Stir-Fryings and Three Kneadings

Careful Kneading: Kneading is usually performed by placing cooled leaves after fixation in a bamboo tray approximately three feet in diameter. The goal is to gently rupture cells and tightly roll the tea strips to shape. The kneading method combines pushing and rolling, starting with pushing for the first 1-2 minutes, followed by rolling for several turns and breaking up clumps, repeating this process for 6-8 minutes, breaking up clumps 4-5 times in total.

▌Careful Kneading

Shaping and Fluffing: After the three stir-fryings and three kneadings, the tea is placed in a cooler pot for even heating. Then, the tea is grasped with both hands and rotated in the same direction (commonly referred to as “kneading into balls”) 4-5 times before being scattered into the pot, applying even force to minimize breakage. When the tea feels prickly and emits a rustling sound, and the white down is revealed, and the leaves can be easily broken with the fingers, it is ready to be taken out and cooled.

▌Shaping and Fluffing

Baking and Enhancing Aroma: Wood charcoal is used as fuel for baking. Clean white cloth is laid on the baking surface. After cooling following shaping and fluffing, the tea is placed on the baking tray, spread thinly and evenly, with each tray containing 2-3 ounces. “Slow baking over a gentle flame” is adopted, where the pot is warm but not scorching. The tea is turned every 3-4 minutes, and when it can be crushed into powder by hand, it is removed from the baking tray and cooled. Chaff and fragments are sifted out, and the