Basic Introduction to Lichuan Gongfu Black Tea
Lichuan Gongfu Black Tea, produced in the traditional “Yihong” tea region of Lichuan City, has a history of over 160 years of export. The dry tea is black and lustrous, with a bright red infusion, a rich and fresh taste, and a notable cold infusion clouding effect.
Lichuan Red is the short name for Lichuan Gongfu Black Tea. Its tea leaves are made from the varieties of China 108, Hubei 1, Hubei 10, Zhuye Qi, and local varieties. Lichuan's tea production history is long-standing. In the mid-19th century, Lichuan tea farmers began processing export black tea for British-funded merchants. In 1876, when Yichang was designated as an international trade port, Lichuan Maoba became one of the core production areas for export Yihong Gongfu Black Tea. In 1951, Lichuan was listed by the state as a major production area for Yihong Gongfu Black Tea. To this day, Lichuan Black Tea has a history of over 170 years of production and processing. Lichuan Gongfu Black Tea was approved by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine as a protected geographical indication product in 2025.
Natural Conditions
The production area of Lichuan Red (Lichuan Gongfu Black Tea) has superior natural conditions, with abundant mountains and forests, numerous rivers, a forest coverage rate of over 85%, excellent ecological vegetation, a warm and humid climate, deep soil, ample rainfall, and frequent clouds and fog, all of which make it very suitable for tea tree growth. Additionally, the main tea varieties grown locally – China 108, Hubei 10, Hubei 1, Zhuye Qi, and local small-leaf types – are rich in contents and have high enzyme activity, making them very suitable for black tea production.
Core Production Area
The core production area of Lichuan Red (Lichuan Gongfu Black Tea) is Lichuan City, which is under the jurisdiction of Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. Located in southwestern Hubei Province, upstream of the Yangtze River and the Qing River, it borders Chongqing and is near the Yangtze River. The northern part is the Licentral Basin, through which the Qing River flows from west to east, with plains and large dams interspersed among the mountains and hills on both sides. Due to its fertile land and abundant products, it is known as “Lichuan,” meaning “beneficial river.” It is surrounded by Qiyue Mountain, Hanchi Mountain, Shibanling, Mazongling, Mashan, Zhongling Mountain, Ganxi Mountain, and Fobao Mountain. It spans 108°21′E to 109°18′E and 29°42′N to 30°39′N. Lichuan City has a subtropical continental monsoon climate. Due to its undulating terrain and deep ravines, there are noticeable differences in climate at different altitudes, typical of mountainous climates. There is no scorching summer, and there are many clouds and fogs, with little sunshine and abundant rainfall, and humid air. Below 800 meters altitude, the seasons are distinct, with mild winters and hot summers, with an annual average temperature of 16.7°C. Maoba Town is the main production area of Lichuan Black Tea, one of the “Top Ten Tea Famous Towns in Hubei Province,” and also a national-level ecological town. The Xingdou Mountain within Maoba Town is a national nature reserve. The special geographic environment and microclimate bring unparalleled favorable conditions for the planting of Lichuan Black Tea and the development of the ecological environment. Moreover, the local karst topography is prominent, with typical development of caves and underground rivers.
Manufacturing Method
The production process of Lichuan Red (Lichuan Gongfu Black Tea) is meticulous and can be broadly divided into three main stages: picking, preliminary processing, and finishing.
I. Picking: Lichuan Red (Lichuan Gongfu Black Tea) is picked and processed immediately to preserve the effective components of the fresh leaves. The picking standards for Lichuan Red (Lichuan Gongfu Black Tea) are very strict, mainly using one bud, one bud and one leaf, or one bud and two leaves as raw materials. Leaves are picked in batches, with multiple pickings leaving some leaves behind. Spring tea is picked 3-4 times, summer tea 4-5 times, and autumn tea is rarely or not picked at all.
II. Preliminary Processing: This includes withering, rolling, fermentation, and drying. The buds and leaves change from green to purple-copper red, the tea forms into strips, and the aroma is released. Fermentation is unique to black tea production and is key to determining the quality of Lichuan Red (Lichuan Gongfu Black Tea). The fermentation room temperature is controlled below 30 degrees Celsius. After fermentation, the leaf color turns red, forming the characteristic red leaves and red infusion. The preliminary processed product is called rough black tea.
III. Finishing: After rough black tea is made, it still needs to undergo finishing, where the leaves are sorted by length, thickness, and weight, and impurities are removed. Finishing Lichuan Red (Lichuan Gongfu Black Tea) is very labor-intensive, hence the finished black tea after finishing is also referred to as “Gongfu Black Tea.” The finishing process is complex, involving sifting, shaking, dividing, refining, lifting, cutting, winnowing, sorting, re-firing, purifying, blending, and packing.