Those who enjoy tea may have heard the saying: “Tea from Mount Mending, water from the Yangtze River.” Mending Mountain tea is one of the oldest teas in China, originating from the peak of Mount Mending in Sichuan. It is said that as early as the Western Han Dynasty, the high-ranking monk Wu Lizhen personally planted seven tea trees there, giving it its name. There are several varieties of Mending Mountain tea, including Ganlu, Shangqing, Lingjiao, Mending Yellow Bud, Shihua, Yuye Changchun, and Wanchun Silver Needle. Among these, Mending Ganlu is the most famous, a top-quality Green Tea and one of the top ten teas in the country.

I. The History of Creating Mending Ganlu

Although tea trees were cultivated on Mount Mending as early as the Western Han Dynasty, it was not until the Ming Dynasty, over a thousand years later, that a form similar to modern green tea emerged. According to records in “The Comprehensive Annals of Sichuan” and “The Gazetteer of Ya'an Prefecture,” Mending Ganlu was officially created in the twentieth year of Jiajing (AD 1541) during the Ming Dynasty. Historical documents state: “Ganlu is produced on Shangqing Peak.”

Mending Ganlu uses high-quality raw materials from Mending Mountain tea trees, with single buds or the first bud and leaf being the standard, harvested around the Vernal Equinox. It is processed according to the traditional “three stir-frying and three kneading” method. In terms of appearance, Mending Ganlu has many downy hairs, tightly rolled leaves that are slightly curled, a tender green color, and an oily luster. The dry tea has a rich fragrance that becomes even more lingering when brewed. The infusion of Mending Ganlu is primarily clear and bright yellowish-green, with a slightly pale hue, and a taste that is fresh, smooth, and has an excellent aftertaste, making it a rare treasure among green teas. In his “Tea Manual,” Ming Dynasty tea expert Qian Chun wrote: “There are many places where tea is produced throughout the world! There is Mending Stone Flower from Jian'nan, Purple Bamboo Shoots from Huzhou, and Bright Moon from Shazhou…all are well-known. When ranked, Stone Flower is the best, followed by Purple Bamboo Shoots…” This shows that Mending Ganlu was already considered the pinnacle of green teas at the time of its creation.

II. Why Has It Become Relatively Obscure in Modern Times?

Mending Ganlu is one of the oldest renowned teas in China, revered as an old and respected tea and a pioneer among famous teas. However, in modern times, its fame has diminished compared to before, overshadowed by Jiangnan green teas such as West Lake Longjing and Biluochun, almost fading into obscurity. Outside of Sichuan Province, very few people have truly tasted Mending Ganlu. Why is this so?

On one hand, there are many varieties of tea from Mending Mountain, and Ganlu tea is just one of them. Although substantial investment has been made in recent years to expand production, the overall output remains limited. Mending Ganlu can only meet the demand within the province and struggles to satisfy national demand.

On the other hand, while the output of green tea in Sichuan is large, its overall reputation is not high. Especially in recent years, the widespread imitation of teas from other provinces has damaged the reputation of Sichuan teas, causing many people to lose trust in them. Nowadays, in Zhejiang, Anhui, and other regions, there is a large amount of West Lake Longjing and Huangshan Maofeng tea imitated using Sichuan raw materials, further tarnishing the reputation of Sichuan teas.

Of course, the relative obscurity of Mending Ganlu is also related to the local socio-economic environment. Sichuan is an important southwestern province, radiating influence across the entire western region, but compared to Jiangnan, there is still a certain gap in economic development. This gap is mainly geographical, with an imbalance between the western and eastern regions in terms of natural conditions and development levels. In a commodity-based society, for a tea to achieve success, it must excel in product quality, marketing promotion, brand building, and other aspects. Undoubtedly, the quality of Mending Ganlu is top-notch, but in terms of brand promotion and building, it still lags far behind West Lake Longjing.