Basic Introduction to Xindong Tea

Xindong Green Tea is produced in Xindong Town, Gaozhou City. The climate here is mild with abundant rainfall, deep soil layers, and fertile soil, all of which are ideal for the growth of tea trees. Xindong tea is renowned both within and outside the province for its unique clear color, fragrant and mellow taste, its ability to withstand multiple infusions, its strong aftertaste, and its rich content of trace elements. It has restorative effects such as refreshing the mind, alleviating fatigue, dispelling depression, relieving stagnation, soothing qi, relieving pain, and promoting blood circulation. Among them, Churuilong tea is considered the supreme quality of Xindong teas. On July 9th, 2014, the original General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine approved the implementation of geographical indication product protection for “Xindong Tea.”

Xindong Town, located in the southeastern part of Gaozhou City, Guangdong Province, is about 25 kilometers away from Gaozhou city. It is nestled among the San Guan Mountain, Pingyun Mountain, Shuangluo Mountain, A Po Ji, and Tai Ping Ridge, making it a place known for its abundant lychees and tea. As a result, it is often referred to as the “land of fruit and tea.” The Xindong River originates from the primitive forest of San Guan Mountain, flowing through the basin and merging with the Jianjiang River near Gaozhou city, forming a small climate that is warm in winter and cool in summer. Due to the mild climate, abundant rainfall, deep soil layers, and fertile soil, as well as the continuous high mountains, lush peaks, and frequent clouds and fog, the ecological environment is highly suitable for the growth of tea trees. The green tea produced here is of superior quality and greatly loved by tea enthusiasts.

Geographical Scope

The production area of Xindong Tea is limited to the current administrative region of Xindong Town, Gaozhou City, Guangdong Province.

Product Features

When growing, Xindong tea is verdant and lustrous, dense and firm, with a fragrant aroma; after processing, it becomes tightly compacted and smooth, with a green and lustrous color and a rich fragrance, indicating top-quality. After brewing, the tea color is clear, the broth green and bright, the taste concentrated and mellow. Drinking it leaves a fresh and pleasant aftertaste, with a strong returning sweetness that lingers endlessly. It is renowned for being “clear, sweet, fragrant, and smooth.” According to chemical analysis, Xindong tea is rich in trace elements. Its content of tea polyphenols, amino acids, vitamins, chlorophyll, and aromatic substances is higher than that of ordinary green teas. It is excellent in color, aroma, taste, and shape, with restorative effects such as refreshing the mind, alleviating fatigue, dispelling depression, relieving stagnation, soothing qi, relieving pain, and promoting blood circulation.

Historical Folklore

The history of tea tree cultivation in Xindong dates back a long time. During the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty (1465), the Xindong Deng clan's founding ancestor, Kaikai Gong, was appointed to Guangdong and settled in Xindong. He cultivated over 200 mu of good land, naming the place Xindong. He introduced Qingxinzhongye, Hongxinzhongye, and Mishuitou varieties of green tea seeds from the Tingzhou region of Fujian Province, planting them in Churuilong Village, Xingming Village Committee, Xindong Town. Two of these plants were planted beside an ancient well along the old official road and have a history of more than 500 years.

The 1997 edition of the “Mao Ming City Gazetteer” records: “During the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty (1465-1487), farmers in the Chushuilong and Zhuanghuangdong areas of Mao Ming County had already started picking tender tea leaves, using charcoal fire to bake and process them into finished tea products called ‘Xindong Tea,' which were sold far and wide.”

The 2006 edition of the “Gao Zhou County Gazetteer” also records: “Tea production in Gaozhou (Mao Ming) County had begun during the Ming and Qing dynasties, with the tea from Churuilong Village in Xindong Township being of the highest quality. At that time, other places producing tea included Zhuanghuangdong, Deshi, Aotou, etc., collectively known as Xindong Tea.” This is how the name “Xindong Tea” came about.

According to the 1889 edition of the “Gaozhou Prefecture Gazetteer,” “Tea produced in Xindong, Mao Ming, grows to several feet tall, and the best time to pick it is before the Grain Rain festival, with the autumn harvest being particularly good. The best is that from Chushuiyong, which is cold in nature and helps to digest greasy foods (Chushuiyong is a homophone for Churuilong Village).” During the Qing dynasty, a local named Xie Baofang (known as Second Lady when she was young) excelled at making Xindong tea and set up a tea stand beside the old official road, using water from a village well to Brew the tea. Passersby who drank it would never forget the experience. Legend has it that when the magistrate of Gaozhou passed through the village and suddenly suffered from severe stomach cramps, none of the medicines worked, leaving the soldiers and doctors at a loss. Xie Baofang brewed Xindong tea with ginger and offered it to the magistrate, who was cured shortly after drinking it. From then on, the reputation of Xindong tea spread far and wide, becoming famous throughout the southern regions of Guangdong and western Guangxi.

According to the Republican era “Mao Ming County Gazetteer,” “Tea, of the mountain tea family, is also known as ‘Ming.' Produced in the eastern Xindong area of the county, it has a fragrant and sweet taste, being of particularly high quality compared to similar teas grown in other mountainous areas. Among these, the tea from Churuilong, also known as Chushuiyong, is the best, collectively known as Xindong Tea.”

In the early Republican era, Xindong tea had expanded to the areas around Gaojian Di, Wenkeng, Wangpo, Huli Dong, and Xin De San Guan Mountain in Xindong Town, with an annual output of nearly 10 tons. The products were sold far and wide in Zhanjiang, Guangxi, Hainan, Hong Kong, and other provinces and regions. The Republican era “Mao Ming County Gazetteer” records: “Churuilong produces over two thousand catties annually, Zhuanghuangdong produces over three thousand catties, Deshi produces over two thousand catties, and Aotou produces over one thousand catties. Most tea is dried using charcoal fire; those sun-dried have poor flavor. Merchants frequently buy and sell them in the city and neighboring areas, with the most sales in Lianjiang and Suixi.”

After the liberation, tea was purchased by the state. Xindong Town developed new tea plantations. In 1956, the People's Committee of Mao Ming City designated Xindong tea as a key economic crop for development. The tea industry rapidly grew, implementing policies such as rewarding cloth coupons and fertilizer and rice sales for tea deliveries, increasing tea purchase prices, and raising the enthusiasm of tea farmers. They also introduced high-quality varieties such as Yunnan Da Ye, Qimen Zhu Ye, Guizhou Zhong Ye, and Fuding Da Ye.

Awards and Honors

In 1965, Xindong tea won a premium award in the Guangdong provincial tea competition and received the title of “green tea champion” in the Gaozhou tea competition.

In 1977, Xindong was listed as one of the key tea-producing regions in Guangdong Province.

In 1978, the Xindong Commune tea plantation was listed as one of the standard tea plantations in Guangdong Province.

On July 9th, 2014, the original General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine approved the implementation of geographical indication product protection for “Xindong Tea.”