Basic Introduction to Pujian Queshi

Pujian Queshi is a specialty Tea from Pujian County, Sichuan Province, and is a Chinese Geographical Indication product. Pujian County is located in an important tea production zone at the southwestern edge of the Sichuan Basin and the Chengdu Plain, with superior natural conditions and a long history of tea cultivation and processing. The tea is processed using the tender shoots of tea plants, which resemble the tongues of small birds when they first sprout, hence the name Queshi (finch tongue). This variety of tea is highly regarded for its “crisp green color, high aroma, mellow taste, and beautiful appearance.” It has won the “China Tea Cup” First Prize three times consecutively and was included in the “Top 100 National Agricultural Products Regional Public Brands by Value.”

Product Characteristics

Pujian Queshi tea is characterized by its “crisp green color, high aroma, mellow taste, and beautiful appearance.” Its shape is “full and uniform buds, flat and straight, resembling the tongue of a bird, with a lustrous emerald green color; its inner quality features a rich and long-lasting fragrance.” The infusion is a clear and delicate green, with a harmonious flavor and bright, tender green hue, making it a rare treasure among teas.

Historical Folklore

According to records, Pujian Queshi was offered as tribute as early as the Song Dynasty, mainly produced around Baihe Temple and Datangpu (pages 329 of “Ba Shu Culture”). (Baihe Temple is located north of Pujian City, and Datangpu refers to Datang Town.) It is said that Wei Liao, a scholar during the Southern Song Dynasty, enjoyed Pujian Queshi tea and, as a result, it was selected as a tribute tea. His work, “Qiongzhou Xiantea Ji,” was later included in “The Chinese Tea Classic,” where he particularly praised Pujian Queshi tea.

During the Qianlong period (1736-1796) of the Qing Dynasty, the “Old Annals of Pujian” recorded that Pujian produced Pujian Queshi, mentioning “Pujian Queshi, Spring Tea buds shaped like finch tongues are used to make it.”

In the Qing Dynasty, both the production and sales of Pujian Queshi flourished, and the quality improved. According to historical records, “Pujian borders Mount Mengding and the southeastern mountains, and its tea production is second only to them.” The tea is picked in the spring: Queshi, commonly known as fine tip, is very delicate, sweet, and fragrant, and when brewed, it produces a jade-like broth (Guangxu “Local Annals of Pujian County”).

In the Republican era, there were 34 tea factories producing “Pujian Queshi,” with 17 in Chenjiaying (Chengjia Town), 13 in Datangpu, 3 in Shou'an, and 1 in Xilai.

After the founding of New China, the tea industry in Pujian recovered and developed, especially after the reform and opening-up, when demand for high-quality teas increased. Both production and sales of Pujian Queshi flourished, and it became one of Sichuan's famous teas. In the 21st century, “Pujian Queshi” achieved clean-line production on a large scale, ensuring more stable quality and expanding markets, becoming a signature product among Sichuan's famous teas.

Manufacturing Method

The raw materials for Pujian Queshi have strict requirements: the picking time must be between February and April for the spring tea shoots; the tea plant variety must be small- or medium-leaved; the picking standard must be single buds, and “nine do-nots” must be observed: no picking on rainy days, no picking of thin buds, no picking of single buds, no picking of wind-damaged or insect-damaged buds, no picking of open buds, no picking of hollow buds, no picking of diseased buds, and no picking of buds that are too long or too short. The tea shoots must be delivered to the factory on the same day, stored and transported in a way that ensures ventilation and prevents overheating.

The traditional method of making Pujian Queshi was by hand, a complex process. As production scales expanded, the process was innovated and optimized based on traditional techniques, gradually exploring partial mechanization of certain steps, leading to a unique combination of mechanical processing and manual operations for key processes. Production efficiency significantly increased, quality became more consistent, and the traditional hand-firing technique and hand-refining technique were preserved to ensure the distinctive quality characteristics remained unchanged.

Awards and Honors for Pujian Queshi

As the quality and reputation of “Pujian Queshi” continued to rise, by 2009, it had formed a series of well-known brands including “Lvchangming Brand,” “Jiazhu Brand,” “Liaoweng Brand,” “Shetao Brand,” “Lv Dian Brand,” “Chaoyanghu Brand,” “Pangou Luming Brand,” and “Lvyuchun Brand.” Two tea products received the title of Famous Products of Sichuan, and six tea products obtained certification for pollution-free agricultural products and green food. “Lvchangming Brand” tea also won the Top Ten Famous Teas of Sichuan and the title of Famous Trademark of the Province. “Pujian Queshi” won the “China Tea Cup” First Prize three times consecutively. In October 2008, it became a protected geographical indication product under national law, the only such tea product in Chengdu.

In December 2009, “Pujian Queshi” successfully entered the “Top 100 National Agricultural Products Regional Public Brands by Value.” In 2010, “Pujian Queshi” successfully registered as a geographical indication trademark.