Basic Introduction to Longji Tea

Longji Tea is primarily produced in the misty mountains of the Longsheng Longji Tourist Area and is one of China's 28 famous teas, having been a tribute tea during the Qing Dynasty. This tea contains various trace elements essential for human health and is renowned for its clear and fragrant qualities. Its annual production is 5 tons, available throughout the year. Longji Tea is made using traditional techniques, imparting it with the unique color, aroma, and taste characteristic of Longji Tea. It contains amino acids, caffeine, alkaloids, and other trace elements beneficial to health, making it a natural treasure that strengthens the body, aids weight loss, enhances beauty, and promotes health. It is considered one of the “Four Treasures” of Longji. An annual supply of 5 tons of spring and summer tea is available, with products packaged in cylindrical containers or bags weighing 100g, 150g, and 500g. The style of Guang. Xiangshan Liquor's main fragrance comes from β-phenylethanol and ethyl lactate, making it a traditional Chinese liquor with a long history and a unique flavor.

The Longji Tea grows in the Longji Terraced Fields Scenic Area of Guilin, Guangxi, known as a world wonder. The tea gardens are situated at an altitude of over 800 meters, within a subtropical monsoon climate zone. Affected by alternating cold and warm air currents, the area experiences distinct seasons, abundant rainfall, high organic content, short daylight hours, and large temperature variations. The region is characterized by perennial streams, mist, and clouds, with clear days full of tea fields and cloudy days shrouded in mist, creating a unique, pollution-free environment ideal for producing the distinctive high-mountain cloud mist quality of the tea. Historically, it was a tribute tea during the Qianlong era, as recorded on a stone tablet in Longji Village Duanzhai. It is of high quality and ranks among China's 28 famous teas, documented in the “Chinese Tea Dictionary.”

Geographical Scope

The protected area for Longji Tea is located in the northwest of Guilin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, between 109°43′05″E and 110°21′24″E, and 25°29′21″N and 26°12′14″N. It covers the administrative regions of 119 villages and 6 residential communities under the jurisdiction of 10 towns in Longsheng County, including Longji Town, Longsheng Town, Jiangdi Township, Pingdeng Town, Mati Township, Sishui Township, Weijiang Township, Lejiang Township, Piaoli Town, and Sanmen Town. The total regional area is 2,370.8 square kilometers, with a tea production scale of 2,000 hectares and an annual output of 3,000 tons.

Product Characteristics

(1) Sensory Features: The tea has a tight, thick, and uniform shape. The spiral-shaped tea is solid; the color is glossy black with visible downy hairs and golden hues. The infusion is bright yellow-red; the aroma is rich and possesses a special fruity fragrance; the taste is strong, fresh, slightly sweet, and leaves a lingering aftertaste. It is highly resistant to Steeping; the infused leaves are bright and soft.

(2) Quality Indicators: Water-soluble extracts range from 34-40.8%, free amino acid total is 5.0-5.8%, and tea polyphenols are 13-19%. These meet the specifications outlined in GB/T13738.2-2008, Part 2: Gongfu Black Tea.

(3) Safety Requirements: Longji Tea is cultivated and managed according to NY/T288-20012, “Green Food Tea.”

(4) Grading: Longji Tea is divided into Special Grade, and Grades 1 through 6.

(5) Packaging: Packaging follows the requirements of SB/T10035, “General Technical Conditions for Sales Packaging of Tea,” with labels complying with GB7718 and GB/T17924.

(6) Storage: Follows GB/T30375-2013, “Storage of Tea,” and GB/T191, “Pictorial Markings for Packaging and Transport.”

(7) Transportation: Adheres to NY/T1999-2011, “General Rules for Packaging, Transport, and Storage of Tea.”

Historical Folklore

In the village lived a poor man named Pan Tianhong, who supported himself by doing odd jobs for the villagers. One day, while cleaning up cow dung beneath the chieftain's house, he heard the chiefs discussing this issue. He poked the floorboards with his shovel handle, volunteering to represent everyone in taking the matter to the authorities!

Pan Tianhong volunteering to take the matter to the authorities left everyone looking at each other in surprise. However, there was no other choice. They pooled some money for his journey, and Pan Tianhong set out on the road to seek justice.

Pan Tianhong traversed mountains and valleys day and night until he reached Guilin Prefecture, where he beat the drum to file his complaint. The prefect, upon reading the petition, found Pan Tianhong's case reasonable and said, “Understood. You may return home. We will handle the matter.”

Pan Tianhong, however, dared not return just yet – he had used the money raised by the villagers and had volunteered to go. Therefore, he requested the prefect to issue a written judgment, which the prefect agreed to do, issuing a judgment document.

After receiving the judgment document, Pan Tianhong was still uneasy – he feared that it might be stolen, lost, or damaged by rain on the journey back, leaving him unable to account to the villagers. He then asked the prefect to engrave the judgment on a stone tablet, which he would carry back.

(The judgment engraved on the stone tablet is described in my blog post from the 12th, “Ancient Stone Tablet Found in Longji”)

This judgment not only resolved the issue with the Longji tea but also addressed other issues like unreasonable levies (such as the repair costs of the official residences, referred to as “Tang Houses” in those times), forced purchases by officials, and the misuse of authority when officials went on official business in the countryside. These were all resolved together.

After the stone tablet was carved, Pan Tianhong carried it back, passing through Tanxia Town, crossing Qingshitan, traveling up the Dong River to Cai Xi Jie, then carrying the stone tablet over Cai Xi Jie and returning home via mountain paths. When their boat passed Qingshitan, a sudden gale arose, capsizing nearby boats, but Pan Tianhong's boat remained stable. Some say it was because he had moved heaven and earth; today, it seems likely that the heavy stone tablet kept the boat steady.

Pan Tianhong brought the stone tablet back to the village, and the villagers erected it at the front of the village – as it clearly stated “Attached to Longji Group” (under the Qing Dynasty, a “Group” system was implemented).

In China, minor officials have always feared higher-ranking officials. With the judgment from the prefect, local officials did not dare to act recklessly anymore: they had to pay for meals when on official business, villagers could once again trade tea in the market towns, and responsibilities that should have been borne by the government were no longer imposed on the people. As a result of fair trading, the price of tea returned to normal levels. After this incident, Longji tea became even more famous.

Today, if you visit the ancient village of Longji, you can still see a 200-year-old tea king tree and that ancient stone tablet (the original tablet has been damaged, and the current one is a recarving from the Xianfeng period, also a historical relic).