Basic Introduction to Lóngnán Green Tea
Lóngnán Green Tea is a specialty of Lóngnán City, Gansu Province.
Lóngnán City is in the transitional zone between the North subtropical humid climate and the warm temperate humid climate. It has high temperatures, high humidity, adequate sunlight, and abundant water resources, which are conducive to the production of Lóngnán Green Tea.
“Lóngnán Green Tea” originates from high-altitude tea-growing areas in the north. The production areas are far from towns, with vast mountains and deep valleys. They have a high forest coverage rate and a clear diversity of biological species. The environment is clean and pollution-free. The cultivated varieties are mainly small- and medium-leaf group types. There are few harvest rounds, ensuring superior quality.
The Lóngnán tea gardens are primarily composed of small-leaf group types. Due to the high latitude, high altitude, and high environmental cleanliness of the tea-growing areas, the tea gardens have a long rest period and fewer harvest rounds. This results in green tea with substantial buds, high levels of tea polyphenols, and a strong, fragrant flavor that is well-suited for brewing.
Product Characteristics
Sensory Features:
The raw materials for Lóngnán Green Tea use single buds or one bud with one or two leaves. The product features substantial buds and leaves with rich contents, a strong and lasting fragrance, and high-quality safety standards. The shape is primarily flat or curled. Flat-shaped tea has flat, upright, smooth buds and leaves, appearing in shades of verdant green or yellowish green. The infusion is green and bright or yellow-green and bright, with a chestnut or tender fragrance and a fresh, full-bodied taste. The infused leaves are yellowish green and whole. Curled tea is tightly coiled with a lustrous green color. The infusion is a tender green and bright, with a high, long-lasting fragrance, either chestnut or fresh, and occasionally with a natural floral aroma. The taste is refreshing and mellow, and the infused leaves are yellowish green and soft.
Historical and Folk Customs
Lóngnán belongs to the northern edge of the Jiangbei tea region in China and is the only tea-producing area in Gansu. As early as the Song and Ming dynasties, it was an important area for horse-and-tea trade. In Bìkǒu Town, Wén County, there are still more than 20 tea trees planted during the Daoguang period (1782–1850) in Lǐzī Dà Village.
In 2015, the total area of Lóngnán's tea gardens reached 163,000 mu, with 46,200 mu certified as non-polluted tea bases, 39,300 mu as green food bases, and 7,948 mu as organic product bases. The city's total tea production reached 1,302,000 kilograms, with a total output value of 226 million yuan. Of this, the production of famous and premium teas reached 431,000 kilograms, with a value of 91 million yuan. A total of 58 Tea processing and marketing enterprises were established, along with 80 tea cooperatives. There were 1,880 sets of tea processing machinery, and 62 tea trademarks were registered.
By the end of 2025, the city's tea area had grown to 174,000 mu, with a total tea production of 1,388 tons and a total output value of 250 million yuan. Income from the tea industry for residents in tea-producing areas reached 2,903 yuan per person. A total of 68 integrated tea processing and marketing enterprises were fostered, 64 farmer tea cooperatives were developed, and 887 major processing and marketing households were cultivated. A total of 71 tea trademarks were registered.
Awards and Honors
On November 2, 2016, the former Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China officially approved the implementation of geographical indication protection for “Lóngnán Green Tea” as an agricultural product.
On November 15, 2025, at the 17th China International Agricultural Products Fair, Lóngnán Green Tea was included in the directory of well-known agricultural brands under the “Gan Flavor” brand.