Famous varieties of Yunwu tea include Lushan Yunwu Tea, Yingshan Yunwu Tea, Yuntai Mountain Yunwu Tea, and Laoshan Yunwu Tea.
1. Lushan Yunwu Tea is produced on Lushan Mountain in Jiangxi Province. It has an emerald green color, an orchid-like fragrance, a rich, mellow, and refreshing taste, with plump buds and leaves that show a bright white hue. Historically known as "Wenlin Tea," it has been called "Lushan Yunwu" since the Ming Dynasty.
Lushan Mountain, majestic and steep, has long been known as "the most beautiful under heaven." Located in Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province, it rises abruptly from the plain near the Yangtze River to the north and Poyang Lake to the south, with its main peak reaching 1,474 meters above sea level. The mountain features numerous cliffs and deep valleys, often shrouded in unpredictable clouds and mist. Between spring and summer, white clouds frequently encircle the mountains, sometimes forming the spectacular "waterfall cloud" phenomenon. This misty environment gives the tea its name.
Lushan Yunwu Tea benefits not only from an ideal growing environment and excellent tea plant varieties but also from sophisticated picking and processing techniques. Picking starts around the Qingming Festival, delayed until around May Day at higher altitudes, standardizing one bud and one leaf. After picking, the leaves are thinly spread in a cool, ventilated area to maintain purity before undergoing nine steps including pan-firing, shaking, and rolling.
Due to climatic conditions, Yunwu Tea is harvested later than other teas, generally between Grain Rain and the Start of Summer. The standard is one bud and one leaf, about 3 cm long. The finished tea has a plump, elegant appearance, tender green and smooth color, with buds slightly visible. It is known for its strong aroma, sweet taste, clear liquor, and is a premium green tea renowned for being "mellow, elegant, fragrant, and clear." When brewed with Lushan mountain spring water, it becomes even more aromatic and delightful.
The unique flavor of Yunwu Tea results from Lushan's cool, misty climate and short direct sunlight, leading to thick leaves, abundant pekoe, and high levels of tannins, aromatic oils, and vitamins. It is not only fragrant and refreshing but also aids digestion, sterilizes, detoxifies, prevents gastrointestinal infections, and boosts resistance to scurvy.
Zhu De once praised Lushan Yunwu Tea in a poem: "Lushan Yunwu Tea, strong and bold in flavor; If drunk regularly, it promises longevity."
Records indicate tea planting on Lushan began in the Jin Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, literati gathered here, promoting tea production. It is said poet Bai Juyi built a cottage at Xianglu Peak, cultivating tea and herbs. By the Song Dynasty, Lushan tea was listed as a "Tribute Tea."
2. Yingshan Yunwu Tea, with its tightly rolled leaves, tender green color, and refreshing fragrance, has been popular since the Tang Dynasty as a royal tribute.
Yingshan County in Hubei Province lies near the main peak of the Dabie Mountains. Its high altitude, high humidity, and suitable temperatures make it ideal for tea cultivation, a tradition for generations. Recently, following modern eco-agricultural standards, large-scale planting and standardized processing have made its products among the first nationally recognized pollution-free eco-agricultural demonstrations. In 1987, it won five out of nine awards in a Hubei tea competition and has since received numerous national honors. Its Yunwu series includes "Spring Bamboo Shoot," "Spring Bud," "Spring Tea," "Green Sword," and "Long Special." Tea is now a major commodity in Yingshan. Since April 1992, the Grain Rain day has been celebrated as the Tea Festival, attracting domestic and international merchants. Auction prices once peaked nationally at 39,600 yuan per kilogram for "Spring Bamboo Shoot." By 2002, the county's total tea output reached over 9 million kg, ranking third nationally and first in Hubei. Xingshan County in Hubei also produces Yunwu Tea, bordering the Shennongjia Primeval Forest with high altitudes of 1,200-1,500 meters, perennially cloud-shrouded and fertile, offering an exceptional growth environment.
3. Yuntai Mountain Yunwu Tea is ranked among famous teas like Taihu Biluochun and Nanjing Rain Flower Tea for its color, aroma, taste, and shape. In ancient times, monks of Wuzheng Temple carefully picked and processed only 1-1.5 kg annually, treasuring it for esteemed guests. It is famous for being "mellow, elegant, fragrant, and clear." Tang Zhongmian, a Qing Dynasty Haizhou magistrate, regarded it as the "Tea King" like Dragon and Phoenix Cakes.
According to the "History of Song: Treatise on Food and Money," Haizhou was a tea monopoly site. The monopoly involved taxation, control, and exclusive sales. In 1005 AD, the court issued a tax decree for Haizhou tea merchants because "Haizhou tea is excellent and easy to sell, hence the tax revenue is higher than other prefectures." The "History of Jin" records that in 1199 AD, tea production bases were established in several prefectures including Hai Prefecture, following southern methods, packaging tea in 600-wen bags. In 1921, the "Shuyi Company" won an award at the Nanyang Encouragement Fair for its Yunwu Tea quality. Currently, Su Cheng in Yuntai Mountain has 300 mu of tea fields, producing 200 dan annually. Yuntai Mountain faces the Yellow Sea, enjoying a warm, humid climate often enveloped in clouds and sea fog. "Good tea comes from misty mountains." The tea plants, frequently shrouded in mist, experience low temperatures, small variations, and high humidity, producing tender buds and leaves. Processing requires controlled wok temperature and skilled hand movements for grabbing, roasting, twisting, and turning. The finished tea is uniform, curled like fine eyebrows, undamaged, green, and pure.
Yuntai Mountain Yunwu, Nanjing Rain Flower, and Taihu Biluochun are Jiangsu's three major famous teas. Yunwu Tea has slightly less amino nitrogen than Biluochun and Rain Flower Tea but the highest catechin and caffeine content, crucial for its strong, fresh taste. In 1980, at a provincial tea tasting, Lianyungang's Yuntai Mountain Yunwu Tea was listed among Jiangsu's four major teas alongside Nanjing Rain Flower Tea, Suzhou Biluochun, and Wuxi Erquan Yinhao. Tests show Yunwu Tea contains high levels of theine, tannin, and vitamins, offering benefits like stimulation, heart strengthening, heat clearing, diuresis, anti-inflammation, and sterilization. Moderate consumption relieves mental fatigue, improves memory, and aids digestion. Sun-dried raw tea can be stored over ten years, improving with age. Recently, Lianyungang's Yunwu Tea reappeared at the Guangzhou Trade Fair, welcomed by Japan, Singapore, Europe, and America.
As early as the Tang Dynasty, Tiantai Mountain Yunwu Tea was famous. Wen Tingyun of the Five Dynasties wrote in "Tea Picking Records": "Great tea from Tiantai Danqiu, drinking it gives wings," praising it as "Buddha's dew, imperial fairy nectar." Since 804 AD, when Japanese monk Saicho took tea seeds back, Tiantai tea became a medium for spreading Tiantai culture. Tianfeng Xianming, grown in Tiantai's clouds, absorbs the essence of nature, considered a top-grade tea.
4. Laoshan Yunwu Tea is produced in the Laoshan area's Shiziling near Nanjing, adjacent to Laoshan National Forest Park. Embracing the charm of the Jiangnan water region, it has been favored by scholars since the Tang Dynasty and was as famous as Nanjing Rain Flower Tea in the Ming Dynasty. It features an elegant color and mellow taste, making it a rare fine tea.
Laoshan, a rare mountainous scenic spot near Nanjing, has a pleasant climate, with local families long cultivating tea. Laoshan Yunwu Tea is picked directly from the mountain peaks, ensuring high quality. Recently, following ecological standards, careful planting and standardized processing have produced high-grade teas, forming two brands: "Shiling Foxin" and "Laoshan Yunrui." "Shiling Foxin" is flat and straight like a "Buddha's finger," with white pekoe and a tender green-yellow color; its liquor is bright "Buddha yellow"; highly aromatic and lasting; fresh and mellow with a sweet aftertaste; tender even leaves. "Laoshan Yunrui" is straight with visible tips, white pekoe, and tender green color; its liquor is yellow-green and bright; highly aromatic and lasting; rich and mellow with a sweet aftertaste; tender even leaves forming buds. Both are exceptional high-grade products.