Da Hong Pao tea leaves have always been one of the most discussed teas. Whether it's genuine popularity or merchants hyping it up, the number of people who like Da Hong Pao tea leaves is increasing. Although Da Hong Pao is now very famous, people are not clear about what authentic Da Hong Pao really is. "Even among tea sellers now, at most 30% know how to distinguish between Shui Xian, Rou Gui, and Da Hong Pao."
What does Da Hong Pao look like? What is authentic Da Hong Pao? Research shows there are several interpretations regarding Da Hong Pao. One interpretation refers to tea produced from the 6 mother trees of Da Hong Pao in Wuyi Mountain's Jiulong Ke. Starting in 1998, 20 grams of Da Hong Pao picked from these 6 mother trees were auctioned annually. The first auction price was 156,800 yuan, and the final auction price in 2005 was 208,000 yuan. Since 2007, the Wuyishan city government has stopped harvesting tea leaves from the Da Hong Pao mother trees. This auction practice also created a misconception among consumers, leading them to believe that only tea picked from these 6 mother trees is called Da Hong Pao.
A more detailed classification exists because the 6 mother trees of Da Hong Pao consist of three varieties: Bei Dou No.1, Bei Dou No.2, and Qi Dan. Through the efforts of technical personnel, the Da Hong Pao variety has been successfully cultivated through asexual reproduction and is now produced in bulk. Only tea leaves picked from this specific type of tea tree can be called Da Hong Pao.
Another interpretation, considering it is currently the most well-known variety among Wuyi Mountain rock teas, suggests that all high-grade rock tea produced in Wuyi Mountain should be collectively referred to as Da Hong Pao. Informed sources learned during their time in Wuyi Mountain that the Wuyishan city government seems to have this intention to promote the Da Hong Pao brand.
Currently, most of the Da Hong Pao sold on the market is what tea sellers call "commercial Da Hong Pao." It is essentially a blend created using several varieties of rock tea to meet different tastes and demands of consumers, such as blending Shui Xian, Rou Gui, Shui Jin Gui, etc. Some are even blended using teas from areas surrounding Wuyi Mountain, like Jianou and Jianyang.