A Brief Introduction to Shou Mei Tea

Nanshan Shou Mei tea strips are slightly flat and curved, with a verdant green color covered in white fuzz, resembling the eyebrows of a long-lived person. It boasts a lasting, elegant fragrance, a fresh, mellow, and harmonious taste, a clear and bright liquor, and tender, intact green leaves. Below is a simple introduction to Shou Mei tea.

If you wish to tour Tianmu Lake, be sure to take a bamboo raft ride on the emerald waves and savor Nanshan Shou Mei tea; it will refresh your mind and spirit. Shou Mei tea was developed by the Lijiayuan Tea Plantation in Hengjian Township. Under the guidance of senior tea engineering expert Zhang Zhicheng from Jiangsu Province, after five years of research, it passed appraisal in 1986. It won the Ministry of Agriculture's Famous Tea Award in 1989, the Jiangsu Provincial "Luyu Cup" award for four consecutive years from 1993 to 1996, and the special prize at the first "Zhongcha Cup" competition held by the China Tea Science Society in 1994.

【Origin】The main production area of Shou Mei tea is Jianyang County, Fujian Province. It is also produced in counties like Jian'ou and Pucheng, with its output accounting for over half of the total white tea production.

【Characteristics】High-quality Shou Mei tea has apparent and abundant buds (hao), a jade green color, an orange-yellow or deep yellow liquor, even, soft, and bright infused leaves where the main veins appear red when held against the light. It tastes mellow and refreshing with a pure, fresh aroma.

【Processing】The plucking standard for Shou Mei tea is one bud with two leaves to one bud with two or three leaves, requiring the presence of white fuzz (hao). Its manufacturing involves only two processes: withering and baking, without frying or rolling, but the technique is difficult to master.

【Efficacy】Shou Mei tea is believed to help prevent cancer, combat cancer, relieve summer heat, detoxify, and treat toothaches. Especially, aged Baihao Yinzhen (a premium white tea) can be used as a fever-reducing medicine for children with measles.

【Background】Shou Mei tea, sometimes called Gong Mei, is a white tea made from the buds and leaves of the Cai Cha (a sexual population tea bush). The crude tea made from these buds and leaves is called "Xiao Bai" (small white) to distinguish it from the "Da Bai" (big white) crude tea made from the buds and leaves of Fuding Da Bai or Zhenghe Da Bai tea bushes. Cai Cha buds were once used to make Baihao Yinzhen. Later, Da Bai was used for Baihao Yinzhen and Bai Mudan, while Xiao Bai was used to make Gong Mei. Generally, Gong Mei denotes a superior grade, with quality better than Shou Mei. In recent years, the product is usually only called Gong Mei for export, and the name Shou Mei is less common.

The above is an introduction to Shou Mei tea, hoping it helps everyone understand it better.