High mountains and clouds produce good tea - Green bamboo leaves from Emeishan

04. 08. 2024

Chinese like to drink green tea, especially high mountain green tea. As they say, "high mountains and clouds produce good tea." Most high-quality green tea comes from high mountains, and almost all of China's known tea-producing areas are located in high mountains. The effect of altitude on tea comes primarily from five aspects: temperature, humidity, soil, vegetation and sunlight. A tea garden in the high mountains has low temperature and high humidity, which is prone to foggy weather. This kind of weather can increase nitrogen metabolism in the tea plant and promote the synthesis of amino acids, caffeine and aromatic substances. In addition, the amount of tea polyphenols and catechins decreases with altitude, while the amount of amino acids and aromatic substances in tea leaves increases with altitude. That's why high mountain tea tastes fresher and is sweeter.

""The mist surrounds thousands of tea trees, the clouds open thousands of valleys,
the fragrance spreads thousands of kilometers away, and the strong taste is in the cup.""

In the high-altitude environment, surrounded by clouds and fog and abundant diffused light, the transformation and accumulation of various chemicals that improve the quality of tea occur naturally. The resulting high mountain tea is delicate and fresh, with an attractive green-yellow color, a rich aroma and a strong taste that is unforgettable. The altitude fundamentally affects the quality of the tea. Tea gardens above 1500 meters above sea level are prone to raw weather. they are typically surrounded by rich vegetation and are located mostly on the dark side of the mountain. Mount Emei, a world heritage ecosystem with a geological growth history of up to 850 million years, is a representative area of ​​high-altitude tea gardens.

Authentic Zhuyeqing is conditioned by the selection of only fine buds from high-altitude tea gardens at an altitude of 800-1500 meters in the Emei Mountains. The tea buds must be harvesting only before the Qingming Festival and the production must finish within 30 sunny spring days. Nearly 50,000 tea buds will offer only 500 grams of Zhuyeqing tea, and for the highest grade of Zhuyeqing tea, only 500 grams of finished tea can be selected from nearly 5 million tea buds. Such harsh conditions have created the extraordinarily pure and elegant taste of every authentic Emeishan Zhuyeqing green tea. The tea buds stand proud and upright in the water, sinking and floating up and down. The tea infusion is fresh and delicate with a unique and unforgettable gentle scent of chestnut.

Where does the green tea name Green Bamboo Leaves come from? It was created when General Chen Yi went to Mount Emei to rest in 1964. While playing chess with the monks at Wannian Temple, he praised the tea he tasted and asked, "What kind of tea is this?" The old monk replied, “This tea is a specialty of Mount Emei and has no name yet.” He got an idea of asking the general to give him a name. Chen Yi carefully examined the tea in the cup and saw that the tea liqueur was clear and the leaves were green, all standing upright. He said spontaneously, "It looks like tiny bamboo leaves. Let's call it Green Bamboo Leaves." With the new name, the reputation of Emeishan green tea quickly spread throughout China.