Fengqing: The Jinxiu Tea Ancestor and Xiangzhuqing

Mention Fengqing and many people first think of a cup of Dianhong glittering with golden tips. But before black tea came along, the mountains here were already full of big tea trees, and locals made sun-dried maocha. Fengqing is also home to the great tea tree called the "Jinxiu Tea Ancestor," and tea drinkers who climb up to pay respects to the tree and drink Xiangzhuqing ancient-tree tea see a Fengqing beyond Dianhong.

Where Is Fengqing?

Fengqing County (鳳慶) is in the north of Lincang City, Yunnan, formerly called Shunning. The Lancang River runs through the county, with high mountains, deep valleys, and dramatic terrain. Among Lincang's tea counties, Fengqing lies to the north, and its spring harvest starts later, generally late March to early April, somewhat after Mengku. For the locations and roles of Lincang's counties, start with The Lincang Tea Region.

Fengqing has a long history of growing and making tea. Ming dynasty travelogues and Qing local records both mention tea from this area, and the ancient town of Lushi in Fengqing was an important merchant stop on the Tea Horse Road, where caravans carried tea toward Dali and Xiaguan. The Tea Horse Road is covered more fully in The Tea Horse Road.

The Jinxiu Tea Ancestor: Xiangzhuqing's Great Tea Tree

The Jinxiu Tea Ancestor (錦秀茶祖, also written 錦繡茶祖, and also called the Jinxiu Tea Venerable or Jinxiu Tea King) is a cultivated ancient tea tree growing in Xiangzhuqing natural village, Jinxiu Village, Xiaowan Town, Fengqing County, at about 2,245 meters. It's famous because of its sheer size:

• Height: About 10 meters (records range from 10.06 to 10.6 meters);
• Trunk: About 1.85 meters in diameter, with a base circumference of about 5.8 meters (records give both 5.82 and 5.84 meters);
• Type: Cultivated, that is, planted and tended by people long ago, not a wild tree that grew naturally in the forest.

The Jinxiu Tea Ancestor is often called one of the thickest cultivated ancient tea trees known today. To protect it, the Fengqing county government has fenced off the area around it and prohibited commercial activities using its name. Every year, many tea people still make the trip up the mountain to see the tree and pay their respects, praying for peace on the tea mountain.

How Old Is the Xiangzhuqing Ancient Tree?

The figure you'll hear most is "3,200 years." According to Lincang local media, in early 2004 Dr. Lin Zhi of the Tea Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Japanese agricultural scientist Dr. Masashi Omori assessed the tree and judged its age to be between about 3,200 and 3,500 years.

A word of caution: ancient tea trees' ages are mostly estimated from trunk thickness, growing environment, and local historical records, without anything as precise as a ring count, and experts don't fully agree. The safest understanding is that the Jinxiu Tea Ancestor is a very ancient, extremely large cultivated tea tree, and "3,200 years" is the figure most commonly cited in the tea world. For how tree age is estimated, read How to Estimate the Age of an Ancient Tea Tree and Claims of Thousand-Year Trees.

The Xiangzhuqing Tea Mountain

The Jinxiu Tea Ancestor isn't a lone tree. The Xiangzhuqing area has abundant ancient tea resources, spread across slopes at about 1,750–2,580 meters and consisting mainly of domesticated, cultivated-type trees. The average annual temperature here is about 18°C, the mountains are misty, and tea trees grow slowly.

"Xiangzhuqing ancient-tree tea" on the market mostly means material picked from the ancient gardens in this area, never leaves from the Tea Ancestor itself. Xiangzhuqing tea is often described as having:

• Aroma: Pronounced floral-honey notes and a long-lasting cup-bottom aroma;
• Taste: Sweet on entry, not very bitter or astringent, clearing quickly;
• Texture: Soft with strength, a good throat feel, and sweetness lingering into the later infusions.

Fengqing Is Famous for Dianhong. Does It Also Produce Pu'er?

Yes, and its history with it is older than Dianhong.

In 1938, tea expert Feng Shaoqiu was sent by the China Tea Corporation to survey Yunnan, and in Shunning he trial-made black tea from local large-leaf fresh leaves; the result showed golden tips, a bright red liquor, and a rich aroma. In 1939, the Shunning Experimental Tea Factory was founded (the predecessor of today's Fengqing Tea Factory) and began formal production. The tea was first called "Yunhong," and in 1940 it was renamed "Dianhong." From then on Fengqing has been known as "the home of Dianhong."

Before that, Fengqing's tea farmers made sun-dried maocha, the raw material for raw pu'er. Today Fengqing still has many ancient gardens producing sun-dried maocha; besides Xiangzhuqing, places like Gumo in Shili Township and Pinghe in Dasi Township are often mentioned. The same large leaf can go toward black tea or toward pu'er; the difference lies in the processing. For how the two paths differ, see How Pu'er Differs from Other Yunnan Teas.

Characteristics of the Fengqing Large-Leaf Variety

Fengqing large-leaf tea is Fengqing's signature variety, native to Fengqing County. Approved in 1984 and registered in 1985, it was listed with Mengku large-leaf and Menghai large-leaf among the first national-level improved tea varieties, and is usually numbered "Huacha No. 13."

• Tree type: Arbor (tree) type, tall in form;
• Buds and leaves: Plump buds and leaves with plenty of down, giving especially prominent golden tips when made into black tea;
• Flavor impression: A clear, lifting aroma, a full texture, and a strong but not coarse taste.

Precisely because its buds and leaves are plump and downy, Fengqing large-leaf makes outstanding Dianhong; made into raw pu'er, it excels in aroma and sweet smoothness. The three national varieties are compared in Mengku, Menghai, Fengqing: Yunnan's Three National Large-Leaf Varieties.

How to Drink Xiangzhuqing Raw Pu'er

Xiangzhuqing raw pu'er is fragrant and very sweet, and shows best in a gaiwan with quick infusions of boiling water:

• 7 grams of tea in a 110 ml gaiwan;
• Water at 95–100°C, rinse once;
• Pour off the first 3 infusions after 8–10 seconds, then add 5 seconds per infusion;
• After pouring, smell the lid first, then take your first sip while it's hot.

FAQ

Q: What is the Jinxiu Tea Ancestor?
A: The Jinxiu Tea Ancestor is a cultivated ancient tea tree at Xiangzhuqing, Jinxiu Village, Xiaowan Town, Fengqing County, at about 2,245 meters, about 10 meters tall with a base circumference of about 5.8 meters, often called one of the thickest cultivated ancient tea trees known.

Q: Is the Xiangzhuqing ancient tree really 3,200 years old?
A: "3,200 years" is the most common figure, from an expert assessment in 2004 that estimated a range of about 3,200–3,500 years. All ancient tea tree ages are estimates, so it's safest to read it as "very ancient."

Q: Isn't Fengqing known for black tea? It has pu'er too?
A: Yes. Fengqing produced sun-dried maocha before Dianhong was first trial-made in 1938, and today places like Xiangzhuqing, Gumo, and Pinghe still produce raw material for raw pu'er.

Q: How does Fengqing large-leaf differ from Mengku large-leaf?
A: Both were among the first national-level improved varieties. Fengqing large-leaf has plump, downy buds and leaves and a clear, lifting aroma, and makes outstanding Dianhong; Mengku large-leaf is known for sweetness, softness, and a full texture.