Where Is Coffee Grown in Australia Compared with Fujian's Major Tea Regions?
Fujian, a hilly coastal province in southeast China, produces white tea, jasmine tea, oolong tea and black tea, but not green tea or Pu'er. Its terrain is described as eight parts mountain, one part water, one part field, and the subtropical climate suits tea growing. Golden Monkey black tea comes from this region, and it is brewed like other black teas, with attention to water temperature and steeping time.
China grows tea across many provinces and produces about 2 million tons a year from roughly 340 tea tree varieties, divided into six categories: black, white, green, yellow, oolong and post-fermented. Each area tends to specialize in one category and its processing method. Fujian is known for Fuding White Peony, Wuyishan Da Hong Pao, handcrafted Jasmine Dragon Pearls and Panyang Congou Golden Monkey. This is a different picture from coffee, where major coffee producers cluster in tropical regions.
China is the homeland of tea and the world's largest tea-growing country, with an annual output of about 2 million tons. Fujian, a hilly coastal province in the southeast, with its "eight parts mountain, one part water, one part field" topography and subtropical climate, has nurtured many famous varieties such as white tea, jasmine tea, oolong tea, and black tea. This article will take you into the Fujian tea region, explain how to drink Golden Monkey black tea, and compare the differences between classic teas such as Jasmine Dragon Pearls and Da Hong Pao. From Fuding's White Peony to Wuyishan's Da Hong Pao, from handcrafted Jasmine Dragon Pearls to Panyang Congou Golden Monkey, we will also share several popular Fujian teas recommended by Front Street Coffee, letting you experience the charm of tea fragrance woven from mountains and sea on this land.
China is the homeland of tea and the country with the largest tea-growing area in the world, producing about 2 million tons of tea each year. Because of this, tea gardens are distributed across many provinces. These tea gardens are often located on high mountains, extending in small patches along the mountain terrain until geographical conditions are no longer suitable. It is precisely this undulation and separation in terrain that makes the tea gardens appear scattered and isolated, rather than forming one vast, boundless expanse. China's tea gardens are, in fact, a loose network connected by the natural environment.
The six major tea categories—black tea, white tea, green tea, yellow tea, oolong tea, and post-fermented tea—are grown throughout China, and they come from about 340 different tea tree varieties. However, not every province produces all six categories at the same time; instead, each region is often known for a particular tea category and its processing method.
Let's start with Fujian. This is a good starting point because most high-quality teas are produced here. The province is known for its peculiar white tea, sacred jasmine tea, earthy oolong tea, and delicious black tea (with amazing names such as Golden Crab, Golden Monkey, and Golden Needle King). Only green tea and Pu'er tea are missing here. Fujian is located on the southeastern coast of China, with a terrain dominated by hills, hence the saying "eight parts mountain, one part water, one part field." Fujian has a subtropical climate, with hot and humid summers and mild winters. Tea trees grow in Fujian's environment, and its fertile soil has produced many kinds of tea. Tea farmers have developed many different styles of tea; they have found places suitable for specific tea trees to grow and used completely different methods to make delicious tea. You can understand why we love Fujian tea so much. In another blog series, we will discuss all the details that make up these excellent teas.
Tea's heritage is closely tied to Fujian, not only reflected in the wide variety of Fujian teas, but also in the fact that the English word "tea" comes from the Minnan dialect word for tea, "tea." The Min River divides the province into the South River and North River, so the south speaks Minnan dialect and the north speaks Minbei dialect—the Chinese "nan" means "south," and "bei" means "north." My dad Mike remembers that in 1996, when he first returned to China, he traveled north from Guangdong Province. People in Guangdong read it as "cha." An hour north in Fujian, people call it "tea," and this is the origin of the word "tea."
When you see this picture, you can understand why this pioneering book about the region is called The Harvest of Mountains.
We are devoted fans of Fujian, not only because of its outstanding tea, but also because of its beauty. In 2019, we traveled to the coastal city of Fuding to taste white tea and jasmine tea. No matter where the car drove, we could see tea. On the mountain above the city, we strolled through an organic tea garden and could see the sea in the distance. This is one of the few places where you can see both at the same time. Also in the city, tea leaves were drying on the streets, reminding us of beach chairs. Then we drove into the black tea region, heading to Fu'an, Zhenghe, and the Golden Monkey town of Songxi. Last time we stopped in the ancient town of Panyang, the hometown of Panyang Congou. Climbing mountains and visiting old tea factories was a pleasure. We ended our journey in the northwest corner of Wuyishan, tasting Da Hong Pao oolong and smoked Lapsang Souchong. It was colder there, and the mountains were often shrouded in fog. On this trip we did not go to Anxi, the birthplace of Tieguanyin oolong. As we often say, so much tea, so little time!
At the end of this road are three Da Hong Pao tea trees—perhaps the most famous tea trees.
Some of the most popular Fujian teas we offer include:
White Peony. On a trip to Fuding, Mike visited many white tea producers and was impressed by their innovation. There, he discovered this very special white tea and thought many people would enjoy it. White Peony belongs to the "new leaf white tea" category, a subclass of white tea made from the first flush of leaves from the tea tree. When you drink this sweet and mellow tea, you will find that its flavor is stronger than that of true white tea.
Jasmine Dragon Pearls Tea. This is a masterpiece of green tea and white tea; Dragon Pearl Jasmine is made from small "pearls" gently infused with jasmine flowers. These are handcrafted by women in Fu'an in northern Fujian. When my dad met the woman who makes this lovely tea, he thanked her on behalf of all tea drinkers! The blend is pure joy, with a floral fragrance and the sweet aroma of a light-colored brew.
Wuyi Da Hong Pao. Few places have as rich a tea output as China's Wuyishan. This "Da Hong Pao" comes from those famous tea gardens. It is a wonderful oolong tea made from three famous tea trees, with large, whole leaves that are about 40% oxidized, offering a warm and rich yet unintimidating flavor. Subtle notes of peach compote and dark molasses linger on the palate, with each flavor subtly different.
Golden Monkey. This black tea is produced in northern Fujian. It comes from the Panyang Congou tea family and is one of the last historically significant teas produced during China's tea trade era. It is characterized by large black tea leaves dotted with golden tips. It produces a slightly sweet, "round" cup of tea with excellent complexity. Note the flavors of almond, nuts, and rose.
Thank you for joining us in our exploration of Fujian and the wonderful teas from Fujian. We will return next month with more information about another magical tea province in China.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
