Guzhang Maojian is produced in Guzhang County, Hunan, and is a renowned green tea. First appearing during the Western Jin Dynasty, Guzhang Maojian gained widespread acclaim for its exceptional quality and was even designated as a tribute tea during the Qing Dynasty, speaking to its enduring popularity. It boasts a history spanning 1,700 years.
Origin and Characteristics of Guzhang Maojian Tea
Guzhang County features rugged terrain and a dense network of streams and rivers, producing an abundance of Chinese fir and torreya trees. The tea grown here is equally famous, with Guzhang Maojian being the most popular. Cultivated since the Western Jin Dynasty, it initially started within a single county and has now spread throughout Guyang Town, Dongfang, Longtianping, and Niujiaoshan. The frequent mountain mists and limited sunlight result in slow-growing tea leaves that are exceptionally tender and rich in fine downy hairs.
Guzhang Maojian tea harvested in the spring months of March and April offers the highest quality, with the absolute best being harvested before Qingming Festival, consisting of one bud and one leaf. Premium Guzhang Maojian is not inexpensive, commanding thousands of RMB per 500 g, largely due to the difficulty of harvesting and the highly intricate production process.
Production Process
Traditional Guzhang Maojian involves eight distinct processing steps: spreading and withering, fixing (kill-green), rolling, initial stir-frying, cooling, shaping, drying, and sorting. The leaves are first fixed at a high temperature of 150°C, then hand-rolled before undergoing initial stir-frying. After completion, they are spread out to cool before moving on to the shaping process.
Shaping is designed to achieve the ideal appearance, ensuring the tea leaves are tight and refined. Straight, sharp tips and tightly twisted, slender strands are the hallmark visual traits of Guzhang Maojian. Once completed, the tea goes through final drying and sorting processes.
Brewing Methods
Guzhang Maojian is a premium green tea, and using the right brewing method ensures you truly appreciate its exceptional quality. First, spring water is the top choice for brewing. It’s best to let collected spring water rest for a while before use to enhance the flavor profile. Yixing purple clay pots are the ideal teaware. Brew at a water temperature of around 85°C for about 1 minute. It can be steeped up to 4 times.
For a more refined approach, you can use the “leaving the base” brewing method. This involves leaving about half of the tea liquor in the pot instead of pouring it all out, which helps balance the flavor across multiple pours.