Haimagong Tea is produced in Haimagong Township, Dafang County, Guizhou Province. Belonging to the yellow tea category, it is renowned for its prominent downy hairs, tightly twisted strips, and a bright tea liquor with a yellowish-green hue.
Legend has it that during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, Jian Guichao from Dating Prefecture in Guizhou had a deep understanding of tea making. Upon returning to his hometown, he brought tea plants back to Haimagong in Dafang County to cultivate them, sparking a local tea-planting trend. The resulting tea liquor boasted a color as verdant as bamboo leaves, earning it the name “Zhuye Qing” (Bamboo Leaf Green). Thanks to its exceptional quality, Haimagong Tea became a tribute tea during the Qing Dynasty.
Production Method
Haimagong Tea uses local small-population cultivar varieties, which are known for their abundant downy hairs and strong tenderness retention. The optimal harvesting period is around Grain Rain, with a picking standard of one bud and one leaf, or one bud and two leaves. The production process includes fixation (shaqing), initial rolling, yellowing (mengdui), secondary rolling, secondary pan-firing, and drying.
The temperature during fixation is around 140°C, and the tea leaves are stir-fired until the raw grassy aroma dissipates and they can be formed into a strip when gripped. Next comes initial rolling to shape the leaves into strips. The rolled leaves are then placed into bamboo tubes for yellowing (mengdui) for about 24 hours, with the exact duration adjusted according to temperature and humidity. Afterward, the leaves are taken out for secondary rolling and secondary pan-firing, and finally slowly dried over low heat for about 10 hours until the moisture content of the leaves reaches 7%, completing the production.
Brewing Guide
Brewing Haimagong Tea has no special requirements for tea ware. River water or mountain spring water is ideal; tap water is barely acceptable but should be left to sit for 24 hours before use. Control the water temperature to around 90°C, with a tea-to-water ratio of 1:50 (e.g., 2 grams of Haimagong Tea in a 100ml teapot). The first brew should steep for 3 minutes, with each subsequent steep increasing by 1 minute.