Basic Introduction to Baojing Golden Tea
Baojing Golden Tea is a sexual population variety formed through long-term natural selection, characterized by group genetics with complex genetic inheritance. It exhibits diverse genotypes and phenotypes, including many unique superior individual plants. Its amino acid content is more than twice that of other green teas, and its water-soluble extractives approach 50%. The processed tea products possess the quality characteristics of “aromatic, green, refreshing, and strong.” As verified by Mr. He Shihua, Vice President of the Pu'er Tea Culture Research Association, the ancient Baojing Golden Tea trees located at Golden Bridge belong to the large-leaved tree type category and share a certain phylogenetic relationship with the Jinggu Broad-leaf Magnolia that existed 35 million years ago. Baojing Golden Tea is a distinctive and rare tea tree variety.
Nutritional Value
The high theanine content in Baojing Golden Tea endows it with numerous medicinal and health benefits:
1) In the nervous system, theanine can promote brain function and neural growth; prevent diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's;
2) In the cardiovascular system, it helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, particularly effective in reducing abdominal fat;
3) In the digestive system, it can increase beneficial gut flora and exhibit antioxidant effects;
4) In the immune system, it can enhance the body's immunity, relieve anxiety, combat fatigue, and improve both physiological and psychological states;
5) Other aspects: there are also reports on its ability to improve the efficacy of anti-tumor drugs, treat diabetes, and prevent premenstrual syndrome.
Product Characteristics
“Baojing Golden Tea” is an ancient and rare local tea tree variety resource in Baojing County, Xiangxi. According to historical records in Baojing County, during the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty, a high-ranking official touring the six districts of Baojing passed through Liangcha River after leaving Liudu. After tasting the local tea, he was highly impressed and rewarded the locals with one tael of gold, designating the tea as a tribute product. Later generations named this tea “Golden Tea,” and the village where it grew became known as Golden Village. There are still large tea trees over two hundred years old in the area. “Xiangxi Golden Tea” is characterized by “high amino acid content, high polyphenol content, and high water-extractable content” along with the quality features of “aromatic, green, refreshing, and strong.” It has been hailed as one of the best teas in China (and the world), with the slogan “an ounce of gold for an ounce of tea” deeply ingrained in people's minds. The amino acid content in early spring tea can reach up to 7%, which is more than twice that of other green teas at the same time of year, and the polyphenol content is as high as 20%. The resulting tea products are full-bodied yet refreshing, robust without bitterness, and have a high re-steeping capacity. Sales success rates are around 90%.
History and Folklore
According to “The Veritable Records of Emperor Shizong of Ming,” in the 18th year of the Jiajing era (1545 AD) of the Ming Dynasty, in the fourth lunar month, Lu Jie, the Chief Censor of Huguang and Guizhou, traveled from Baoying Prefecture (today's Qianling Town, Baojing County) to Zhenxi (today's Jishou City) to inspect military defenses. On his way through the deep mountains and dense forests of Luqi (today's Hulu Town, Baojing County), several members of his party of over a hundred people fell ill due to the miasma. Struggling to Liangcha River Miao Village, those afflicted could no longer walk. An elderly Miao woman surnamed Xiang picked leaves from a century-old tea tree in front of her home and brewed them into tea for the officials suffering from the miasma. Within half an hour of drinking the tea, they were cured. Delighted, Lu Jie rewarded the old woman with a bar of gold and submitted the tea as a tribute to the imperial court. From then on, this tea was esteemed in the market with the price of “one tael of gold for one tael of tea.” A naturally growing, unnamed tea tree in the Miao mountain region thus came to be known as “Golden Tea,” and the village became known as “Golden Village.”
The “Baojing County Annals” of the Qing Dynasty also record that during the Jiaqing era, a high-ranking official toured the six prefectures of Baojing, passing through Liangcha River. After tasting the local tea, he was very impressed and rewarded the locals with one tael of gold, designating the tea as a tribute product. There are still large tea trees several hundred years old in the village today.