Basic Introduction of Fenghua Quhao
Fenghua Quhao tea is a specialty of Fenghua County, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province. Tea cultivation in Fenghua has a long history, dating back to the Tang Dynasty, and by the Song Dynasty, the abbot of Xuedou Temple, Chan Master Guangwen, wrote “The Imperial Inscription of the Mountain Answering a Dream,” which includes the famous lines: “Tea and mustard do not share an acre, Quhao is secluded yet uniquely fragrant.” This is how Fenghua Quhao got its name. Fenghua Quhao is both a historically renowned tea and an innovative one, developed in 1996 by tea technicians using high-hair varieties of fresh leaves and unique processing methods. The dedicated tea gardens for Fenghua Quhao are located in high mountains away from pollution, with strict quality control measures in place, including no use of pesticides throughout the year, ensuring it is pollution-free and non-toxic. Organic fertilizers are used to enhance the quality of the tea. In 1999, the Xuedou Mountain brand was born, marking a new chapter for Fenghua Quhao.
The production area of Fenghua Quhao slopes from southwest to northeast, shaped by the Tiantai Mountains and Siming Mountains, the Ningbo-Fenghua Plain and Harbor Plain, as well as the Fenghua River and Chunhu River systems. The region features numerous hills and abundant waterways, providing extensive and humid mountainous areas ideal for the cultivation of Fenghua Quhao. According to Announcement No. 431 issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fenghua Quhao obtained the National Agricultural Product Geographical Indication Registration Certificate on June 4, 2021. Its protected geographic scope covers the following coordinates: 121°03′E to 121°46′E and 29°25′N to 29°47′N, including 325 villages across ten towns and subdistricts: Jinfeng, Yuelin, Shangtian, Xiwu, Dayan, Chunhu, Jiucun, Song'ao, Xiaokou, and Xiaowangmiao. Currently, there are 1,633 hectares under cultivation, producing 157 tons of dry tea annually.
Product Characteristics
Sensory Quality Features: Fenghua Quhao dry tea is characterized by its coiled and robust shape, green and lustrous appearance with visible downy hairs, lasting fragrance, fresh and sweet taste, clear green infusion, and tender green, bright leaves when infused.
Intrinsic Physicochemical Indicators: Fenghua Quhao tea is rich in free amino acids, polyphenols, and caffeine, with a low phenol-to-amino acid ratio. Specifically, the content of water-soluble substances is ≥39%, polyphenols ≥14%, caffeine ≥4%, and free amino acids ≥3.5%.
Historical Folklore
West of Fenghua's Xiaokou Town lies Mount Xuedou, a branch of the Siming Mountains. There are stone caves on the mountain, from which springs flow like snow, hence the name Xuedou. The mountain is full of natural wonders, including Xuedou Temple, Miaogaotai, Hanzhulin, Jinjingchi, Qianzhangyan, Yintan, and other scenic spots.
According to legend, Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty dreamed of a beautiful mountain and upon waking up, he sought out this mountain, finding that Mount Xuedou matched his dream. He then bestowed rewards upon the monks of Xuedou Temple. Emperor Lizong of the Southern Song Dynasty followed the will of his predecessor and inscribed the words “Mountain Answering a Dream.” Later, Xuedou Temple became one of the ten great Zen temples in China. Good tea grows around the Zhongfeng peak of Xuedou Temple, Baiyan Mountain, and the Yaoshiao area, particularly favored by the monks of Xuedou Temple. In “The Imperial Inscription of the Mountain Answering a Dream,” Chan Master Guangwen, the abbot of Xuedou Temple during the Song Dynasty, wrote: “Tea and mustard do not share an acre, Quhao is secluded yet uniquely fragrant.” Since then, the tea produced here has been known as Fenghua Quhao, and it remains highly regarded by people in Ningbo even today.
Awards and Honors
It has successively won awards such as “Ningbo Famous Agricultural Brand Product,” “Zhejiang Famous Tea Certificate,” “First-Class Famous Tea in Zhejiang,” and “China Premium Famous Tea Gold Medal.”
In 2004, it won the gold medal in the “Zhonglv Cup” and the “International Famous Tea Gold Medal.”