Mengding Ganlu is China's oldest tea, revered as the veteran of teas and a pioneer of famous teas. Mengding Ganlu is one of China's top-quality green teas and a representative of curled green teas, produced in Mount Meng which straddles the counties of Mingshan and Ya'an in Sichuan Province. It is called “Mengding Tea” due to its origin at the peak of Mount Meng. There are many types of famous Mengding teas, including Ganlu, Huangya, Shihua, Yuye Changchun, and Wanchun Silver Needle, among which “Ganlu” is of the highest quality.
One, Growing Environment
Mount Meng is located within the Qionglai Mountains in Sichuan Province, with Mount Emei to the east, Dashang Ridge to the south, Jiajin Mountain to the west, and the Chengdu Plain to the north, with the Qingyi River winding around its base. Standing at the summit, “looking up, the winds are high and clear, all things are serene; looking down, the waters encircle, mountains surround; tea fields and cypress paths, strange rocks and unique flowers abound, truly a scenic spot,” hence the saying goes, “The peaks of Mount Meng are graced with beautiful hills, no bad grass grows, only fine tea thrives.” In the Qing Dynasty, Xu Yuanxi wrote in a poem, “Five peaks rise unevenly, truly like a lotus blossom.” This picturesque Mount Meng has nurtured a unique and unparalleled famous tea here.
Two, Historical Development
It is said that tea cultivation on Mount Meng began at the end of the Western Han Dynasty, when Wu Lizhen from Mingshan County planted seven tea plants on Qingfeng Peak. “The seeds of spiritual tea, planted among the five peaks, do not grow taller than a foot, neither growing nor perishing, distinct from the ordinary,” and were then known as immortal tea. Wu Lizhen was later enshrined as the Master Ganlu Pu Hui Miao Ji in the Song Dynasty. This is the earliest written record of artificial tea cultivation in China.
In the Tang Dynasty's “National History Supplement,” Mengding Tea was listed as the top of yellow teas. Tang Dynasty poets also wrote numerous poems praising Mengding Tea. According to Mao Wenxi's “Tea Spectrum” from the Five Dynasties period, “Mount Meng has five peaks, arranged like the fingers of a hand—Shangqing, Yuren, Jingquan, Lingjiao, and Ganlu. The immortal tea is planted on the center of the stone at Pan's root, and every year, seven plants of immortal tea are collected as tribute.” Mengding Tea served as tribute tea for over a thousand years until the Qing Dynasty.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the famous teas of Mengding were restored and developed. The Mengshan Tea Plantation used modern tea-making techniques to restore the production of famous teas such as Shihua, Huangya, Ganlu, Wanchun Silver Leaf, and Yuye Changchun according to the characteristics of the ancient tribute teas.
In 1959, Mengding Ganlu was rated as one of China's famous teas. Subsequently, Mengding famous teas have been awarded national, provincial, and ministerial honors multiple times, becoming a national gift tea.
Three, Quality Characteristics
Mengding Ganlu has a tightly curled appearance with abundant downy hairs, a tender green luster. After brewing, the tea soup is a bright light yellow, clear and bright, with a rich and fragrant aroma, fresh and sweet taste with a lingering aftertaste, and the infused leaves are delicate and uniform.
Four, Harvesting and Production
Mengding Ganlu is harvested during the Spring Equinox season each year, with the standard being single buds or one bud with one initial leaf unfolded.
The production method of Mengding Ganlu follows the “three stir-fries and three kneads” technique from the Ming Dynasty. After picking, the fresh leaves are spread out to wither, then undergo pan-firing. The temperature of the pan-firing is 140-160°C, with an input of about 0.4 kilograms of leaves. They are stir-fired until the leaves become soft, their color turns dark green and even, and the tea aroma becomes apparent, with moisture content reduced to around 60%, before they are removed from the pan. To preliminarily roll the leaves into tight strips and create conditions for the “shaping” process, the leaves are kneaded and stir-fried three times. The “shaping” process, which determines the appearance and quality characteristics, involves taking the third-kneaded leaves and placing them in a pan, using both hands to grab the leaves, spreading the five fingers, facing the palms towards each other, grasping and rolling the leaves four to five times, then scattering them back into the pan, repeating this several times. When the moisture content of the leaves decreases to 15-20%, the pan temperature is slightly increased, and the rolling speed of both hands is accelerated until the white down is fully visible. Then the leaves undergo preliminary drying, blending of small batches, and re-drying to achieve full dryness. After blending large batches, they are stored in the warehouse.
Five, Brewing Guide
For brewing Mengding Ganlu, it is recommended to use a transparent glass cup, with a tea-to-water ratio of 1:50-1:60, and water temperature controlled at around 85°C. The specific brewing steps are as follows:
(1) Warm the Cup: Take a transparent glass cup and pour in an appropriate amount of 85°C water to warm the cup, then discard the water.
(2) Pour Water: Pour 85°C water into the transparent glass cup to about one-third full.
(3) Add Tea: Add 3-5 grams of tea to the cup and gently swirl the cup to allow the tea to fully soak.
(4) Pour More Water: After the tea leaves have soaked in the water for 1-2 minutes and have fully expanded, pour more water into the cup to fill it about seven-tenths full.
(5) Enjoy: Once the tea leaves have unfurled and the water temperature has dropped below 60°C (the cup feels hot but not scalding), it can be enjoyed. When one-third of the tea remains, it can be refilled, typically for three infusions.