Wuyi Da Hong Pao can alleviate and eliminate the side effects of nicotine and also maintain smooth and fair skin
Wuyi Da Hong Pao Origin: Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province
Quality Characteristics: Each strand is tightly twisted, with a fresh and lustrous greenish-brown colour.
Tea Colour: Orange-yellow, clear and bright.
Aroma: Rich and lasting, with a hint of orchid fragrance.
Taste: Mellow and full-bodied, with a lingering fragrance that persists on the palate.
Leaf Base: Uniform and lustrous, with crimson edges or red spots, yellow-green in colour, and light yellow veins.
Overview of Wuyi Da Hong Pao
Wuyi Da Hong Pao is a rare gem in China’s tea garden, renowned as the ‘Champion of Teas,’ and is the finest quality among Wuyi Rock Teas, truly a national treasure. The ‘Da Hong Pao’ tea tree grows on the steep cliffs of Jiulongkeng in Wuyi Mountain. The unique natural environment here has shaped the distinctive quality of Da Hong Pao. Da Hong Pao is a thousand-year-old ancient tree, with only a few remaining. It is harvested between 13th and 15th May each year using high-altitude ladders. Due to its scarce production, it is regarded as a rare treasure.
Tasting Wuyi Da Hong Pao
The tea has a rich aroma and a mellow taste with distinct characteristics. After drinking, the fragrance lingers on the palate for a long time, and even after nine infusions, the original aroma of the tea remains.
Authenticating Wuyi Da Hong Pao
Origin: Generally speaking, Da Hong Pao produced within the ‘Thirty-Six Peaks’ and ‘Nine Bend Creek’ regions is the most authentic and qualifies to be called Da Hong Pao tea.
Packaging: Regardless of the type of packaging, all Da Hong Pao must include the manufacturer’s name, production date, registered trademark, geographical indication of origin, and green environmental certification marks (green food, organic product).
Appearance: When purchasing loose-leaf Da Hong Pao tea, examine the dry tea leaves. High-quality tea features intact tea leaves with a lustrous, jet-black colour, while lower-quality tea consists of single leaves shaped like dragons. Inferior tea not only has a mixed aroma but also loses its flavour after just three infusions. Brewing Method: Authentic Wuyi Da Hong Pao can be brewed nine times consecutively while retaining its flavour.
Storage Method
Before storing Wuyi Da Hongpao, it must first be dried, then sealed in a clean, dry, odourless plastic bag or container. Sunlight exposure can impart a sun-dried flavour to the tea, and UV-induced chemical reactions can accelerate the tea’s aging and deterioration. Therefore, Wuyi Da Hongpao tea should be stored away from strong light, in a cool place or in the refrigerator.
Health Benefits of Wuyi Da Hongpao
Alcohol and Nicotine Detoxification: The polyphenols in Wuyi Da Hongpao can neutralise ethanol (the primary component of alcohol), so drinking Da Hongpao can help alleviate the effects of alcohol. Additionally, Wuyi Da Hongpao contains a phenolic acid compound that can precipitate nicotine from tobacco and expel it from the body, thereby reducing and eliminating the side effects of nicotine.
Beauty and Fitness: The antioxidant properties of polyphenols in Wuyi Da Hongpao eliminate free radicals and inhibit the consumption of vitamin C, so regularly drinking Wuyi Da Hongpao can help maintain smooth and fair skin.
The Story and Origin of Wuyi Da Hong Pao
Long ago, there lived a kind and hardworking old woman in Huiyuan Rock on Wuyi Mountain. During a famine, the old woman encountered an elderly man with white hair who was near death from starvation at the foot of the mountain. She quickly brought him into her home and saved his life with a bowl of vegetable soup. To express his gratitude, the old man gave the old woman a dragon-headed walking stick before leaving. He also pulled out two seeds from his pocket and instructed her to dig a hole with the walking stick and plant the seeds… After speaking, the old man floated into the sky and disappeared. Later, the old woman followed the old man’s instructions and planted the seeds on the mountain beside her house. Soon, tea trees grew there, and people marveled that it was divine tea bestowed by the gods. However, the good times did not last long. One day, a ruthless and tyrannical official arrived. Enraged that he could not pick or drink the divine tea, he uprooted the tea trees. The old woman was heartbroken and fell ill. One day, several young men carried a tree root on their shoulders. The old woman placed her walking stick on the root, and suddenly, the dragon-headed walking stick transformed into a red cloud, carrying the root through the air in three circles before floating into the Nine Dragons Village and landing halfway up the mountain. The following year, tea trees grew there, and eventually, three tea trees flourished. This is the origin of the earliest three Da Hongpao tea trees.
