Wǔpíng lǜchá (武平绿茶) is a green tea from Wuping County (武平县) of Longyan prefecture-level city in the west of Fujian Province, at the junction with Jiangxi and Guangdong. Fujian is famous for oolongs, white and red teas, but Wuping is an exception: according to the press, it is the province’s largest county for pan-fired green tea by area and output. Under one mark the county produces several forms named after Liangye Mountain: straight strands, flat leaf, spiral, and, according to 2019 press reports, also a “pearl”. The mark “武平绿茶” was registered in 2009 and became the county’s first geographical indication.
1. Classification and Origin
- Type: Green tea (绿茶, lǜchá), with pan-fired fixation (炒青, chǎoqīng).
- Category: Green tea of western Fujian; geographical indication certification mark (2009); the national catalogue “名特优新” (number CAQS-MTYX-20240744).
- Origin: China, Fujian Province (福建, Fújiàn), Longyan prefecture-level city (龙岩, Lóngyán), Wuping County (武平县, Wǔpíng Xiàn).
- Zone: The provincial list of marks names Wuping as the location of the mark holder; the exact boundary of the zone is not found in the sources consulted.
- Geographic coordinates: Wuping County — about 25.1° N and 116.1° E.
2. History and Cultural Significance
- History:
- Song — Ming. According to the county chronicle (武平县志) as retold by the press, wild tea was already gathered in Wuping under the Song — as a medicine and as a drink. From the Yongle era of the Ming to the Kangxi era of the Qing, tea was planted by houses and on field boundaries, and growing, processing and drinking tea became commonplace. The Ming edition of the chronicle names as the county’s best tea the tea from Yunti Mountain (云梯山) and from Yanqian (岩前).
- Qing — tribute. According to the county chronicle as retold by the provincial press, under Daoguang (1821–1850) Wuping green tea was famed for its “high aroma, rich and sweet-fresh taste” (香高味浓甘爽) in the Hakka lands of Chaozhou, Meizhou and Tingzhou, and for a time was sent as tribute to the court.
- 1983 and later. Since 1983 the tea has many times received awards at the provincial level and above; in 1991 it was named among the eight famous teas of Fujian, in 2007 among the fourteen.
- 2005. The county began to produce tea under the single name “武平绿茶”.
- 2009. On 13 July “武平绿茶” was registered as a geographical indication certification mark (No. 6524922; the registration also includes the English “Wuping Green Tea”). The holder is the Wuping County tea association. This is the county’s first geographical indication.
- 2010 and later. The mark was recognized as well known in the province, and later as a nationwide “well-known mark”.
- 2024. The tea was included in the national catalogue “名特优新” with the characterization “香气高锐，滋味鲜爽” — “aroma high and sharp, taste fresh”.
- Name:
- “Wuping” (武平) is the name of the county.
- “Lücha” (绿茶, lǜchá) means “green tea”.
- Cultural significance: Wuping is a green spot on the tea map of Fujian, where oolong, white and red tea dominate. The county builds its agrarian economy on green tea and names its range after its main mountain — Liangye Mountain.
3. Botanical Description and Raw Material
- Variety / Cultivar: Which varieties go specifically into Wǔpíng lǜchá is not stated in the sources consulted. According to the chronicle as retold by the press, the local varieties were derived from wild tea; according to the press, wild tea trees still grow in the county, and in places the custom of making tea from their leaf survives. A local history essay (2023) names the clonal cultivars Meizhan (梅占), Fuyun 6 (福云6号), Fuding Dahao (福鼎大毫), Wuniu Zao (乌牛早) and Jinguanyin (金观音) in the county, without specifying which of them go into green tea.
- Harvest: According to the provincial press (2019), the tea is usually picked in spring and autumn. A folk saying cited by the same publication particularly values tea picked before the Qingming festival (清明): “明前茶，贵如金” — “tea before Qingming is as precious as gold”.
- Harvest standard: No data in the sources consulted; there is no standard in the mark’s document either.
- Raw material requirements: Origin from Wuping County.
4. Terroir and Cultivation Features
- Region: Wuping lies at the junction of Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangxi. The main mountain is Liangye Mountain (梁野山); a national nature reserve has been established on it. According to reference data, the county lies at the southern end of the Wuyi Mountains, and the height of Liangye Mountain is about 1538 m.
- Growing altitude: Data on the altitude of the tea gardens are not found in the sources consulted.
- Soils: According to the county tea association in the provincial press (2019), the soils are fertile and deep; the soil type is not named.
- Climate: The subtropical monsoon climate of western Fujian. The same publication notes the large differences in elevation in the county and its high forest cover.
- Features: According to the press (2014), the county is the largest area of pan-fired green tea in Fujian by area and output; the provincial newspaper in 2019 puts it more cautiously — “one of the largest”.
5. Production Technology
Wǔpíng lǜchá is a green tea with pan-fired fixation. A step-by-step description of the technology is not found in the sources consulted; the provincial press (2019) mentions a machine line with continuous fixation at one of the county’s factories. The general scheme for green tea is as follows: fixation (杀青, shāqīng), rolling (揉捻, róuniǎn), shaping and drying (干燥, gānzào); this is the class scheme, not a description of the technology of this tea. The forms differ in shaping:
- Liangye Chaolü (梁野炒绿, liángyě chǎolǜ) — straight strands (条形).
- Liangye Cuiya (梁野翠芽, liángyě cuìyá) — flat leaf (扁形).
- Liangye Xueluo (梁野雪螺, liángyě xuěluó) — spiral (螺形).
- Liangye Cuizhu (梁野翠珠, liángyě cuìzhū) — “pearl” (珠形); it is named in 2019 press reports; its appearance is not described.
6. Organoleptic Characteristics
According to the description in the trade press (2016) for three forms; the general formula of the national catalogue is “aroma high and sharp, taste fresh”.
- Dry leaf appearance: Chaolü — thin, tight, glossy strands of a silvery grey-green color (条索细紧油润呈银灰绿). Cuiya — a flat dark green leaf in the shape of a sword (扁平墨绿呈剑状). Xueluo — tight spirals entirely covered with white down (紧结如螺，满披白毫).
- Dry leaf aroma: Chaolü — a chestnut or mung bean aroma (栗香或绿豆香); Cuiya — the tender aroma of young tea (嫩茶香).
- Liquor aroma: High, sharp and lasting (香气高锐持久): in Chaolü — with a chestnut tone, in Cuiya — with a floral one. In Xueluo — clean and high, with an aroma of down (清高、毫香显露).
- Taste: Chaolü — sweet, mellow, fresh, withstands many infusions (甘醇鲜爽耐冲泡). Cuiya — fresh and sweet, the aroma comes through in the taste (鲜爽甘醇且味中透香). Xueluo — fresh, with aroma (鲜爽透香).
- Liquor color: Chaolü — tender green or yellow-green, bright (嫩绿或黄绿明亮); Cuiya — emerald or tender green, clear (翠绿或嫩绿清澈明亮).
- Spent leaves (wet leaves): Chaolü — tender yellow-green, even, “as if cut with a knife” (嫩黄绿、似刀切般匀称齐整). Cuiya — tender green, fleshy, even. Xueluo — tender green or yellow-green, buds and leaves whole.
7. Chemical Composition
Physicochemical data are not found in the sources consulted.
8. Brewing
Class practice for green tea.
- Water temperature: 80–85 °C for flat and spiral tea; 85–90 °C for straight strands.
- Tea amount: 3 g per 150 ml.
- Teaware: A glass tumbler or a white gaiwan.
- Process:
- Warm the teaware.
- Add the tea.
- Pour in a little water and let the leaf open for 20–30 seconds.
- Top up with water; first infusion — 1–2 minutes.
- Drink, leaving part of the liquor.
- Two or three further infusions.
9. Storage
Class practice. In airtight packaging, in a refrigerator at 0–5 °C, away from light, moisture and odors. Green tea is drunk fresh; it does not need aging.
10. Price and Counterfeits
Price data are not found in the sources consulted.
- How to avoid counterfeits:
- Look for the mark “武平绿茶”.
- Check that the producer is from Wuping County.
- Several forms under one mark are normal: Chaolü, Cuiya and Xueluo are different products under one name.
- Compare the appearance with the description: straight tea has thin silvery grey-green strands, spiral tea has dense white down.
11. Interesting Facts
- According to the press, Wuping is the largest area of pan-fired green tea in Fujian.
- The Ming chronicle of the county already singled out the best tea — from Yunti Mountain and from Yanqian.
- Wild tea trees still grow in the county.
- According to the trade press as of 2016, since 2012 the tea has received 17 gold medals of the national green tea competition “Zhonglü Bei” (中绿杯).
- The 2009 mark became the county’s first geographical indication.
12. Comparison with Other Green Teas
- Shiting Lücha (石亭绿茶): A green tea of southern Fujian with the formula “three aromas, three greens”; Wuping is a green tea of the west of the province.
- Tianshan Lücha (天山绿茶): A green tea of northeastern Fujian, from the Tianshan Mountains of Ningde prefecture.
- Biluochun (碧螺春): A spiral tea of Jiangsu; the closest relative of Liangye Xueluo in shape.
In Conclusion:
Wǔpíng lǜchá is a green tea in the province of oolong, and the county has made this its distinguishing feature: according to the press, the largest area of pan-fired green tea in Fujian, several forms under one mark named after Liangye Mountain, and a tea history that the chronicle traces back to the Song. A high, sharp aroma and a fresh taste are the formula with which the tea entered the national catalogue of special products.
Sources
Geographical indication
Full list — on the Sources page