Anxi oolong tea registry

The tea mountains of Anxi are like an open book, each leaf a bookmark of time. These tea trees carry centuries of history, village memories, and the craftsmanship of tea farmers. Let us follow the ridges and explore the world of each tea variety.

 

Signature Varieties

Tieguanyin 铁观音
Era of Origin: Qianlong Period (mid-18th century)
Main Region: Yaoyang（尧阳村）, Xiping（西坪镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea
Description: In Anxi tea history, Tieguanyin is almost a household name. Farmers often say the leaves are thick and curled, releasing a rich fragrance and golden liquor when brewed, like the morning sunlight illuminating the valleys.
Further Reading: The Legend of Tieguanyin, Traditional Tieguanyin Production Steps

Benshan 本山
Era of Origin: Around 1870
Main Region: Yaoyang（尧阳村）, Xiping（西坪镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea
Description: The Benshan leaves are compact with a clear fragrance, brewing into a tea that is resilient and pleasantly sweet. Farmers often call it the “neighbor” of Tieguanyin.

Maoxie 毛蟹
Era of Origin: Guangxu Period (c. 1907)
Main Region: Fumei（富美村）, Daping（大坪乡）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea
Product Link: Purchase Maoxie
Description: Local traditional cultivar with unique aroma and flavor, preserved by villagers over generations.

Huangdan 黄柦
Era of Origin: Qing dynasty
Main Region: Huqiu（湖丘镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea
Product Link: Purchase Huangdan
Description: Produces bright, golden-yellow liquor with elegant fragrance.

Meizhan 梅占
Era of Origin: Late Qing – early Republic
Main Region: Sanyang（三阳村）, Lutian（芦田镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea
Product Link: Purchase Meizhan
Description: Traditional cultivar with delicate aroma and clear, sweet liquor.

Qilan Family

Bai Qilan 白奇兰
Era of Origin: Late Qing dynasty
Main Region: Yaoyang（尧阳村）, Xiping（西坪镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea
Description: Small and curled leaves, producing a bright and clear liquor with a fresh, elegant aroma, like a morning mist in the valley.

Jinmian Qilan 金面奇兰
Era of Origin: Late Qing dynasty
Main Region: Yaoyang（尧阳村）, Xiping（西坪镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea
Product Link: Purchase Qilan

Zhu Ye Qilan 竹叶奇兰
Era of Origin: Late Qing – early Republic
Main Region: Songyan（松岩村）, Xiping（西坪镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Man Qilan 慢奇兰
Era of Origin: Late Qing – early Republic
Main Region: Songyan（松岩村）, Xiping（西坪镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Zao Qilan 早奇兰
Era of Origin: Republic Period
Main Region: Longjuan（龙涓乡）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea
Description: The earliest harvested spring variety, fresh with a mild honey aroma, letting farmers feel the breath of the season in the first sunlight.

Oolong Family

Hongxin Oolong 红心乌龙
Era of Origin: 19th century local cultivar
Main Region: Unknown
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea
Description: Flavor characteristics preserved in local memory, but historical records are incomplete.

Aijiao Oolong 矮脚乌龙
Era of Origin: 19th century local cultivar
Main Region: Unknown
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Ruanzhi Oolong 软枝乌龙
Era of Origin: 19th century local cultivar
Main Region: Unknown
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Lantian Oolong 蓝田乌龙
Era of Origin: Late Qing – Republic period
Main Region: Lantian（蓝田乡）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Man Oolong 慢乌龙
Era of Origin: Late Qing – Republic period
Main Region: Lantian（蓝田乡）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Daye Oolong 大叶乌龙
Era of Origin: Late Qing – Republic period
Main Region: Changkeng（长坑乡）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Other Traditional Varieties

Rougui 肉桂
Era of Origin: Late Qing – Republic period
Main Region: Huqiu（湖丘镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Dahong 大红
Era of Origin: Late Qing – Republic period
Main Region: Huqiu（湖丘镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Taoren 桃仁
Era of Origin: Late Qing – Republic period
Main Region: Lantian（蓝田乡）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Zhuyewu 竹叶乌
Era of Origin: Late Qing – Republic period
Main Region: Huqiu（湖丘镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Gakewu 蛤壳乌
Era of Origin: Late Qing – Republic period
Main Region: Huqiu（湖丘镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Foshou 佛手
Era of Origin: Late Qing – Republic period
Main Region: Huqiu（湖丘镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Baxian 八仙
Era of Origin: Qing dynasty – early Republic
Main Region: Luoyan（洛岩村）, Huqiu（湖丘镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea
Description: Baxian has a distinctive aroma, often with a hint of fruity sweetness, as if eight stories are hidden in the tea garden.

Other Ancient and Rare Varieties

Guikongkou Song Tea 鬼空口宋茶
Era of Origin: Song Dynasty (10th–13th century) and later relics
Main Region: Qingshuiyan Temple（清水岩寺）, Penglai（蓬莱镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Shijing Tea 石晶茶
Era of Origin: Unknown
Main Region: Longjuan（龙涓乡）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Milan Xiang 蜜兰香
Era of Origin: Unknown
Main Region: Gande（甘德镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Dao Diao Jinzhong 倒吊金钟
Era of Origin: Unknown
Main Region: Huqiu（湖丘镇）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Hong Gu Oolong 红骨乌龙
Era of Origin: Unknown
Main Region: Xianghua（祥华乡）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea

Zao Oolong 早乌龙
Era of Origin: Unknown
Main Region: Lantian（蓝田村）, Changkeng（长坑乡）, Anxi
Tea Type: Oolong / Qing tea