Discover Junshan Yinzhen Yellow Tea: a rare and luxurious Chinese tea from Hunan.

Junshan, also known as Dongting Mountain, is steeped in legend. Over 4,000 years ago, Emperor Shun, during his southern tour, tragically passed away at the foot of Jiuyi Mountain. His two beloved concubines, Ehuang and Nüying, rushed to mourn him. However, their boat capsized in the stormy waters of Dongting Lake, and they were stranded on a small island in the lake.

Gazing southward at the vast expanse of water, the concubines leaned on bamboo and wept bitterly. Their tears of blood stained the bamboo, creating the distinctive spotted bamboo known as “Xiangfei Bamboo.” The first characters of the couplet, “君妃二魄芳千古，山竹诸斑泪一人” (The spirits of the concubines are remembered for eternity, while the spotted bamboo bears the tears of one), form the name “Junshan” (君山).

Junshan is located in Yueyang City, historically known as Yuezhou. Tea production on Junshan has a long history, with records in the Baling County Annals stating that it flourished during the Tang Dynasty and became a tribute tea in later periods. During the Qing Dynasty, Junshan Yinzhen and Junshan Maojian were collectively referred to as “Qiqiang Tea” (旗枪茶), with the finest leaves selected as tribute for the emperor.

The harvesting of Junshan Yinzhen yellow tea is highly seasonal, typically beginning four days before the Qingming Festival. The process is meticulous, adhering to the principle of “nine no-picks”: no open buds, curved buds, hollow buds, purple buds, wind-damaged buds, insect-damaged buds, diseased buds, weak buds, or rain-soaked buds.

The production of Junshan Yinzhen is both intricate and unique, involving eight steps: fixation (杀青), spreading and cooling (摊凉), initial drying (初烘), initial wrapping (初包), secondary drying (复烘), secondary cooling (摊凉), secondary wrapping (复包), and final drying (足火). The entire process takes about four days.

Junshan Yinzhen is a bud tea, prized for its high-quality tea tree variety, robust branches, and plump, heavy buds. Approximately 25,000 buds are needed to produce half a kilogram of this tea.

To fully appreciate Junshan Yinzhen yellow tea, it is best brewed in a transparent glass cup. When steeped, the buds initially float upright with their tips pointing upward and their stems hanging downward. They then slowly sink, standing vertically at the bottom of the cup. This mesmerizing dance of rising and sinking can occur up to three times, earning it the nickname “three rises and three falls.”

Finally, the buds settle at the bottom, resembling a forest of spears or bamboo shoots breaking through the soil. The interplay of light, water, and tea creates a harmonious and captivating scene, making Junshan Yinzhen yellow tea a true delight for the senses.