Gua Feng Zhai village in Yiwu 易武刮风寨
Yiwu 易武 is one of the Six Tea Mountains (Liu Da Cha Shan 六大茶山), famous for pu-erh tea in Yunnan. It iis located n Mengla County 勐腊县 of Xishuangbanna. It is one of the few Chinese tea places located in tropical zone. There are quite a few villages in Yiwu producing pu-erh tea. Among others they are Ma Hei, Luo Shui Dong, Ding Jia Zhai, Wan Gong, Man Xiu, Tong Qing He and Gua Feng Zhai. People of Yao race are the main residents of the Gua Feng Zhai 易武刮风寨 village. The population is around 750 people. It got famous for its tea with complex strong wild tea flavour, fast transformation of taste and deep sweet aftertaste.
Yiwu is a mountain town of Mengla County. A lot of rainforests are preserved in Yiwu. The Guafengzhai village occupies only 2.74 square kilometers, elevation is approximately 1200 m, annual average temperature is 17 ℃, annual precipitation is 2100 mm. Ancient trees are spread in a 50-square-kilometer virgin forest. The excellent natural conditions and ecological surroundings have provided the best conditions for the growth of these tea trees.
The name Yiwu may not only refer to the central city (with teas from here often referred to as "truly from the mountains" Yiwu Zhengshan 易武正山), but can very often broadly refer to the Six Great Tea Mountains, sometimes referred to as "greater Yiwu 易武地场" . These mountains include Youle, Manzhuan, Mangzhi, Yibang, Yiwu, and Gedeng, and all lie east of the Lancang River in Xishuangbanna Prefecture. The consensus is that teas from greater Yiwu taste smoother and more complex, have a distinct aroma, and with age achieve a truly remarkable sweetness.
Because the tea trees in the virgin forest are shaded by other trees, they receive less sunlight and grow at a slower rate, resulting in high-quality tea leaves with a thick taste, powerful wild mountain flavor, low bitterness, and speedy return to sweetness. Ancient tea trees in Guafengzhai are basically not managed so we can consider them wild. Guafengzhai is located on the border with Laos, surrounded by mostly virgin forests, and the ecology is very well protected. Tea trees are mostly mixed in virgin forests, so the yield is low and the quality is the best. The roads are remote and difficult to develop. It is currently considered a pure land among Pu'er tea. For a long time, this place has been an isolated paradise. Because it is far away from modern society and is in a relatively primitive living condition, the ecological environment is maintained in an excellent condition and the vegetation is extremely lush. Tea trees share symbiotic relationships with many tall trees and aerial plants. The tea leaves have a primitive mountain and wild flavor and the quality of the tea is beyond imagination. This is one of the reasons why Guafengzhai tea has been so popular in the market in recent years.
Ancient trees are part of the forest and are named because the ownership of the entire forest belongs to the state. The tea trees in the Guafengzhai state-owned forests grow together with other ancient trees in the primeval forests, maintaining their natural growth. The primeval forests contain a wide variety of trees, which naturally form a good ecological environment.
Guafengzhai ancient tree tea can be regarded as the top tea in the "Yiwu tea area". Yiwu tea is fragrant and soft, while Guafengzhai is more feminine and is the best tea in Jiangnei area. What is more valuable is that the elegant charm of each brew makes tea lovers intoxicated. When aging, after changes with time, they can experience the charm of the older and more fragrant tea, and understand why Guafengzhai tea has a reputation of "king of aging".
The tea lovers who have been to Guafengzhai are basically conquered by the ecological environment here. Soil minerals are extremely rich, and the water in the river and streams is sweet. Visitors often the water with the original "Evian" mineral water in France.
The ecological environment determines the natural taste of the ancient trees. The reason why Guafengzhai can surpass "Laobanzhang" is the environment of the tea trees. The ancient trees in Guafengzhai are distributed in the primeval forest. The ancient trees are 25 kilometers away from where people live, and there is almost zero human damage.
Compared with other villages in Yiwu, Guafengzhai is characterized by black, long and thick leaves, lighter, clear and transparent soup color, light and sweet taste. Laymen drink aftertaste, experts drink mountain rhyme. The mystery of Guafengzhai lies in the overall feeling: when you take a mouthful, you can feel the roughness and breadth of the primeval forest, and the smoothness and delicacy of silk. The whole body is light and the mind is clear and wise. With such a tea, the first sip is intriguing, and with second you will never forget the taste it in your mouth and the appreciation it in your heart.
It tastes sweet and smooth, and the refreshing soup feels like a night in mid-May. Before the heat dissipates, the gentle breeze from the south comes slowly, making you feel refreshed and comfortable. The delicate water lines are like the endless flow of mountain spring water, cool and sweet. The aroma of honey wafts from the dense flowers and leaves, extending from the moment the water is poured into the cup, and the fragrance remains even after the soup cools down. The aroma gradually changes with the number of brews, becoming more and more fragrant and strong. The profound mountain charm and the sudden burst of floral fragrance will drag you into the distant rainforest, groping for traces left over from ancient times, and waiting for the splendor to unfold. The tea aroma travels throughout the body, flowing smoothly and refreshingly, echoing the crisp feeling of your first sip.
