Dōngshān xiù fēng · new.thetea.app

Dōngshān Xiù Fēng (东山秀峰, Dōngshān xiù fēng) is a high-mountain green tea from Shímén County (石门县) in Hunan Province, one of the “Ten Famous Teas of Hunan” (湖南十大名茶, 2005). The tea was created in 1986 at the state tea farm “Dongshanfeng” (东山峰茶厂) at an altitude of 1200–1498.5 m, in a zone where fog persists for more than 180 days per year and forest coverage reaches 90%. The name “Beautiful Peak of the Eastern Mountain” was given for the straight, elegant tea leaves resembling miniature mountain peaks covered with silvery down. In 2006, Taiwanese poet Yǔ Guangzhong (余光中, Yú Guāngzhōng, 1928–2017) — one of the greatest Chinese-language writers of the 20th century — gifted the tea a calligraphic inscription: “Dongshan Xiu Feng, Xiang Wen Tianxia” (东山秀峰、香闻天下, “Beautiful peak of the Eastern mountain — fragrance heard throughout all under Heaven”).

1. Classification and Origin:

Type: Green tea (绿茶, lǜchá), unoxidized. Strip form (条索形, tiáosuǒ xíng) — straight, elegant tea leaves. The technology combines pan-firing (炒, chǎo) and final charcoal drying (木炭烘焙, mùtàn hōngbèi), which distinguishes this tea among most Hunan green teas that are finished with electric drying.
Category: One of the “Ten Famous Teas of Hunan” (湖南十大名茶, 2005 — alongside Shimen Yin Feng from the same county). Product of geographical indication (国家地理标志产品). In 1990, at the national famous tea competition, it took first place in overall score and received the national silver quality award (国家质量银质奖). Gold at the Hunan “Mingcha Bei” competition (名茶杯, 1991). Gold at the International “Cultural Famous Tea” competition (国际文化名茶金奖, 2002). The “Dongshanfeng” tea farm in 1991 became the first enterprise in China to receive the national “green food product” certification (绿色食品) for tea. Exported to Europe, America, and Southeast Asia.
Origin: China, Húnán Province (湖南省, Húnán Shěng), Chángdé City (常德市, Chángdé Shì), Shímén County (石门县, Shímén Xiàn). The core production area is the state tea farm “Dongshanfeng” (东山峰农场), located on the mountain massif of the same name, at an altitude of 1200–1498.5 m, in the cloud belt at the junction of Hunan and Hubei. Shímén County is located at the eastern extremity of the Wǔlíng Mountain system (武陵山脉), at the foot of Mount Hupingshan (壶瓶山, 2098.7 m) — the highest point in Hunan.
Geographic coordinates: Approximately 29°40′ N, 110°40′ E.

2. History and Cultural Significance:

History: Shimen County is one of the most ancient tea regions of Hunan, with documented tea cultivation history dating back to the Western Jin period (3rd–4th centuries). In the “Records of Jingzhou Lands” (《荆州土地记》) it is stated: “All seven counties of Wuling produce tea, and [their tea] is the finest.” During the Song era, the local “Niudi tea” (牛抵茶, “Tea of the Butting Bull”) became imperial tribute tea (贡茶) and remained so until the Qing era. Jiāshān Monastery (夹山寺) in Shimen is considered one of the cradles of “Chan Buddhist tea culture” (茶禅一味).

Creation (1986). The tea was developed by specialists at the state tea farm “Dongshanfeng,” located on the mountain massif of the same name. The tea owes its name “Xiu Feng” — “Beautiful peak” — to the form of the tea leaves: straight, elegant, with silvery “peaks” of down, resembling miniature mountain summits.

Recognition (1990–2005). In 1990, Dōngshān Xiù Fēng received the highest overall score among all participants at the national famous tea competition and the national silver quality award (国家质量银质奖). In 1991 — gold at the Hunan “Mingcha Bei.” In the same 1991, the “Dongshanfeng” tea farm became the first tea enterprise in the country to receive “green food product” certification. In 2002 — gold at the International “Cultural Famous Tea” competition. In 2005, Dongshan Xiu Feng entered the list of “Ten Famous Teas of Hunan” — together with Shimen Yin Feng from the same county (a unique case: two teas from one county in the top ten).

Yu Guangzhong’s Calligraphy (2006). Taiwanese poet Yǔ Guangzhong (余光中) — author of the legendary poem “Nostalgia” (《乡愁》, 1972), known to every schoolchild in China and Taiwan — visited the tea gardens of Dongshanfeng and gifted calligraphy: “东山秀峰、香闻天下” (“Beautiful peak of the Eastern mountain — fragrance heard throughout all under Heaven”). The visit and calligraphy became part of the large-scale “Shimen Tea Culture Forum” (湖南石门茶文化论坛, 2006).

In the 1980s, singer Hé Jiguang (何纪光, Hé Jìguāng, 1939–2002), a classic of Hunan folk vocals, also dedicated laudatory verses to the tea — during the period when the tea had just appeared.
Name:
- “Dongshan” (东山) — “Eastern Mountain” — the name of the mountain massif in Shimen County. “Feng” (峰) — “peak, summit.”
- “Xiu” (秀) — “beautiful, elegant, refined.” “Dongshan Xiu Feng” — “Beautiful peak of the Eastern mountain” — an image describing simultaneously both the landscape and the form of the tea leaf: straight, elegant, with a silvery “peak” of down.
Cultural significance: Shímén (石门) — “Stone Gates” — a county unique in that two of its teas simultaneously entered the top ten best Hunan teas: Dongshan Xiu Feng and Shimen Yin Feng. Yu Guangzhong’s calligraphy is an extremely rare case when a regional tea receives “blessing” from a world-class writer. The county is the “Birthplace of Chinese Tea Zen” (中国茶禅之乡) thanks to Jiashan Monastery, as well as the “Birthplace of Pan-fired Green Tea” (中国炒青茶发源地) — in Xishanya village (西山垭) of Yanchi township, the most ancient evidence of tea pan-firing technology was found.

3. Botanical Description and Raw Material:

Variety / Cultivar: Several varieties of Camellia sinensis var. sinensis are used, selected for high-mountain conditions:
- Ānhuà Yúntái Dàyè Zhǒng (安化云台大叶种, Ānhuà Yúntái Dàyè Zhǒng) — Hunan large-leaf variety from Anhua. Provides dense liquor body and high polyphenol content. Leaf is broad, oval, with pronounced veins.
- Báiháo Zǎo (白毫早, Báiháo Zǎo) — early small-leaf variety with abundant silvery down. Gives tender, “bud” fraction with high amino acid content.
- Zhūyè Qí (槠叶齐, Zhūyè Qí) — medium-leaf variety providing even “strips” during shaping. One of the leading cultivars in Hunan for green teas.
- Auxiliary: Fúdǐng Dàbái Chá (福鼎大白茶, Fúdǐng Dàbái Chá) — Fujian large-leaf variety with abundant down; Fuyun 6 (福云6号, Fúyún Liùhào) — hybrid for high-mountain zones. Trees at the “Dongshanfeng” farm are 30+ years old. Weight of 100 shoots “one bud — one leaf” — about 45 g.
Picking: Due to the altitude of 1200+ m and cool climate (average annual temperature about 13.6°C), picking begins after the Qīngmíng period (清明, Qīngmíng — early April) — later than in most Hunan lowland areas. However, slow maturation ensures maximum accumulation of free amino acids and L-theanine in shoots. Picking is done exclusively in dry weather.
Picking standard:
- Supreme grade (特级, tèjí): single buds, length ≤2.5 cm, not less than 90% buds in raw material. Hand-picked.
- First grade (一级, yī jí): one bud with one leaf, not less than 80% in raw material.
- Second grade (二级, èr jí): one bud with two leaves. The “five prohibitions on picking” standard applies (五不采, wǔ bù cǎi): do not pick purple shoots, diseased, insect-damaged, dewy leaves, and leaves after rain.

4. Terroir and Cultivation:

Climate: Mountain subtropical. Average annual temperature — 13.6°C — significantly lower than on Hunan plains (16–18°C). Annual precipitation — about 1900 mm, distributed relatively evenly. Foggy days — more than 180 per year — comparable to Mount Lúshān (庐山) and Mount Wǔzhǐshān (五指山). Daily temperature difference — more than 8°C, which promotes accumulation of aromatic substances and slows L-theanine decomposition. Predominance of diffused light due to almost constant cloudiness stimulates chlorophyll and amino acid synthesis.
Altitude: 1200–1498.5 m above sea level — one of the highest mountain tea terroirs in Hunan Province. For comparison: the main production zone of Shimen Yin Feng is located lower — at altitudes of 500–1000 m.
Soils: Yellow-brown mountain and red soils (黄棕壤及红壤, huáng zōng rǎng jí hóng rǎng), pH 5.5–6.0 — optimal range for tea plants. Organic matter content — 2.0–4.2% — high indicator due to powerful forest litter. Soils are enriched with microelements: selenium (Se) — 0.82 mg/kg, zinc (Zn) — 1.6 mg/kg. Forest coverage in the tea garden zone reaches 90% — one of the highest indicators among Chinese tea terroirs. Tea gardens are irrigated by mountain streams, year-round shrouded in clouds.
Ecology: The “Dongshanfeng” tea farm in 1991 became the first tea enterprise in China to receive state “green food product” certification — long before the mass spread of organic standards in Chinese tea cultivation. Shimen County subsequently became “Hunan’s No. 1 Organic Tea County” (湖南有机茶第一县), with more than 10,000 mu of certified organic tea gardens.

5. Production Technology:

Proprietary technology with final charcoal drying (木炭烘焙, mùtàn hōngbèi) — a stage that distinguishes Dongshan Xiu Feng from most Hunan green teas and forms its characteristic mild chestnut aroma. The entire process includes eight stages:

Spreading (摊放, tānfàng): Freshly picked raw material is spread in a thin layer in a ventilated room for 2–3 hours. The leaf loses part of its moisture and “green” grassy smell, cell sap concentrates.
Kill-green (杀青, shāqīng): Flat pán (平口锅, píngkǒu guō), wall temperature — 160°C. Hand pan-firing: quick, energetic movements for even heating and oxidase inactivation. The leaf loses its gloss, becomes soft, develops a clean aroma.
Cooling — “Clean wind” (清风, qīngfēng): Pan-fired leaf is tossed and sifted on bamboo sieves for rapid cooling, preventing yellowing from residual heat.
Rolling (揉捻, róuniǎn): Manual, “single-hand light rolling into strips” (单把轻揉成条, dān bǎ qīng róu chéng tiáo). Minimal pressure to avoid damaging tender buds and preserve down integrity.
Secondary pan-firing (炒二青, chǎo èr qīng): Pan at 70°C, “shaking” method (抖扬, dǒuyáng). Leaf is dried, shape is fixed, aroma development continues.
Shaping — “Strip straightening” (理条定型, lǐtiáo dìngxíng): Temperature about 50°C. Leaf is rubbed with palms, straightening tea leaves into even, elegant “strips.” This stage forms the characteristic appearance of Dongshan Xiu Feng.
“Down raising” (提毫, tíháo): Temperature about 60°C. Light friction brings silvery down to the tea leaf surface, forming “peaks” — the tea’s signature feature.
Charcoal drying (木炭烘焙, mùtàn hōngbèi): Final stage — drying at 70°C for 1.5 hours over charcoal. Charcoal drying forms the delicate chestnut aroma (板栗香, bǎnlì xiāng) and preserves the “liveliness” of silvery down. This is the technological “signature” of Dongshan Xiu Feng, fundamentally distinguishing it from most Hunan green teas that are finished with electric drying.

6. Organoleptic Characteristics:

Dry leaf appearance: Straight, round in cross-section strips (条索紧直, tiáosuǒ jǐnzhí) with pronounced down “peaks” (峰苗显露, fēngmiáo xiǎnlù). Color — emerald green with abundant silvery down (翠绿披毫, cuìlǜ pī háo). Tea leaves uniform in size and shape, resembling miniature mountain peaks — hence the name “Xiu Feng.”
Dry leaf aroma: Tender (嫩香, nèn xiāng), clean, with distinct chestnut note brought by charcoal drying. No foreign odors. High-mountain “forest” freshness.
Liquor aroma: High and lasting. “High-mountain tea aroma” (高山茶香) — clean, “forest,” with subtle chestnut sweetness. Unfolds gradually: first infusion — fresh green notes; second — chestnut warmth; third — light floral sweetness.
Taste: Fresh (鲜爽, xiān shuǎng), with persistent returning sweetness (回甘持久, huígān chíjiǔ). Medium body, “transparent” — without heaviness, without astringency. Sensation of purity and “mountain water.” Aftertaste — long, with light milky sweetness.
Liquor color: Light green, bright and clear (浅绿明亮, qiǎn lǜ míngliàng) — for supreme grade. First and second grades give more saturated yellow-green shade.
Spent leaves: Tender green, clean, uniform (嫩绿明净匀整, nèn lǜ míng jìng yún zhěng). Buds unfold completely, demonstrating high “tenderness” of raw material.

7. Chemical Composition:

Polyphenols (茶多酚): ≥30% of dry mass — high indicator for green tea, due to mountain ultraviolet and large-leaf cultivars. Main components — catechins (儿茶素), including EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate) — the most biologically active antioxidant in green tea.
Amino acids (氨基酸): Elevated content due to slowed vegetation at 1200+ m altitude and predominance of diffused light. L-theanine (L-茶氨酸) — main amino acid, comprising up to 50% of total free amino acid content — responsible for taste freshness and relaxing effect. High-mountain conditions (low temperature, abundant fog) slow L-theanine conversion to catechins, ensuring a milder, less astringent profile.
Water-extractable substances (水浸出物): ≥45% — indicator of high liquor saturation.
Caffeine (咖啡碱): Moderate content typical for high-mountain green teas — about 2.5–3.5% of dry mass. Combined with L-theanine gives mild tonic effect without sharp stimulation.
Microelements: Selenium (Se) — 0.82 mg/kg (from volcanic mountain soils), zinc (Zn) — 1.6 mg/kg. Selenium content significantly higher than average for Chinese teas (0.1–0.5 mg/kg), making Dongshan Xiu Feng a “selenium-rich tea” (富硒茶).
Vitamins: C (ascorbic acid) — preserved thanks to gentle charcoal drying temperature (70°C); B-group vitamins (B1, B2).
Essential oils: Charcoal drying promotes formation of characteristic aromatic compounds of the chestnut series — pyrazines and furans, absent in electric drying.

8. Health Properties:

Antioxidant action: High catechin content (polyphenols ≥30%) combined with selenium provides double antioxidant protection. EGCG neutralizes free radicals, while selenium is part of glutathione peroxidase — a key antioxidant enzyme.
Mild tonic effect: Combination of caffeine and L-theanine provides a state of “calm alertness” — increased concentration without anxiety. L-theanine stimulates alpha-wave generation in the brain.
Cardiovascular system support: Green tea catechins help reduce LDL cholesterol levels and maintain vascular elasticity.
Digestive improvement: Polyphenols stimulate digestive enzyme secretion and support healthy intestinal microflora.
Microelement replenishment: Selenium (0.82 mg/kg) and zinc (1.6 mg/kg) from mountain soils — natural replenishment of two essential microelements for immunity and thyroid function.
Cognitive function support: L-theanine improves working memory and concentration ability. Regular green tea consumption is associated with reduced risk of cognitive decline.
Skin condition: Catechins and vitamin C jointly support collagen synthesis and protect skin from photoaging.

9. Brewing:

Water temperature: 80–85°C. For supreme grade (single buds) — closer to 80°C to avoid “burning” tender raw material. For first and second grades — 85°C.
Tea amount: 3 g per 150 ml water (1:50 ratio).
Teaware: Glass tumbler (for observing the “dance” of silvery tea leaves descending in water) or white porcelain gaiwan (盖碗, gàiwǎn). Glass tumbler is preferable for supreme grade — the spectacle of descending “mountain peaks” is part of the aesthetic experience.
Water: Mountain spring or soft filtered water. Avoid alkaline water — it spoils the green color of the liquor, making it yellow-brown.
Process:
1. Warm teaware with hot water and drain.
2. “Top pouring” method (上投法, shàng tóu fǎ) — first pour water (80–85°C), then gently add tea. This allows tender buds to descend smoothly without “burning” at the bottom.
3. First infusion — steep 20 seconds, then drain.
4. Second infusion — 25 seconds. Aroma reaches peak.
5. Third and fourth infusions — each +10 seconds.
6. Tea withstands 3–4 full infusions. With “steeping” method in glass — drink when 1/3 liquor remains, add hot water.

10. Storage:

Container: Airtight, light-proof — foil bag with zip closure or tin can with tight lid. Remove maximum air beforehand.
Temperature: Refrigerator, 0–5°C. Dongshan Xiu Feng is a delicate green tea from bud material; at room temperature it quickly loses freshness and aroma.
“Rest” of new tea: Freshly made tea is recommended to rest 7 days before consumption — during this time the “fire energy” (火气, huǒqì) from final charcoal drying dissipates.
Shelf life after opening: In opened package — no more than 1 month (when stored in refrigerator). Without refrigerator — 2 weeks.
Tea enemies: Moisture, direct light, foreign odors (tea easily absorbs aromas of neighboring products), high temperature. With long storage (more than 12 months) even in refrigerator, tea loses down “liveliness” and aroma freshness.

11. Price and Counterfeits:

Price category: Dongshan Xiu Feng belongs to medium and upper price segments of Hunan green teas. Supreme grade (特级, single buds) — from 600 yuan per 500 g (about 80–90 USD). First grade — 300–400 yuan per 500 g. Second grade — mass, affordable product. Key cost factors: raw material grade (buds vs. leaf), picking date (early spring valued higher), growing altitude (higher — more expensive), processing method (hand vs. machine).
How to avoid counterfeits:
- Buy products with “Dongshanfeng” (东山峰) state tea farm marking or with “石门” (Shimen) geographical indication.
- Evaluate appearance: authentic Dongshan Xiu Feng has straight, even tea leaves with abundant silvery down, not twisted or deformed.
- Check aroma: characteristic chestnut note from charcoal drying is the signature. Electrically dried counterfeits have “flat” or grassy aroma.
- Liquor color: authentic tea gives light green, bright and clear liquor. Cloudy or dark — sign of poor quality raw material.
- Suspiciously low price: supreme grade cannot cost less than 400 yuan per 500 g — hand-picking cost at 1200+ m altitude excludes this.

12. Interesting Facts:

Two teas from one county in the top ten. Shimen is the only county in Hunan whose two teas (Dongshan Xiu Feng and Shimen Yin Feng) simultaneously entered the “Ten Famous Teas of Hunan” in 2005. Moreover, these two teas are “brothers” from the same county but from different altitudes: Dongshan Xiu Feng — from 1200+ m, Shimen Yin Feng — from 500–1000 m.
Yu Guangzhong’s calligraphy. Yu Guangzhong — author of the poem “Nostalgia” (《乡愁》, 1972), which became a symbol of Taiwan-mainland separation — gifted the tea the inscription “东山秀峰、香闻天下”. Yu Guangzhong is one of the few 20th-century poets whose lines literally every educated Chinese knows by heart.
China’s first “green” tea. The “Dongshanfeng” tea farm in 1991 became the first tea enterprise in the country to receive national “green food product” certification (绿色食品) — two years before this practice became mass in Chinese tea cultivation.
He Jiguang and tea poetry. Húnán singer Hé Jiguang (何纪光, 1939–2002), famous performer of folk songs and possessor of a unique “high tessitura” tenor, dedicated verses to Dongshan Xiu Feng — in the 1980s when the tea had just appeared.
90% forest, 180 days of fog. Dongshanfeng tea gardens are surrounded by forest with 90% coverage — one of the highest indicators among Chinese tea terroirs. 180+ days of fog — comparable to legendary “cloud teas” (云雾茶) from Mount Lushan and Mount Wuzhishan.
Birthplace of tea pan-firing. Shimen County claims the status of “Birthplace of Pan-fired Green Tea in China” (中国炒青茶发源地): in Xishanya village (西山垭) of Yanchi township, archaeological evidence of the most ancient tea leaf pan-firing technology was found.

13. Comparison with Other Green Teas:

Shímén Yìn Fēng (石门银峰, Shímén Yínfēng): “Brother” from the same Shimen County but from lower altitudes (500–1000 m). Form — thin straight “needle” with silvery down (hence “Yin Feng” — “Silver Peak”). Taste — more saturated, with pronounced “mellowness” (醇厚, chún hòu). Dongshan Xiu Feng, in contrast, is lighter and more “transparent,” with emphasis on freshness. Yin Feng withstands up to 4–5 brewings, Xiu Feng — 3–4.
Gǔzhàng Yìn Zhèn (古丈银针, Gǔzhàng Yínzhēn) / Gǔzhàng Máo Jiān (古丈毛尖, Gǔzhàng Máojiān): Famous green teas from Guzhang County (western Hunan). More “southern” terroir, altitudes 400–800 m. Profile — more floral, less “forest.” Dongshan Xiu Feng stands out with chestnut note from charcoal drying and high-mountain “purity.”
Huángshān Máo Fēng (黄山毛峰, Huángshān Máofēng): One of the “Ten Great Teas of China,” from Anhui. Altitudes 700–1200 m. Form — “sparrow tongue” with down. Profile — orchid-like, mild. Dongshan Xiu Feng is denser in body (polyphenols ≥30%) and has pronounced chestnut tone, atypical for Mao Feng.
Ēnshī Yù Lú (恩施玉露, Ēnshī Yùlù): Green tea from neighboring Hubei, also high-mountain and “selenium-rich” (富硒). However, Yù Lú is steamed (蒸青, zhēngqīng), not pan-fired, giving a completely different profile: more grassy, “Japanese” in character. Dongshan Xiu Feng is pan-fired with charcoal finish drying, with “warm” chestnut tone.

In conclusion:

Dongshan Xiu Feng is a tea from heights where the sky is invisible 180 days a year, and 90% of the surrounding space is forest. Its “beautiful peaks” — silvery tea leaves with charcoal warming — unfold in the liquor with gentle freshness and “forest” purity, while chestnut warmth from charcoal drying distinguishes it from any other Hunan green tea. Yu Guangzhong’s calligraphy — “fragrance heard throughout all under Heaven” — is not merely a poet’s compliment but an accurate description of what happens when you open a package of this tea: high-mountain freshness multiplied by chestnut depth emerges long before the first infusion. For those seeking a “transparent” mountain green tea with minimal astringency, maximum purity, and rare charcoal note, Dongshan Xiu Feng is a discovery worthy of attention.