Guìzhōu lùzhū

Guizhou “Lu Zhu” (“Dew Drops”) is an organic high-mountain green tea (绿茶) from Guizhou Province, representing a remarkable case of “cross-regional” adaptation: the Fúdǐng Xiǎo Bái (福鼎小白) cultivar, traditionally associated with white teas from the Fujian coast, is here processed using green tea technology and grown at an altitude of 1300 m in the karst mountains of Southwest China. The result is a tea with an unexpected citrus-floral aromatic profile and an emphatically “clean,” mineral character typical of the finest Guizhou green teas.

1. Classification and Origin:

• Type: Green tea (绿茶) (non-oxidized, oxidation degree <5%). Fixation method — steaming (蒸青, zhēngqīng) at ~120°C.
• Category: Organic premium green tea (有机名优绿茶, yǒujī míngyōu lǜchá). Certified organic production.
• Origin: Màodòng locality (茂栋, Màodòng), Guìzhōu Province (贵州, Guìzhōu), Southwest China.
• Geographic coordinates: Approximately 26°30′ N, 107°00′ E. Plantation altitude — approximately 1300 meters above sea level.

2. History and Cultural Significance:

• History:

Guizhou Province is one of the world’s most ancient tea regions. In 1980, on the border of Qīnglóng (晴隆) and Pu’an (普安) counties, a fossilized tea seed pod (Camellia sinensis) was discovered, dated to approximately 1 million years old — one of the earliest evidence of tea plant existence on Earth. The mountains of Guizhou still preserve hundreds of thousands of wild and ancient tea trees, constituting a unique gene pool.

However, until the end of the 20th century, Guizhou remained on the periphery of the Chinese tea market: the province’s famous teas — Dūyún Máojiān (都匀毛尖) and Méitán Cuì Yá (湄潭翠芽) — were known only locally. The situation changed dramatically from the early 2000s, when the provincial government launched a large-scale tea industry development program. By the 2020s, Guizhou’s tea plantation area exceeded 7 million mu (approximately 467,000 ha), making the province China’s largest tea region by plantation area.

The key strategy was a focus on organic and ecological production. In 2017, the Ministry of Agriculture of the PRC granted “Guizhou Lu Cha” (贵州绿茶) — “Guizhou Green Tea” — geographical indication status, for the first time in history covering an entire province with a single protected designation. Officially established characteristics: “翡翠绿、嫩栗香、浓爽味” — “emerald green, young chestnut aroma, rich refreshing taste.”

The tea “Lu Zhu” (“Dew Drops”) from Maodong represents the “new wave” of Guizhou organic teas, emerging at the intersection of this state program and growing international demand for environmentally clean tea products. Its production has been developing since the early 2000s, using biodynamic and organic farming methods.

• Name: “Lu Zhu” (露珠) — “Dew Drops” or “Dewdrops.” The name refers to the image of mountain dew on tea leaves — a typical scene of early morning on Guizhou’s high-altitude plantations, where fog and dew persist until midday. English commercial name — “Dew Drops.” Full designation: “Guizhou Dew Drops Green Tea.”

• Cultural significance: “Lu Zhu” symbolizes Guizhou’s transformation from a forgotten tea region into the “organic capital” of Chinese tea. It demonstrates how a province long perceived as a poor mountain periphery turned its main “disadvantages” (high altitude, remoteness, absence of industry) into competitive advantages: clean ecology, unpolluted soils, unique mountain terroir. For the international market, “Lu Zhu” represents the category of “clean” (干净茶, gānjìng chá) Guizhou teas — products with confirmed low content of residual agrochemicals.

3. Botanical Description and Raw Material:

• Variety / Cultivar: Camellia sinensis var. sinensis. Cultivar — Fúdǐng Xiǎo Bái (福鼎小白, Fúdǐng Xiǎobái), a small-leaf variety genetically related to tea varieties from Fúdǐng County (福鼎) in Fujian Province — the birthplace of famous white teas. Fuding Xiao Bai is one of the “younger” representatives of the Fuding group (alongside Fuding Da Bai / 福鼎大白 and Fuding Da Hao / 福鼎大毫). Characterized by compact bushes, small leaves with fine texture and delicate white down on buds.

The choice of this cultivar for green tea production in Guizhou is a conscious “cross-regional” decision. Fuding Da Bai (the large-leaf relative) occupies more than 51% of all tea plantations in Guizhou, having been brought from Fujian as part of state programs for tea plantation expansion. Xiao Bai is its small-leaf analog, producing more delicate and aromatic raw material, ideal for premium green teas in small batches.

• Harvesting: Hand-picking in early spring (April, before or shortly after Qingming / 清明). Standard — unopened bud and one-two upper leaves (一芽一叶 / 一芽二叶). Exclusively certified organic raw material.
• Raw material requirements: Whole, undamaged, tender young shoots with high aromatic compound content. Immediate delivery to factory to prevent onset of oxidation. Careful sorting before processing.

4. Terroir and Cultivation Features:

• Region: Māodòng (茂栋), Guizhou Province. Guizhou is the only Chinese province combining high latitude (relative to the tropics), high elevation (average — 1100 m) and minimal industrial burden. Mountain terrain occupies 92.5% of the territory, making the province “mountainous” by definition.
• Growing altitude: 1300 meters above sea level — significantly higher than most famous Chinese green teas (Longjing — 200–400 m, Biluochun — 200–350 m, Huangshan Maofeng — 700–800 m).
• Soils: Red earth (红壤, hóng rǎng) soils developed on karst limestones, rich in minerals. Special value — increased content of selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn), characteristic of many Guizhou soils. Selenium is an important antioxidant microelement; its natural presence in soil transfers to tea leaves, creating additional nutraceutical value.
• Climate: High-altitude subtropical, with characteristics “高海拔、低纬度、寡日照、多云雾” — “high altitude, low latitude, little sunshine, many clouds and fogs.” Significant daily temperature fluctuations (10–15°C), high humidity, frequent fogs. These conditions slow tea shoot growth, increasing accumulation of L-theanine, sugars and aromatic substances.
• Cultivation features:
  • Organic certification: Strict adherence to organic farming standards. Prohibition of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.
  • Biodynamic methods: Application of bamboo charcoal (竹炭, zhútan) solution spraying for fungal disease prevention — instead of chemical fungicides.
  • “Lin-cha xiangjian” (林茶相间) — “forest and tea alternating”: Traditional Guizhou model where tea rows are interspersed with trees (tung, camphor, bamboo). Trees create natural shade, wind protection and maintain biodiversity (environment for predatory insects — natural enemies of pests).
  • “Green protection” (绿色防控, lǜsè fángkòng): System developed by Guizhou University under academician Song Bao’an (宋宝安), including methods “grass suppresses grass” (以草抑草), “insect destroys insect” (以虫治虫), “fungus defeats fungus” (以菌克菌).

5. Production Technology:

• Harvesting (采摘, cǎizhāi): Careful hand-picking of young shoots in early spring.
• Kill-green (杀青, shāqīng): Rapid steaming at high temperature (~120°C). Steam inactivates enzymes (polyphenol oxidase), stopping oxidation and preserving green color, chlorophyll and fresh aroma. Temperature 120°C — lower than wok-firing (150–200°C), but higher than Japanese steaming (95–100°C), creating an intermediate aromatic profile: less “marine” than Japanese, but more “fresh” than pan-fired.
• Rolling (揉捻, róuniǎn): Mechanical rolling in rollers to impart characteristic spiral shape and break cell walls. Small leaves of Fuding Xiao Bai roll into tight, neat spirals.
• Drying (烘干, hōnggān): Final drying, often using infrared technologies (红外线干燥, hóngwàixiàn gānzào), for even and gentle moisture removal to <5% level. Infrared drying preserves color brightness and volatile aromatic compounds.
• Sorting (分级, fēnjí): Finished tea is sorted by quality and uniformity.

6. Organoleptic Characteristics:

• Dry leaf appearance: Neatly twisted spirals of dark emerald color, resembling dew drops (hence the name). Dense, uniform, with light silvery down on buds — heritage of the Fuding Xiao Bai cultivar.
• Dry leaf aroma: Fresh, bright, with pronounced floral (jasmine, white acacia) and citrus (lime, pomelo, bergamot) notes — an unusual profile for green tea, due to the combination of Fuding cultivar and high-altitude terroir.
• Liquor aroma: Develops and deepens the floral-citrus theme of dry leaf, complementing it with light almond and honey nuances. Subtle “mineral” undertone — reflection of karst soils.
• Taste: Smooth, soft, without bitterness when properly brewed. Main notes: sweetish fresh grass, lemon, light mint, creamy-nutty tones. Aftertaste — refreshing, slightly astringent, with mineral “tail” and sensation of “cleanliness” in the mouth.
• Liquor color: Clear, golden-green (黄绿色, huánglǜsè), bright. Warmer tone than typical pan-fired green teas — influence of steam fixation.
• Spent leaves (wet leaves): Tender, whole buds and young leaves, evenly opened, light green color.

7. Chemical Composition:

• Polyphenols (catechins): High content, with EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) dominance — approximately 85 mg/g dry mass. Steam fixation effectively preserves catechins.
• Amino acids: L-theanine — approximately 2% dry mass. Increased content due to high altitude (1300 m), slow growth and spring harvesting.
• Alkaloids: Caffeine — approximately 3% dry mass. Moderate, mild tonic effect.
• Minerals: Due to features of red earth karst soils, the tea is enriched with selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) — microelements with antioxidant and immunomodulating properties. This is a distinctive feature of Guizhou teas, related to regional geology.
• Vitamins: Vitamin C (preserved thanks to steam fixation), B-group vitamins.

8. Health Properties:

• Antioxidant protection: High EGCG concentration (ORAC value — approximately 1250 μmol TE/g) provides powerful free radical neutralization.
• Selenium nutraceutical value: Natural selenium content — additional antioxidant and immune-supporting factor, absent in most green teas from other regions.
• Cognitive function improvement: L-theanine and caffeine synergy promotes concentration and mental clarity without anxiety.
• Metabolism support: Catechins and caffeine contribute to metabolism acceleration. In vitro studies indicate ability to inhibit alpha-glucosidase, which may be useful for blood sugar level control.
• Organic purity: Absence of synthetic pesticide and fertilizer residues (confirmed by certification) — important factor for consumers concerned about tea product safety.

9. Brewing:

• Water temperature: 75°C (±3°C). Not boiling water — let water cool after boiling. Soft, filtered or spring water.
• Tea quantity: 3 g per 150 ml water (or 1 g per 50 ml for flash steeping method).
• Teaware: Porcelain gàiwǎn (盖碗), glass teapot or glass cup. Glass allows observation of golden-green liquor color and spiral opening.
• Process (flash steeping method, 功夫泡法):
  1. Warm teaware with warm water.
  2. Add dry tea, inhale aroma — citrus-floral profile is perceptible at this stage.
  3. First infusion — 15–20 seconds (can be discarded as rinse or used — at discretion).
  4. Second infusion — 20–30 seconds.
  5. Third and subsequent — 30–45–60 seconds with gradual increase.
  6. Tea withstands up to 5 full infusions.
• Alternative method (steeping): 2 g per 200 ml at 75°C, steep 2–3 minutes. Suitable for daily tea drinking.

10. Storage:

Like all high-quality green teas, “Lu Zhu” is sensitive to air, light, moisture and foreign odors. Store in airtight, opaque container — optimally in vacuum packaging or foil bag inside tin can. Ideal conditions — refrigerator at +5°C, with reliable isolation from moisture and food odors. At room temperature — not above +25°C, in dry, dark place. Recommended storage period — up to 24 months with refrigerated storage, up to 12 months at room temperature. Maximum aroma brightness — in first 6 months.

11. Market and Price Range:

As an organic high-quality tea from limited batches, “Lu Zhu” occupies the premium segment. Wholesale price — 120–150 USD per kg (FOB Shanghai). Retail — 25–30 USD per 100 g in specialized stores.

• Authenticity Identification:
  • Purchase from suppliers specializing in organic products and providing information about origin (Maodong, Guizhou) and certification.
  • Check appearance: authentic “Lu Zhu” — neat, tight spirals of dark emerald color with silvery down. Size and color non-uniformity — warning signal.
  • Evaluate aroma: characteristic citrus-floral profile (lime, jasmine). Absence of citrus notes or presence of “smoky,” “roasted” tones — sign of pan-fired tea substitution.
  • Test taste: at 75°C — soft, sweetish, without bitterness, with mineral aftertaste. Harsh bitterness — sign of cheaper raw material (often — Assam hybrids).
  • Suspiciously low price (8–15 USD per 100 g) indicates substitution with non-organic raw material or different cultivar.

12. Interesting Facts:

• Guizhou Province is the birthplace of the oldest known tea fossil: the “four-ball tea seed fossil” (四球茶籽化石), discovered in 1980 on the border of Qinglong and Pu’an counties and dated to approximately 1 million years old. This is one of the earliest evidence of Camellia genus existence in a form close to the modern tea plant.
• The Fuding Xiao Bai cultivar, traditionally used for white tea on the Fujian coast, is processed in Guizhou using green tea technology — steaming instead of simple withering and drying. This “cross-regional” approach is an example of how one cultivar produces fundamentally different teas depending on processing technology.
• Fuding Da Bai (large-leaf relative of Xiao Bai) occupies more than 51% of all tea plantations in Guizhou — this is the province’s dominant cultivar, brought from Fujian as part of state tea production expansion programs.
• In 2017, “Guizhou Lu Cha” (贵州绿茶) became the first “provincial” geographical indication for tea in PRC history — a unified protected designation for green tea of an entire province.
• The biodynamic method of spraying bamboo charcoal (竹炭) solution for fungal disease prevention is a characteristic Guizhou innovation, reflecting the province’s general ecological philosophy: “生态为根” — “ecology as root.”
• Guizhou is China’s largest tea region by plantation area (>7 million mu / ~467,000 ha by the 2020s), surpassing traditional leaders — Yunnan, Fujian and Zhejiang.
• The famous Guizhou saying “天无三日晴, 地无三尺平” — “the sky is not clear for three days in a row, the earth is not flat for three chi in a row” — accurately describes conditions ideal for tea bushes: constant cloudiness, fog, mountain terrain.

13. Comparison with Other Green Teas:

• Dūyún Máojiān (都匀毛尖, Dūyún Máojiān): Famous Guizhou green tea, one of “China’s Ten Great Teas” (1982 version). Produced from local small-leaf cultivars in Duyun area (Qiannan). Pan-fired (炒青). Aroma — chestnut-grassy, classic for Chinese pan-fired green teas. Taste — rich, with light sweetness and moderate astringency. “Lu Zhu” differs with citrus-floral profile (instead of chestnut), steam fixation (instead of pan-firing) and emphasized organic purity.
• Méitán Cuì Yá (湄潭翠芽, Méitán Cuìyá): Another prestigious Guizhou tea from Meitan area (Zunyi). Flat leaves resembling Longjing. Pan-fired. Aroma — “嫩栗香” (young chestnut aroma), characteristic of “Guizhou Lu Cha.” Taste — dense, refreshing. “Lu Zhu” is softer, more delicate, with citrus notes and less body density; closer to floral register.
• Guǎngxī Xuě Yá (广西雪芽, “Snow Buds”): Green tea from Guangxi, also produced from Fuding cultivar (Fuding Da Bai Hao), but pan-fired. Aroma — tropical fruits (mango), light acidity. Taste — sweetish, with almond aftertaste. Both teas are examples of “cross-regional” use of Fuding cultivars, but differ in fixation method (steam vs. pan-firing) and, accordingly, aromatic profile.
• Ēnshī Yù Lú (恩施玉露, Ēnshī Yùlù): Steamed green tea from Hubei. Fixation method is similar (steam), but cultivar, terroir and altitude differ. Enshi Yu Lu is more “dewy,” with chestnut notes; “Lu Zhu” is more citrusy and mineral.

14. Possible Contraindications:

• Individual intolerance or allergic reactions.
• Use with caution in gastritis with high acidity or peptic ulcer, especially on empty stomach: tannins stimulate gastric juice secretion.
• Due to caffeine content (~3%) may not be suitable for people with increased nervous excitability, insomnia or hypertension during exacerbation.
• Not recommended in large quantities during pregnancy (especially first trimester) and breastfeeding.
• May interact with anticoagulants (warfarin) due to vitamin K content; consultation with doctor recommended when taking such medications.

In Conclusion:

Guizhou “Lu Zhu” is a tea where several remarkable narratives intersect: the planet’s most ancient tea geology and modern organic certification; Fuding white tea cultivar and green tea steam fixation technology; karst selenium-containing soils and biodynamic farming with bamboo charcoal. The result is a green tea with rare citrus-floral aroma, emphasized taste “purity,” mineral character and additional nutraceutical value (selenium, zinc). For those seeking an environmentally clean, unusually profiled green tea with a million-year history — “Dew Drops” from Guizhou will be a worthy discovery.