Xié Bèi Chá · new.thetea.app

Xiè Bēi Chá (斜背茶, xié bèi chá — “Tea from the Slanted Ridge”) is a rare Fujian green tea from the high-altitude village of Xiebei (斜背村, 1,248 m) in Xinluo District of Longyan City — the only green tea from Longyan honored with inclusion in the “Zhongguo Chajing” (中国茶经, “Tea Classic of China” — an authoritative modern encyclopedia). This tea is unique for its formula of “Three Distinct Yellow-Greens” (三著黄绿, sān zhù huánglǜ): yellow-green dry leaves, yellow-green liquor, yellow-green spent leaves — a characteristic caused by reduced chlorophyll content and elevated polyphenol content under extreme altitude conditions. Its primary aromatic note is artemisia aroma (艾香, àixiāng) — not found in any other famous green tea of China, while its taste resembles fresh olives: astringent on entry, sweet in the aftertaste (回甘似鲜橄榄, huígān sì xiān gǎnlǎn). The tea is produced from indigenous “garden tea bushes” (菜茶, càichá) up to 100 years old, using a nine-stage fully manual technology taking 3–4 hours — one of the longest and most labor-intensive among green teas.

1. Classification and Origin:

Type: Green tea (non-oxidized). Belongs to pan-fired green teas (炒青绿茶, chǎoqīng lǜchá). Shape — tight straight strips of gray-green color with yellowish tint (紧实条形，灰绿带黄).
Category: National Geographical Indication Product (中国国家农产品地理标志产品, 2018). In the 1970s — one of the “Ten Famous Teas of Fujian” (福建十大名茶). The only green tea from Longyan included in the “Zhongguo Chajing” — the authoritative “Registry of Regional Famous Teas” (地产名茶名录). Gold award at the “Red Fields” competition (红古田杯, 2023). 16 century-old ancient tea trees are under state protection.
Origin: China, Fújiàn Province (福建, Fújiàn), Lóngyán City (龙岩市, Lóngyán Shì), Xīnluó District (新罗区, Xīnluó Qū), Jiāngshān Township (江山乡, Jiāngshān Xiāng). The terroir core is Lǎozhài Village (老寨村, Lǎozhài Cūn) (elevation 1,248 m — highest point), villages Xinzhai (新寨村), Beiyang (背洋村), Měixī (梅溪村) and Shàntóu (山头村) — tea gardens covering ~700 mu (47 hectares), producing 90% of the output.
Geographic coordinates: Approximately 25°17′ North latitude, 117°05′ East longitude.

2. History and Cultural Significance:

History: Tea cultivation in Xiebei village dates back to the end of the Míng era (明末, 17th century) — over 300 years ago. The “Records of Longyan City” (龙岩市志, Lóngyán Shìzhì) confirm: tea began to be cultivated at the end of Ming, and by the beginning of Qing it had already become a local famous tea.

In the 1970s, Xie Bei Cha entered the ranks of the “Ten Famous Teas of Fujian” — a province known worldwide primarily for oolongs (Tieguanyin, Dahongpao) and white teas (Baimudan, Shoumei). Green tea in Fujian is rare, and the fact that Xie Bei Cha was recognized as one of the best is testimony to its exceptional nature.

In 2008, Xie Bei Cha was included in Fujian’s first registry of protected tea genetic resources (福建省首批茶树种质资源保护名录). The government fenced off and took under protection 16 century-old tea trees in Beiyang village — the oldest reaches 6.5 m in height. In 2018 — GI protection. In 2023 — gold award at “Red Fields.”
Name:
- “Xie” (斜) — “slanted, inclined”: describes the terrain — slope of a mountain ridge.
- “Bei” (背) — “back, ridge”: mountain crest.
- “Cha” (茶) — “tea.”
- “Xiebei” — “Slanted Ridge”: name of the village located on an inclined mountain crest at 1,000–1,248 m elevation.
Cultural significance: Xie Bei Cha is a living relic of Fujian “pre-oolong” tea cultivation: in a province where almost all tea is semi-oxidized (oolong) or minimally processed (white), Xie Bei Cha represents an ancient green tradition preserved in an isolated high-altitude village. Its “garden tea bushes” (菜茶) — sexually reproduced, without cloning — are genetically closer to primitive tea populations than any modern cultivar.

3. Botanical Description and Raw Material:

Variety / Cultivar: Xiebei Caicha Youxingquntichong (斜背菜茶有性群体种) — local indigenous “garden” variety of Camellia sinensis from sexual reproduction. Semi-arboreal type (半乔木型, bànqiáomù xíng), height — 1–2 m. Leaf large (length 10–16 cm). Young shoots — yellow-green, fleshy, with long internodes. Polyphenol content — high. Five subtypes: large-leaf (大叶种, 80% of plantings, with pronounced artemisia aroma), seed-leaf (瓜子叶种), bamboo-leaf (竹叶种), round-leaf/white-leaf (圆叶/白叶种), red-leaf/purple (红叶/紫芽种, with elevated anthocyanin content and fruity aroma).

16 century-old trees in Beiyang village (height 6.5 m) — under state protection.

Cultivation peculiarity: tea bushes are planted near houses (房前屋后零星种植) — not on plantations, but literally in “gardens,” which gave the name “菜茶” (“garden tea”). Complete ban on chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
Harvest: Unique feature — harvest is conducted during Lìxià (立夏, “Beginning of Summer,” ~May 5–7) — significantly later than most green teas (usually before Qingming or Guyu). Standard — 4–6 leaves of “large opening” (大开面新梢, dà kāimiàn xīnshāo) — fully unfolded, mature shoots. This radically differs from the standard of most green teas (tenderest buds). Using mature raw material is not a compromise but a conceptual choice: precisely mature leaves give the characteristic artemisia aroma and olive taste.
Grades: Six levels:
- Tèjí (特级): 4–6 leaves of large opening. Tight strips, gray-green. High artemisia aroma. Taste — olive returning sweetness. Highest quality.
- Yiji — Liuji (一级至六级): Gradually coarser raw material, decreasing aroma intensity, but maintaining brewing endurance.

4. Terroir and Cultivation:

Growing elevation: 1,000–1,248 meters — one of the highest tea villages in Fujian. Lǎozhài village (1, 248 m) — the “roof” of tea-growing Longyan.
Climate: Average annual temperature — 17°C, annual precipitation — 1,683 mm. Average annual number of foggy days — >200. Daily temperature variations — >10°C. Extended growing season (due to altitude) ensures deeper accumulation of nutrients.
Soils: Yellow and gray-brown soils (黄壤、灰棕壤) with inclusions of quartz pebbles (石英细砾), providing excellent permeability and aeration. pH 4.5–6.5. Organic matter — high. Forest coverage — 78%. Diffused light proportion — 70%. Diseases and pests — rare (thanks to altitude and isolation).
Uniqueness of “三著黄绿”: High-altitude location causes “yellowing” of shoots (芽叶黄绿色变): chlorophyll content is reduced, while polyphenols and water extract are elevated. This creates the “three yellow-greens” — the visual calling card of Xie Bei Cha.

5. Production Technology:

Xie Bei Cha is fully manual, nine-stage pan-fired tea with a “double-wok” system and 3–4-hour cycle. The technology includes multiple siftings and repeated firings — this is one of the most complex and lengthy technologies among green teas.

Harvest (鲜叶采摘): Manual harvest during Lixia, 4–6 mature leaves.
Fixation — “double-wok” (双锅杀青 — shuāngguō shāqīng): Two woks with different temperatures are used: first — 140–160°C, second — 110–130°C. Leaves are transferred from the hot wok to the less hot one and back — this technique ensures even heating of large mature raw material.
Rolling (揉捻 — róuniǎn): Formation of strip structure.
First firing (初炒 — chūchǎo): At 90–100°C / 70–90°C — intermediate “tempering.”
Cooling (摊凉 — tānliáng): Moisture redistribution.
Second firing (复炒 — fùchǎo): Additional processing.
Sifting and cooling (过筛摊凉 — guòshāi tānliáng): Fraction separation.
Third firing (再复炒 — zài fùchǎo): Final “roasting.”
Repeated sifting and final drying (再过筛摊凉→足干 — zài guòshāi → zúgān): Moisture content — ≤6.5%.
Characteristics:
- “Double-wok” system — unique for green teas: two woks with different temperatures work alternately.
- Multiple firings and siftings (全程3-4小时) — the longest cycle among pan-fired green teas.
- Non-enzymatic oxidation (非酶性氧化, fēi méixìng yǎnghuà) — during prolonged processing, controlled chemical (not enzymatic) oxidation of polyphenols occurs, forming the characteristic olive taste (橄榄味, gǎnlǎn wèi). This fundamentally distinguishes Xie Bei Cha from standard green teas, where oxidation is minimized.
- Ban on mechanization (禁用机械) — to preserve integrity of large leaves.

6. Organoleptic Characteristics:

“Three Distinct Yellow-Greens” (三著黄绿): yellow-green leaf, yellow-green liquor, yellow-green bottom — the calling card.

Dry leaf appearance: Tight, strong strips (紧实条形), gray-green color with yellowish tint (灰绿带黄). Leaf noticeably larger than most green teas — result of late harvest of mature raw material.
Dry leaf aroma: Artemisia aroma (艾香, àixiāng) — the main and unique aromatic note, not found in any other famous green tea. Grassy-green freshness (草木清香, cǎomù qīngxiāng). With aging, honey note appears (陈化后显蜜香, chénhuà hòu xiǎn mìxiāng).
Liquor aroma: Artemisia, clean, high.
Taste: Dense and rich (浓厚, nónghòu) — result of high polyphenol content. Returning sweetness resembling fresh olives (回甘持久，似鲜橄榄) — key descriptor: initial light bitterness instantly transforms into long, “oily” sweetness, like chewing green olives. Powerful salivation generation (生津强, shēngjīn qiáng). Formula: “微苦转甘” — “light bitterness transforming to sweetness”.
Liquor color: Yellow-green, clear and transparent (黄绿清澈).
Visual effect: When brewed in a glass cup, shoots stand vertically (芽叶竖立杯中).
Spent leaves: Tender, yellow-green, bright (嫩黄绿亮).
Brewing endurance: 5–7 infusions — significantly higher than usual for green tea, explained by use of mature raw material.

7. Chemical Composition:

Polyphenols (catechins): Significantly above average — result of high altitude and mature raw material. Coagulate bacterial proteins with 30% higher efficiency than ordinary green tea — pronounced antibacterial action.
Water extract: High — ensures richness and endurance.
Alkaloids: Caffeine — significant content. Together with polyphenols ensures fat breakdown.
Fluorine: High content — forms protective “fluorapatite” layer on enamel, increasing acid resistance by 40%.
Vitamins: Vitamin C, carotenoids.
Minerals: Quartz soils provide unique mineral profile.

8. Health Properties:

Antibacterial action (强效抗菌): Record polyphenols coagulate bacterial proteins with 30% higher efficiency — suppression of dysentery and enteritis pathogens.
Lipid profile control (降脂活性): Caffeine + polyphenols break down fats and regulate cholesterol — 25% more effective than red tea (black tea).
Tooth protection (防龋护齿): Fluorine — enamel acid resistance +40%.
Antioxidant action: Polyphenols.
Important: not medical advice.

9. Brewing:

Water temperature: 85–90°C — higher than for most green teas (mature raw material withstands high temperature). Mountain spring water — ideal.
Tea amount: 3 g per 150 ml (1:50).
Teaware: Glass cup (observing vertically standing shoots) or white porcelain gaiwan.
Process:
1. Warm, add tea.
2. First infusion — 60 seconds (longer than usual — mature leaf opens slowly).
3. Subsequent — +20 seconds. Tea withstands 5–7 brewings.

10. Storage:

Airtight, in dark place, refrigerator 0–5°C.
Shelf life — 12 months. After opening — 3 months.
With aging (陈化) honey note appears — Xie Bei Cha is one of the few green teas that benefits from moderate aging.

11. Price and Counterfeits:

Six grades (特级 — 六级). Total volume — small (700 mu, annual revenue ~8 million yuan). Buy with GI marking from Xinluo District; evaluate artemisia aroma and olive sweetness; check “three yellow-greens.”

12. Interesting Facts:

Artemisia aroma (艾香) — unique aromatic note not found in any other famous green tea of China. Artemisia (艾, ài) is a valuable medicinal plant in TCM, and its aroma in tea gives Xie Bei Cha a “medicinal” aura.
Fresh olive taste (回甘似鲜橄榄) — unique descriptor: initial bitterness instantly transforms into oily sweetness, like chewing green olives. This effect results from controlled non-enzymatic oxidation (非酶性氧化) during 3–4-hour processing.
16 century-old tea trees in Beiyang village — under state protection. The oldest — 6.5 m tall. These are some of the tallest (literally) tea trees in Fujian.
Xie Bei Cha is the only green tea from Longyan included in the “Zhongguo Chajing” — authoritative encyclopedia of Chinese tea. In a province dominated by oolongs and white teas, this is exceptional recognition.
Harvest during Lìxià (立夏, beginning of summer) — 3–5 weeks later than most green teas. Using mature raw material (4–6 leaves) radically differs from the “the tenderer the better” paradigm dominating the green tea world.
“Garden tea bushes” (菜茶) — sexually reproduced, planted near houses — are genetically closer to primitive tea populations than clonal cultivars. Each bush is genetically unique.

13. Comparison with Other Green Teas:

Lübaoshi Chá (绿宝石茶): From Guizhou. Also from mature raw material (one bud + two-three leaves). Lübaoshi — granulated, chestnut; Xie Bei Cha — strip, artemisia-olive. Both challenge the “tenderness = quality” paradigm.
Any standard green tea: Xie Bei Cha is the antipode: late-season (Lixia vs. Qingming), mature (4–6 leaves vs. one bud), yellow-green (vs. emerald), artemisia-olive (vs. chestnut-orchid). This is “anti-green green tea” — and therein lies its uniqueness.
Yingde Lü Chá (英德绿茶): Also from large-leaf raw material, also with high polyphenol content. Yingde — from Yunnan cultivar, with “微苦无涩”; Xie Bei Cha — from indigenous Fujian “菜茶”, with “微苦转甘似橄榄”.

In Conclusion:

Xie Bei Cha is an outsider tea, a rebel tea. In a province ruled by oolongs and white teas, it stubbornly remains green. In a world that values the tenderest buds, it proudly harvests mature leaves at the beginning of summer. Where all strive for “emerald three greens,” it bears its “three yellow-greens.” Its artemisia aroma is like nothing else, and its fresh olive taste — bitterness instantly transforming into oily sweetness — cannot be confused with any other tea. Sixteen century-old trees protected by the state, nine-stage manual technology with two woks, and 300 years of history in an isolated high-altitude village — all this makes Xie Bei Cha one of the rarest, most unusual, and most “authentic” green teas of China: a tea for those who value character over conformity.