Yǒngxī huǒ qīng · new.thetea.app

Yǒngxī Huǒ Qīng (涌溪火青, Yǒngxī huǒ qīng) is a unique pearl green tea from Jing County, Anhui Province, one of the few Chinese green teas rolled into dense, round pellets resembling pearls. The name “Huo Qing” (火青, “fire green”) reflects the key technological feature: a prolonged twenty-hour drying over charcoal fire, which forms a deep, multi-layered aroma and exceptional brewing endurance. In 1979, Deng Xiaoping, after tasting this tea, remarked: “In quality, it is not inferior to Huángshān Máo Fēng (黄山毛峰, Huángshān Máo Fēng) and Xī Hú Lóng Jǐng (西湖龙井, Xī Hú Lóng Jǐng).”

1. Classification and Origin:

Type: Green tea (non-oxidized). Belongs to the category of “zhucha” (珠茶, zhūchá) — pearl green teas rolled into dense round pellets. By final drying method — chaoqing (炒青, chǎoqīng), pan-firing drying in a wok.
Category: National Agricultural Product Geographical Indication of the Ministry of Agriculture of the PRC (全国农产品地理标志, quánguó nóngchǎnpǐn dìlǐ biāozhì). Historic famous tea of Anhui Province. Received geographical indication protection in 2011.
Origin: China, Ānhuī Province (安徽, Ānhuī), Jìng County (泾县, Jīngxiàn), Lángqiáo Township (榔桥镇, Lángqiáo Zhèn). The geographical indication zone encompasses 12 administrative villages: Huangtian (黄田), Yǒngxī (涌溪), Zhexi (浙溪) and others.
Geographic coordinates: 118°15′18″—118°38′18″ East longitude, 30°25′07″—30°37′52″ North latitude.

2. History and Cultural Significance:

History: Yongxi Huo Qing traces its history to the Ming era (1368–1644). The first documentary evidence is the “Records of Jing County” (泾县志, Jīngxiàn Zhì) from 1645 (second year of Shunzhi reign, 顺治二年, Qing dynasty), which noted that in the area of Yongxi stream “excellent tea is produced in abundance” (涌溪一带”多产美茶”). The production peak came during the Xiánfēng period (咸丰, 1851–1861), when annual output reached over one hundred dan (approximately 5 tons), with 20% being highest grades.

The creation of the technology is attributed to the Zhú clan (朱氏) from Huangtian village (黄田村). Seeking to make tea convenient for transportation and long-term storage, the Zhu masters adapted the Huizhou “chaoqing” (炒青) technology, creating an original method of pellet formation and prolonged charcoal drying. The result — compact, heavy “pearls” with outstanding aroma and flavor endurance, which quickly became famous with the formula “rich aroma, sweet taste” (香浓味甘).

During the Civil War years, production almost ceased. In 1955, the tea was revived, and the first batch was sent as a gift to the central government, for which the producers received a special letter of gratitude from the State Council of the PRC. In 1979, Dèng Xiǎopíng (邓小平, Dèng Xiǎopíng) personally tasted Yongxi Huo Qing and gave it the highest evaluation: “It is as good as Huángshān Máo Fēng (黄山毛峰, Huángshān Máo Fēng) and Xī Hú Lóng Jǐng (西湖龙井, Xī Hú Lóng Jǐng)” (有黄山毛峰、西湖龙井之好).
Name:
- “Yongxi” (涌溪) — name of a mountain stream (and village) in Jing County, where the historic tea gardens are located.
- “Huo” (火) — “fire”: indicates the key technological operation — prolonged drying over charcoal fire.
- “Qing” (青) — “green”: denotes belonging to green teas.
Cultural significance: Yǒngxī Huǒ Qīng is one of the symbols of tea culture in southern Ānhuī (皖南, Wǎnnán), a region that has given the world an entire constellation of famous teas. The tea is inseparably linked with the tradition of Huizhou craftsmanship and the philosophy of “slow fire” — patient, multi-hour work in which mastery is manifested not in speed, but in endurance.

3. Botanical Description and Raw Material:

Variety / Cultivar: The main cultivar is Yǒngxī Liǔyè Zhǒng (涌溪柳叶种, Yǒngxī Liǔyè Zhǒng) — “Willow Leaf from Yongxi,” a local indigenous variety of Camellia sinensis var. sinensis. Belongs to the medium-leaf bush type. Leaves are elliptical, fleshy, with a characteristic bend of the main vein and sparse serrations along the edge. Distinguished by high resistance to adverse conditions, good yield, and suitability for forming dense pellets.
Picking: Spring picking — standard “one bud with two leaves in initial opening stage” (一芽二叶初展, yī yá èr yè chū zhǎn). For highest grades, raw material is hand-picked in dry weather, without purple shoots, damaged or coarse leaves.
Raw material requirements: Fresh, tender, uniform shoots without defects, foreign matter, or signs of wilting. Processing begins on the day of picking.

4. Terroir and Cultivation Features:

Climate: Subtropical monsoon climate. Average annual temperature — 15.6°C, annual precipitation — 1519–1800 mm, relative humidity — 90%. Spring cloudiness is exceptionally high — the proportion of sunny days in spring is only 26%. This ensures the predominance of diffused light and minimizes photosynthetic conversion of amino acids to catechins, preserving mildness and sweetness of taste. Daily temperature fluctuations are significant, which promotes accumulation of aromatic substances.
Growing altitude: 400–900 meters above sea level. The best plantations are in the terroir core: Fengkeng (枫坑), Pankeng (盘坑) and Shijingkeng (石井坑) gorges, at elevations of 600–900 m.
Soils: Mountain “dark sandy” soils (乌沙土, wūshā tǔ) with deep profile, pH around 5.5, rich in organic matter and macroelements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium). The soil type provides good aeration and water permeability.
Ecosystem: Mountain gorges with numerous streams and waterfalls, constant cloudiness. Proximity to water creates a microclimate of increased humidity, ideal for forming thick, juicy shoots.
Terroir core: Three gorges — Fengkeng Tuanjieyan (枫坑团结岩), Pankeng Jizhaoou (盘坑鸡爪坞) and Shijingkeng Yingwoyan (石井坑鹰窝岩) — produce tea of the highest quality.

5. Production Technology:

The technology of Yongxi Huo Qing is unique among green teas: it is one of the few green teas undergoing drying lasting about 20 hours. The entire process includes eight stages:

Kill-green / Fixation (杀青 — shāqīng): Leaves are pan-fired in a heated wok, stopping enzyme oxidation and fixing fresh aromatics.
First rolling (揉捻 — róuniǎn): Gentle rolling to form initial structure and partial release of cellular juice.
Primary pan-firing — “chao toupei” (炒头坯 — chǎo tóupēi): Pan-firing in a wok for preliminary drying and initial pellet formation.
Re-rolling (复揉 — fùróu): Additional rolling to compact the tea leaf structure.
Secondary pan-firing — “chao erpei” (炒二坯 — chǎo èrpēi): Continuation of shaping: tea leaves gradually compact, taking on a round form.
Spreading and resting (摊放 — tānfàng): Intermediate cooling for moisture redistribution.
Final prolonged drying — “bai laoguo” (掰老锅 — bāi lǎoguō): The key and most characteristic stage. Tea is placed in a wok with charcoal heating and slowly dried at low temperature for approximately 20 hours. The master continuously stirs and shapes the tea leaves, bringing them to perfect round form and deep, multi-layered aroma. It is this “slow fire” that gave the tea its name — “Huo Qing” (火青, “fire green”).
Sifting and sorting (分筛 — fēnshāi): Finished tea is sifted, separated by size and debris is removed.

6. Organoleptic Characteristics:

Dry leaf appearance: Dense, heavy pellets of round form (腰圆形, yāoyuán xíng — “waist-round bead shape”), resembling small pearls. Color — deep dark green with oily luster (墨绿莹润, mòlǜ yíngrùn). Surface densely covered with silvery down (银毫密披). Pellets are uniform, dense, noticeably heavy in hand — a sign of proper formation.
Dry leaf aroma: Pure floral aroma (清花香, qīng huāxiāng) with chestnut and orchid notes. Expressed “Buddha’s hand citron rhyme” (佛手韵, fóshǒu yùn) — a delicate citrus-floral nuance characteristic of tea with prolonged charcoal drying. In highest grades — persistent, deep, multi-layered.
Liquor aroma: Rich, fragrant (清香馥郁, qīngxiāng fùyù). Orchid note unfolds in first steeps, chestnut — in second and third. Aroma is persistent, lasting through 4–5 brewings.
Taste: Dense and full-bodied (醇厚, chúnhòu), fresh and brisk (鲜爽, xiānshuǎng), with pronounced returning sweetness (甘爽回甘). The taste of 2nd and 3rd steeps is considered optimal — here the balance of aroma, body and sweetness reaches its peak. Astringency is minimal, bitterness is absent. Aftertaste — long, warm, sweetish.
Liquor color: Unusual for green tea — apricot-yellow, bright and clear (杏黄明亮, xìnghuáng míngliàng). This warm golden tone — the result of prolonged charcoal drying — distinguishes Yongxi Huo Qing among most green teas, which produce greenish liquor.
Spent leaves (wet leaves): Tender, elastic shoots, unfolded from pellets like flowers (嫩匀成朵). Color — tender green with slight yellowness. Leaves are whole, without damage.

7. Chemical Composition:

Prolonged charcoal drying and high-mountain origin determine the special chemical profile of Yongxi Huo Qing:

Polyphenols (catechins): Content — moderate for green tea. Catechins provide antioxidant potential and light structural depth of taste. Prolonged drying partially transforms catechins, which softens astringency.
Amino acids (including L-theanine): Elevated content — result of high-mountain origin and abundant diffused light (spring cloudiness 74%). Provides freshness, sweetness and mildness of taste.
Alkaloids: Caffeine — moderate content. Also present are theobromine and theophylline, providing mild tonic and diuretic effects.
Flavonoids (黄酮类, huángtóng lèi): According to research, flavonoid content is significant. Flavonoids complement the antioxidant action of catechins.
Minerals: Elevated zinc content (锌, xīn) is noted, which is related to the mineral composition of mountain soils.
Vitamins: Vitamin C, B vitamins, carotenoids.
Aromatic compounds: Prolonged charcoal drying forms a unique aromatic complex with notes of Buddha’s hand citron, chestnut and orchid — “warmer” and deeper than standard green teas.

8. Health Properties:

Vision improvement (明目, míngmù): Traditionally believed that regular consumption of green tea supports eye health — carotenoids and vitamin C contribute to protection from oxidative stress.
Tonic effect: Caffeine combined with L-theanine provides gentle alertness and concentration.
Antioxidant action: Catechins and flavonoids neutralize free radicals.
Digestion improvement: Polyphenols stimulate secretion of digestive enzymes, help break down fatty foods (消食去腻).
Thirst quenching and cooling: Traditionally recommended in hot weather (止渴生津, 清热消暑).
Cardiovascular system support: Flavonoids and polyphenols promote vascular elasticity.
Important: the listed properties are based on publicly available data and are not medical recommendations.

9. Brewing:

Water temperature: 85°C (boiling water, cooled for ~2 minutes).
Tea amount: 5 g per 250 ml water (1:50 ratio). Dense pellets are heavier than loose tea, so visually the portion appears small.
Teaware: Glass tumbler — for observing pellet opening, which unfolds in water like orchid flowers (如兰花舒展). White porcelain gaiwan — for precise aroma control.
Process:
1. Warm teaware with hot water, drain.
2. Add 5 g of tea.
3. First steep — quick rinse: pour water, wait a few seconds, drain (润茶).
4. Second steep — pour water along the wall of the glass (not directly onto tea), steep for 10 seconds.
5. Subsequent steeps — increase time by 5–10 seconds. Tea withstands 4–5 full brewings.
Note: optimal taste — on 2nd and 3rd steeps: by this time pellets fully open, releasing maximum aroma and sweetness. Apricot-golden liquor color is normal for this tea, not a sign of aging.

10. Storage:

Store in airtight container, in dark, dry and cool place, away from foreign odors.
Optimal temperature — 0–5°C (refrigerator), in airtight packaging.
Due to dense pellet form and low residual moisture (result of 20-hour drying), Yongxi Huo Qing stores somewhat better than most green teas — up to 12–18 months under proper conditions.
After opening — recommended to consume within 2–3 months.

11. Price and Counterfeits:

Yongxi Huo Qing is a tea with limited production volume (geographical indication zone — only 12 villages), making it subject to frequent counterfeiting. Price depends on grade (special/特级, first/一级, second/二级, third/三级), origin from core zone (Fengkeng, Pankeng, Shijingkeng) and hand or machine processing.

How to avoid counterfeits:
- Buy from verified sellers with confirmation of origin from Jing County.
- Evaluate form and weight: genuine pellets are dense, heavy, round, with oily luster. Loose, light “balls” are signs of counterfeiting or low quality.
- Evaluate liquor: characteristic apricot-yellow color, pure and clear. Greenish liquor without golden tones may indicate a different type of tea.
- Check endurance: authentic Yongxi Huo Qing withstands 4–5 full brewings. Counterfeits “exhaust” after 1–2 steeps.
- Pay attention to price: suspiciously low price is a sure sign of counterfeiting.

12. Interesting Facts:

In 1979, Deng Xiaoping, after tasting Yongxi Huo Qing, placed it on par with two of China’s greatest green teas — Huángshān Máo Fēng (黄山毛峰, Huángshān Máo Fēng) and Xī Hú Lóng Jǐng (西湖龙井, Xī Hú Lóng Jǐng). This phrase became legendary and is still used as the main marketing argument.
Apricot-golden liquor color is rare for green tea. Most green teas produce greenish or yellow-green liquor, while Yongxi Huo Qing produces warm golden. This is the result of 20-hour charcoal drying, during which partial transformation of chlorophyll and catechins occurs.
The technology “掰老锅” (bāi lǎoguō — “working in the old wok”) — 20-hour continuous final drying — has no analogues among China’s famous green teas. This is one of the most labor-intensive operations in tea production.
When brewing in a glass tumbler, pellet opening takes several minutes — observing how compact “pearls” slowly unfold into full shoots, like orchid flowers, is one of the aesthetic pleasures of tea drinking.
In 1955, after production revival, the first batch of tea was sent directly to the central government of the PRC — and the State Council responded with a special letter of gratitude, which became an unprecedented case for regional tea.

13. Comparison with other famous green teas of Anhui Province:

Huángshān Máo Fēng (黄山毛峰, Huángshān Máo Fēng): Baked (烘青) green tea with “sparrow tongue” shape. Mao Feng is lighter and more floral, with predominant orchid notes. Yongxi Huo Qing is denser, rounder and “warmer,” with pronounced chestnut depth and unique apricot liquor.
Tàipíng Hóu Kuí (太平猴魁, Tàipíng Hóu Kuí): Large flat leaf with orchid aroma. Hou Kui is “monumental” and deep; Yongxi Huo Qing is compact, concentrated and enduring.
Liu’an Guā Piàn (六安瓜片, Liù’ān Guā Piàn): Flat “melon seeds” from pure leaves. Gua Pian is more intense and grassy; Yongxi Huo Qing is rounder and sweeter, with unique pearl form.
Jīngxiàn Tè Jiān (泾县特尖, Jīngxiàn Tè Jiān): Fellow from the same county. Te Jian is more classical in form (twisted leaf), Yongxi Huo Qing radically differs with pellet form and prolonged drying method.

In conclusion:

Yongxi Huo Qing is a tea for the patient. Twenty hours of charcoal drying invested by the master in each batch respond with depth and multi-layered taste that unfolds not immediately, but from steep to steep — like morning mist gradually dissipating over the mountain gorges of Yongxi. Its dense pearls, apricot-golden liquor, orchid-chestnut aroma with Buddha’s hand citron note and long warm aftertaste — all this makes Yongxi Huo Qing a tea-discovery for those who thought green tea is always “light and fresh.” Here is different green: dense, rich and warmed by fire.