To explore the very soul of Da Hong Pao, one must inevitably focus on its core production area — Jiulongkeng (Nine-Dragon Gully) within the Wuyi Mountain National Nature Reserve in Fujian Province. This narrow valley, covering an area of less than one square kilometer, is flanked by steep, purplish-red sandstone cliffs carved as if by knives and axes. Mineral-rich spring water seeps from the rock crevices, and when combined with the gravelly soil unique to the Danxia landform, it creates a distinctive environment that fosters the “rock rhyme” (a unique characteristic of tea grown in rocky areas) of Da Hong Pao. Situated at an altitude of 600-800 meters, the valley has an annual average temperature of 18°C and an annual rainfall of up to 2,000 millimeters. Shrouded in mist year-round, it boasts a diffused light ratio of 70%, providing ideal conditions for the photosynthesis of tea plants.

 

Authentic Da Hong Pao has strict geographical restrictions on its origin. According to the national regulations for the protection of geographical indication products, only oolong tea produced within the core scenic area of Wuyi Mountain Scenic Spot can be called Da Hong Pao. Divided by the Jiuqu Stream (Nine-Bend Stream), this area is categorized into three production zones: Zhengyan (Core Rock), Banyan (Semi-Rock), and Zhoucha (Riverbank Tea), among which the tea from the “Three Pits and Two Ravines” in the Zhengyan Zone is of the highest quality. The “Three Pits and Two Ravines” refer to Huiyuan Pit, Niulan Pit, Dakengkou Pit, Liuxiang Ravine, and Wuyuan Ravine. The soil here is rich in trace elements such as iron and manganese; tea tree roots penetrate deep into rock crevices to absorb nutrients, endowing the tea with a unique “rock bone and floral fragrance” — it tastes mellow with a sweet aftertaste, and its aroma combines the delicacy of orchid fragrance with the richness of rocks.

Currently, the total area of tea gardens in Wuyi Mountain City that can be used for producing Da Hong Pao exceeds 2667 hectares (equivalent to over 40,000 mu).

Nearly all Da Hong Pao available on the market today is blended Da Hong Pao. Pure-bred Da Hong Pao, by contrast, is extremely expensive.

When it comes to the origin of Da Hong Pao, the most widely circulated tale is the “Zhuangyuan (Top Scholar of the Imperial Exam) Repays a Favor” legend from the Ming Dynasty. It is said that a scholar on his way to take the imperial exam suddenly fell seriously ill while passing through Wuyi Mountain. Fortunately, monks from the Tianxin Yongle Monastery cured him using rock tea. Later, the scholar achieved the top rank (Zhuangyuan) in the exam. He made a special trip back to the monastery and draped the red robe bestowed by the emperor over the tea trees — hence the name “Da Hong Pao” (literally “Big Red Robe”). This legend not only endows the tea with a human touch but also implies its profound connection to the monastic culture of Wuyi Mountain. In fact, as early as the Qing Dynasty, Da Hong Pao had already become a tribute tea to the imperial court. The Records of Wuyi Mountain compiled during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty even contains the record: “Wuyi rock tea is the best under heaven, and Da Hong Pao is the king of rock teas.”

Of course, this is just one of the legends. Whether it is true or not can no longer be verified, but the name Da Hong Pao has endured in the world ever since.

Da Hong Pao refers both to a tea tree cultivar and a tea product. However, this does not mean that the tea tree cultivar directly equals the tea product — this also involves issues such as processing techniques and geographical indication protection.

Let’s be realistic, my friend. Even the parent Da Hong Pao tea leaves presented by Chairman Mao to Nixon were only 200 grams (note: 1 liang = 50 grams, so 4 liang = 200 grams). For ordinary people like us, we can just admire them from afar.

The only surviving parent Da Hong Pao tea trees consist of 3 clusters (6 individual plants in total), growing on the cliff faces of Jiulongkeng within Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area. They are under state-level protection.

Harvesting from the parent Da Hong Pao tea trees has been halted since 2006. Even in the past, their annual yield was a mere 350-400 grams (note: 1 liang = 50 grams, so 7-8 liang = 350-400 grams). On one occasion, 20 grams of such tea was auctioned off for a sky-high price of 208,000 yuan.

A portion of the Da Hong Pao available today are offspring of the parent trees, cultivated through asexual propagation — these are called pure-bred Da Hong Pao. Many people question whether tea trees grown via asexual propagation can be considered authentic Da Hong Pao. In fact, these offspring share an identical genetic makeup with the parent trees and exhibit the same traits. They offer the same formula and familiar flavor; the only catch is their high price.

Beyond pure-bred Da Hong Pao, most Da Hong Pao circulating in the market is commercial (blended) Da Hong Pao. It emerged to meet market demand for Da Hong Pao: pure-bred Da Hong Pao is blended with high-quality Wuyi rock teas such as Shui Xian (Narcissus) and Rou Gui (Cinnamon) in specific proportions. The result is a tea with the distinctive flavor of Da Hong Pao and consistent quality.

Blended Da Hong Pao is categorized into three grades: Super Grade, Grade 1, and Grade 2. These grades reflect the tea’s quality, not its authenticity.