Mayu Tea in Luchun County, Honghe

Mayu Tea绿春玛玉茶 is produced at the Mayu Tea Plantation in Lvchun County, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province. It is one of the newly developed high-quality teas in Yunnan Province, originating from Niuhong Tea Plantation in Lvchun County, Honghe Prefecture. The plantation is located at an altitude of 1500 meters, surrounded by ancient trees and shrouded in mist. The area experiences around 90 foggy days annually, with a relative humidity of 80%. The climate is mild, with an average annual temperature of 16°C and an effective accumulated temperature of 5470°C. The soil is fertile and rich in humus, providing excellent conditions for tea growth. The tea gardens are located at the foot of the Huanglian Mountains, at an altitude of 1100-1300 meters. The Mayu River, which flows continuously in front of the plantation, gives the tea its name. Currently, Mayu Tea is made using a roasted green tea process. Regularly brewing Mayu Tea does not result in tea stains on tea utensils. In 1980 and 1981, it was recognized as one of the top-quality teas in Yunnan Province.

Biological Characteristics

Mayu Tea (C. sinensis var. pubilimba cv. Mayucha), also known as Ant Tea, is a sexual variant. It is a small tree type, large-leaved, mid-season variety, and diploid.

• Origin and Distribution: Originally from Mayu Village, Qima Township, Lvchun County, Yunnan Province, it is mainly distributed in this county. It is also cultivated in other tea-producing counties in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan.
• Characteristics: The tree has an upright or spreading posture, a prominent main trunk, dense branches, and many hairy young shoots. The leaves are large, long-elliptical or lanceolate, light green, folded inward, with a raised leaf surface, slightly wavy leaf edges, pointed tips, shallow coarse teeth, and a soft texture. The veins number between 10 to 19 pairs. The buds and leaves are light green, with many hairs. A hundred buds with three leaves weigh 167.0g. The flowers have a diameter of 4.2-6.1cm, with 6-8 petals, a hairy ovary, and a flower column that splits into 3(4) parts. The fruit diameter is 3.0-3.5cm, with brown seeds about 2.0cm in diameter.
• Properties: Mayu Tea exhibits strong bud and leaf growth, maintains tenderness, and has five growth cycles per year. The spring tea harvest starts in early March, with peak one-bud-three-leaf harvesting in late March. It has high yield, over 20% higher than local varieties. Spring tea with one bud and two leaves contains approximately 2.5% amino acids, 33.3% tea polyphenols, 23.1% total catechins, and 4.7% caffeine. It is suitable for making black and green tea, with superior quality when made into Mayu Tea. It has weak cold resistance and weak resistance to coffee red spider mites. It has strong fruit-bearing ability.
• Suitable Growing Areas: Southern tea regions of Yunnan.
• Cultivation Tips: Dig deep planting trenches, apply sufficient base fertilizer, and use double-row planting with around 3000 plants per 667 square meters. Conduct multiple rounds of low-position shaping pruning. Take precautions against frost damage.

Tea Classification

Mayu Tea is divided into two grades based on raw material quality and production process: Premium Grade and Regular Grade.

• Premium Mayu Tea is made from robust, newly sprouted one-bud-one-leaf fresh Mayu tea, processed through fixation, initial rolling, initial drying, re-rolling, roasting, and picking.
• Regular Mayu Tea is made from one-bud-two-to-three-leaf Mayu tea, processed using Yunnan large-leaf roasted green tea techniques.

Mayu Tea has evolved from a single product into a series, including Mayu Silver Needle, Mayu Tea, Dream of Spring, Qianlixiang, Qiyeshen, Roasted Green Tea, Green Tea, and Cloud and Mist Tea. Among them, Mayu Tea has been recognized as a top-quality tea in Yunnan Province for three consecutive years, and Mayu Silver Needle was designated as a product for the first Kunming Trade Fair.

Harvesting Process

Mayu Tea is meticulously picked with a standard of one bud and one leaf. Fresh leaves are carefully sorted to remove diseased, deformed, or foreign leaves and impurities. The leaves are then spread on bamboo trays in a cool place to evaporate some moisture and remove the grassy smell before frying. The main frying processes include fixation, rolling, frying two greens, frying three greens, and lifting hairs in five steps. The flexibility in frying techniques and temperature control are key to achieving the aesthetically pleasing appearance and superior quality of Mayu Tea.

Quality Characteristics

Mayu Tea is made from selected local Mayu tea cultivars, known for their heavy buds, thick, soft leaves, and abundant hairs, providing a solid foundation for the formation of its quality. The finished product has plump and heavy strips, a dark green and oily color, with prominent silvery hairs. The tea soup is clear and bright, with a lasting fragrance, fresh and refreshing taste, and a honey-like aroma. The tea leaves are tender, even, and bright. Regular brewing of Mayu Tea does not result in tea stains on the cup walls, earning it the reputation of “non-staining Green Spring Mayu Tea,” standing out among famous teas.

Process Characteristics

The quality characteristics of Mayu Tea include tightly rolled and heavy strips, prominent white hairs, lasting fragrance, fresh and thick taste with a honey-like aroma, clear yellow-green soup color, and tender yellow, even, and bright leaves. Interestingly, regular brewing of Mayu Tea does not stain the cup walls, hence the name “non-staining Green Spring Mayu Tea.” The unique natural conditions of Green Spring bestow Mayu Tea with natural plant nutrients. Mayu Tea has strong strips, dark green and oily color, silvery hairs, long-lasting brewing ability, jade-like soup color, clear and fragrant taste, and a lingering aftertaste. It contains proteins, amino acids, alkaloids, organic acids, polyphenols, sugars, fats, and other beneficial components. It has effects such as relieving irritation, quenching thirst, brightening eyes, warming the stomach, refreshing the mind, aiding digestion, dispersing cold, and detoxifying, making it highly beneficial to the human body.

Development Process

Mayu Tea is divided into Premium Grade and Regular Grade based on raw material quality and production process. Premium Mayu Tea is made from robust, newly sprouted one-bud-one-leaf fresh Mayu tea, processed through fixation, initial rolling, initial drying, re-rolling, roasting, and picking. Regular Mayu Tea is made from one-bud-two-to-three-leaf Mayu tea, processed using Yunnan large-leaf roasted green tea techniques.

Mayu Tea has evolved from a single product into a series, including Mayu Silver Needle, Honghe Mayu Tea, Dream of Spring, Qianlixiang, Qiyeshen, Roasted Green Tea, Green Tea, and Cloud and Mist Tea. Among them, Mayu Tea has been recognized as a top-quality tea in Yunnan Province for three consecutive years, and Green Spring Mayu Silver Needle was designated as a product for the first Kunming Trade Fair.

In recent years, the popularity of Green Spring Mayu Tea as a tourism specialty has been increasing. The Red River Mayu Tea plantation in Lvchun County, the main production area of Mayu Tea, has focused on improving product quality by enhancing tea garden management and developing new products. This has allowed Mayu Tea to maintain a strong competitive position in the market. The cultivation of Red River Mayu Tea has expanded from scattered plantings in fields to large-scale cultivation. Currently, the county tea company owns over 4400 acres of tea gardens, producing nearly 130,000 kilograms of Mayu Tea annually. The products are sold within and outside Yunnan Province, and exported to countries and regions such as Morocco, Pakistan, and Russia.

Brewing Methods

1. Tea-to-Water Ratio: The ratio of tea to water used during brewing is known as the tea-to-water ratio. Different ratios affect the aroma and taste of the tea. Studies show that when the tea-to-water ratio is 1:7, 1:18, 1:35, and 1:70, the water extractable substances are 23%, 28%, 31%, and 34% of the dry tea, respectively. This indicates that with a fixed water temperature and brewing time, a smaller tea-to-water ratio results in a greater absolute amount of extractable substances. However, if the ratio is too small, although more of the tea’s components are dissolved, the tea concentration is lower due to the larger amount of water, leading to a weaker taste and aroma.
2. Water Temperature: The temperature of the water is a crucial factor affecting the solubility of tea’s water-soluble substances and the evaporation of aroma compounds. If the water temperature is too low, the flavor components of the tea do not fully dissolve, and the aroma compounds are not fully released. On the other hand, if the water temperature is too high, especially when brewing delicate tea leaves for an extended period, it can cause the tea to become discolored and lose its fresh aroma. Additionally, if the water is boiled for too long, it loses dissolved oxygen, diminishing its stimulating properties and affecting the tea’s fresh flavor. Scientific studies have shown that for a tea-to-water ratio of 1:50 and a brewing time of 5 minutes, the extraction rates of polyphenols and caffeine vary with water temperature. At temperatures above 87.7°C, the extraction rates are 57% for polyphenols and over 87% for caffeine. At 65.5°C, these rates are 33% and over 57%, respectively. Different tea types have different requirements for water temperature based on their tenderness and chemical composition. For fine green teas, a temperature of 85-90°C is ideal. In colder climates, where the tea ware cools the water significantly, boiling water should be used.
3. Brewing Time: Given a fixed tea-to-water ratio and water temperature, the amount of flavor components extracted increases with longer brewing times. Therefore, brewing time is closely related to the color and taste of the tea. For example, with a tea-to-water ratio of 1:50, brewing with boiling water for 1 minute results in extraction rates of 38% for polyphenols and 28% for caffeine, with a polyphenol-to-caffeine ratio of 3.3, resulting in a light taste. Brewing for 5 minutes yields extraction rates of 88% for polyphenols and 57% for caffeine, with a ratio of 2.9, providing a balanced taste. Brewing for 10 minutes results in 96% and 92% extraction rates, respectively, with a ratio of 4.4, resulting in a strong, astringent taste. Therefore, a 5-minute brewing time is recommended. For subsequent infusions, extend the brewing time to 1.5, 2, and 2.5 minutes, respectively. This method prevents the tea from becoming weak in flavor after multiple infusions. For compressed tea, it is generally brewed using a simmering method, with a recommended boiling time of 10-15 minutes to fully extract the tea’s flavor components and achieve a higher concentration of tea liquor.

History of Tea

The cultivation of Ma Yu tea has a history of over 400 years, but wild tea trees have existed at the foot of Huanglian Mountain for much longer. Among the thousands of wild tea trees discovered, the most representative is a large tea tree with a trunk diameter of 84 cm and a height of over 10 meters, located near Ma Yu Village. This tree is over 1,700 years old and is considered one of the rare “tea tree kings.”

Over 400 years ago, Ma Yu tea was processed using wooden steamers and bamboo tubes, then dried by fire, a method similar to bamboo tube tea. It became popular in the regions of Mojiang, Simao, and Pu’er, and was well-received by consumers.

Today, Ma Yu tea is made using a roasting method.

Tea Area Environment

Ma Yu tea is produced in Ma Yu Village, Hani Mountain Village, Qima Ba Township, Luxi Hani Autonomous County, in southern Yunnan. This village is located in the core area of the Huanglian Mountain Provincial Subtropical Evergreen Broad-Leaved Forest Nature Reserve in Honghe Prefecture. Surrounded by mountains, the village is shaded by ancient trees, lush and verdant, with mist drifting through the mountain valleys. Two small rivers flow down from the dense forest, circling the village and merging in the south to join the Zhaluo River. Huanglian Mountain, with an altitude of 2,200 meters, acts as a natural green barrier, blocking cold northern winds. This creates a unique microclimate with no frost and cold winters in the east, and mild summers without intense heat. The temperature range is significant, with a maximum of 26.3°C and a minimum of 10°C, averaging 17°C annually. The relative humidity is 84%, with an annual rainfall of 2,600 mm. The natural vegetation is good, the soil has an organic matter content of 2% to 3.6%, and the pH value is about 5 to 5.5. The excellent ecological environment is ideal for tea tree growth.

The Huanglian Mountain Nature Reserve is home to many wild tea tree populations, which have been growing for over 1,000 years. These trees are towering, with the largest having a trunk diameter of 84 cm and an age of over 1,700 years. Their regenerated branches are strong and erect, with lush green leaves, indicating vitality. The regenerated tea trees reach 15 meters in height and have a trunk diameter of 18 cm.

The Ma Yu tea plantations are located at an altitude of 1,500 meters on the high mountains. The area features ancient trees, misty conditions, and around 90 foggy days per year, with a relative humidity of 80%. The climate is mild, with an average annual temperature of 16°C and an effective accumulated temperature of 5,470°C. The soil is fertile, rich in humus, and highly conducive to tea tree growth. The tea gardens are situated at an altitude of 1,100 to 1,300 meters. The Ma Yu River flows continuously in front of the gardens, which is how Ma Yu tea got its name.

Awards

• In 1980 and 1981, Ma Yu tea was recognized as one of the provincial famous teas.
• At the 1993 China Kunming Export Commodity Fair, it was designated as the only tea product.
• In 1994, it received the National Public Credibility Superior Food Award.
• In 1999, at the first “Yun Tea Cup” Yunnan Famous Tea Competition, Ma Yu tea won the title of famous tea, and the Bi Yu Chun tea made from Ma Yu tea tree varieties was awarded as a high-quality tea in Yunnan Province.