Huilong Tea in Lianghe County, Dehong
Hui Long Tea回龙茶 is a specialty product from Lianghe County, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, and is a national agricultural product geographical indication. The tea is cultivated in a South Asian subtropical monsoon climate with abundant rainfall, a mild climate, and pronounced topographical climatic features. The area receives between 1,075 mm and 1,868 mm of rainfall annually, with an average of 1,400 mm, which is ideal for tea cultivation. Hui Long tea bushes are 0.9-1.2 meters in height with a canopy spread of 1.5-1.7 meters, typically horizontal. The tea leaves are robust, yellow-green, with dense tips, soft texture, and strong tender retention. The finished tea features tight, curled strips with an oily luster, prominent tips, bright yellow-green liquor, and evenly bright leaves.
On April 15, 2013, the former Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China officially approved the geographical indication registration protection for “Hui Long Tea.”
Product Characteristics
Quality Characteristics:
- Hui Long tea bushes are 0.9-1.2 meters high with a canopy of 1.5-1.7 meters, spreading horizontally. The tea leaves are robust with a yellow-green color, dense tips, a soft texture, and strong tender retention. The finished tea has tight, curled strips with an oily luster, prominent tips, bright yellow-green liquor, and evenly bright leaves.
Nutritional Value:
- Hui Long tea is rich in nutrients with a refreshing aroma and a strong chestnut fragrance. The taste is mellow, rich but not harsh, with a sweet aftertaste and lingering finish. Key components include: water extract ≥37%, amino acids ≥2.5%, tea polyphenols ≥20%, and caffeine ≥2.0%.
Production Area Environment:
- Geology and Topography: The Hui Long tea production area is located on the windward side of the Gaoligong Mountains in the Hengduan Mountain Range, Yunnan Province. The terrain generally runs from north to south, with elevations gradually decreasing from north to south. The landscape features alternating peaks and valleys with various landforms such as high mountain slopes, low hills, terrace land, and river valley basins. The highest altitude in the area is 2,672.8 meters, and the lowest is 860 meters, with a forest coverage rate of 72.8%. Tea cultivation is suitable at altitudes of 1,300-2,000 meters on slopes ≤30°, including gentle slopes, hilly areas, and terraced land. The predominant soil types are brick red soil, red-brown soil, and black-brown soil (humus soil), with a pH value between 4.5 and 6.5, showing mild acidity. The soil is generally deep, over 100 cm, with excellent physical and chemical properties, high organic matter content, and strong biological activity. The ecological environment is excellent with rich vegetation.
- Hydrology: The Hui Long tea cultivation area has abundant natural water resources with clean, excellent, and pollution-free water quality. Major rivers include the Dayingjiang, Longjiang, and Luoboba Rivers (collectively known as the Two Rivers and One River). Additionally, there are nine other rivers in the region, including Nangun River, Nangsong River, Laba River, Laipa River, Hongmao River, Nangji River, Nanqing River, Menglong River, and Mengbang River, all part of the Irrawaddy River system.
- Climate: The Hui Long tea cultivation area experiences a South Asian subtropical monsoon climate with abundant rainfall, mild temperatures, and pronounced topographical climatic features. The annual rainfall ranges from 1,075 mm to 1,868 mm, with an average of 1,400 mm. The hottest month (June) has an average temperature of 22.9°C, while the coldest month (January) has an average temperature of 10.9°C (annual range 12°C). The average annual temperature is 18.3°C, with historical extremes of 33.8°C and -3.8°C. The annual accumulated temperature is 6,661°C, and the annual sunshine hours are 2,083, with a frost-free period of around 300 days. During the rainy season, the area is often shrouded in mountain mist, while the dry season sees steam and fog covering the basin in the morning. The excellent climatic conditions are very suitable for tea tree growth and development, and the unique climate contributes to the tea’s distinctive high quality.
Historical Background of Hui Long Tea
Hui Long Tea is named after its place of origin in Longzai Village, Dachang Township, Lianghe County. Historical surveys have found over 10,000 ancient tea trees in the mountainous and semi-mountainous areas of Lianghe, with some trees dating back several hundred or even over a thousand years. Many of these ancient trees are believed to have been planted by the ancestors of the De’ang ethnic group. In 2004, a survey by the provincial and prefectural innovation offices found a cultivated Da Li tea tree in Zhao Lao Di, He Hua Village, Dachang Township, with a circumference of 4.11 meters and an estimated age of 1,000 years.
The exact origins of Hui Long Tea are difficult to pinpoint. Before 1949, it was primarily consumed by local “landowners and tyrants.” In 1941, Sun Chaoqin, a progressive young farmer from Dachang, attended a tea cultivation training class held by Li Genyuan in Tengchong. He returned with a batch of large-leaf tea seeds and planted 2 mu (approximately 0.13 hectares) of tea fields in Dachang.
In 1945, Feng Weide, the head of the Dachang administrative bureau under the Nationalist government, promoted tea cultivation to replace opium poppy farming. He issued a public notice advocating for the eradication of opium and the planting of tea trees, and personally compiled and distributed 500 copies of “A Brief Guide to Tea Cultivation” to local leaders. He also transported 18 loads of tea seeds to Lianghe, purchased 8 mu (approximately 0.53 hectares) of land near Longzai Village, and established Lianghe’s first large-scale tea seedling garden. This marked the beginning of Lianghe’s “opium eradication and tea cultivation” era and sparked a local movement toward tea cultivation.
By 1949, under the guidance of national policies and support measures, the Hui Long Tea industry in Lianghe County continued to grow, becoming a vital economic pillar for the region’s mountainous and semi-mountainous communities.
Production Status
By 2013, the area under Hui Long Tea cultivation in Lianghe County was 6,667 hectares, with an annual production of 8,000 tons.
Product Honors
- 1994: Hui Long Tea won several awards, including gold, silver, and quality prizes, at the International Horticultural Exposition and various Spring Trade Fairs in Yunnan Province. It was also recognized as a “Yunnan Province Consumer Favorite Product.”
- 2005: Hui Long Tea was awarded the title of “Famous Trademark of Yunnan Province.”
- April 15, 2013: The former Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China officially granted geographical indication protection for Hui Long Tea.
Geographical Indication
Protected Area: The geographical indication protection for Hui Long Tea covers Lianghe County in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture. The designated area includes Dachang Township, Xiaochang Township, Pingshan Township, Nangsong Township, Jiubao Township, Hexi Township, Mangdong Town, Mengyang Town, and Zhedao Town. The geographical coordinates are between 98°06′00″E – 98°34′00″E and 24°31′00″N – 24°58′00″N.
