Treasure Mountain, Anxi
The rolling
mountains of Anxi can sometimes reach 2000 meters, with 80 degree
grades growing a Tieguanyin they called Monkey Picked, because only
monkeys or very nimble humans can harvest under such conditions. No
industries or even other agriculture exists amidst these mountains,
which, even with a car, take an entire day to get into. Over 150 years
ago, Tieguanyin was discovered to be the king of all Oolongs, and so,
the inheritance of the skill set required to grow, harvest, and process
these bushes, are carefully supported. Mr. Yan, a tea master from one
of the mountains in this range called Bao Shan (Treasure Mountain), is
one such inheritor.
Mr. Yan recounts
how, as a youth, he used to get water for his tea bushes when there was
drought. Two huge pails would hang on either side of a bamboo pole, and
descending from the top of the mountain took around 6 hours, and coming
back on the ascend full of water, a little slower. He started learning
to harvest tea at age 8, help dry and toss the leaves by 10, and
apprenticed with the uncles and older brothers by age 15 to process by
wok fire. By 18, he was allowed to learn to judge and grade the
finished product. For Tieguanyin, one of the most prized Oolongs
in the world, requires a skill level and expertise that only a lifelong
practice can sometimes beget. Now in his late 50s, Mr. Yan is training
his grand nephews and the next generation of tea masters in the
meticulous nuances of judging and grading the Tieguanyins. Unlike the
West, where even teabags are called ‘premium’, the grading system in
China is taken very seriously and correct grading and pricing ensures
respect from the connoisseurs and reputation for your farm.
Mr. Yan’s family now
sub-contracts out large areas of their tea plantation at Bao
Shan, to other local farmers or relatives to harvest, as the
immediate extended family are much more needed at the judging and
selling aspects of the business. Being able to export these prized
Tieguanyins, participating in auctions and competitions, will ensure
that the farmers survive and thrive, furthering their cultivation
techniques.
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