Cloud tea facts for kids

Cloud tea (Chinese: 云雾茶; pinyin: yún wù chá) gets its name from the misty clouds of Le Mountain (Chinese: 南岳山; pinyin: nányuè shān) where it grows. Long ago, people just called it Le tea. During the Tang Dynasty, this special tea was given as a gift to the emperor.

Cloud tea plants thrive in areas like Guangji Temple, Tiefu Temple, and Huagai Peak. These places are high up, between 800 and 1100 meters (about 2,600 to 3,600 feet) above sea level. They have a mild, wet climate and rich soil, which is perfect for growing tea. Lu Yu (Chinese: 陆羽; pinyin: Lù Yǔ), a famous tea expert from the Tang Dynasty, even wrote about it in his book The Classic of Tea. This helped make Cloud tea from Le Mountain very well-known. People love Cloud tea because its leaves are thin and pretty. It also has a fresh color, a cool taste, and a lovely smell. It's famous in Hunan Province and around the world.

The Legend of Cloud Tea

Have you heard of Sun Wukong, the "Monkey King" from Journey to the West? The story goes that he often ate peaches and drank wine on Huaguo Mountain. One day, he got tired of his usual snacks. He decided to fly to heaven to try the special tea that only the emperor and the queen mother enjoyed.

As he flew, he saw a tea tree branch he didn't recognize. It was harvest time, but the Monkey King didn't know how to pick tea. Luckily, a group of birds flew by. They asked him what was wrong. The king said he liked Huaguo Mountain, but wished it had tea trees. The birds offered to help him gather tea seeds. Each bird carried some seeds towards Huaguo Mountain. They flew over tall mountains, through clouds, and along rivers.

When they flew over Mount Lu, they were amazed by its beauty and started singing. Because they were distracted, they accidentally dropped the tea seeds on Mount Lu. Soon, tea trees began to grow there, thriving on the cloudy mountain.

What is Cloud Tea?

Cloud tea is a type of green tea. It's usually picked between Grain Rain (a spring solar term) and Beginning of Summer (an early summer solar term). Harvesters pick one bud and one leaf, which are about 3 centimeters (just over an inch) long. After many careful steps, the tea becomes shiny and beautiful.

Different Kinds of Cloud Tea

Lushan Cloud Tea

Mount Lu is a popular place to escape the summer heat. After enjoying the beautiful views, many people like to relax with a cup of Lushan Cloud tea (Chinese: 庐山云雾茶). It was once called Hear Forest tea. Legend says that the first Lushan Cloud tea grew wild. Later, a monk named Huiyuan at Donglin Temple started growing it by hand. Huiyuan often invited friends to study and chat over tea he had grown himself. This helped Lushan Cloud tea become famous. It was even given to the emperor during the Song Dynasty.

Yingshan Cloud Tea

Yingshan Cloud tea (Chinese: 英山云雾茶) mostly comes from Heaven Village. This village is near the Dabie Mountains in the northeast of Hubei Province. The area is surrounded by green trees and often covered in clouds. This environment is perfect for growing high-quality tea.

Yuntaishan Cloud Tea

Yuntaishan Cloud tea (Chinese: 云台山云雾茶) is known for its special smell, look, taste, and fragrance, much like Lianyungang Cloud tea. However, one tea tree can only produce about 1 to 2 kilograms (2 to 4 pounds) of tea each year. Because it's so rare, it's very precious. It is usually served only to very important guests.

Other Cloud Teas

There are other types of Cloud tea too. These include Moganshan Cloud tea (Chinese: 莫干山云雾茶), Yandangshan Cloud tea (Chinese: 雁荡山云雾茶), Putuoshan Cloud tea (Chinese: 普陀山云雾茶), and Wuyishan Cloud tea (Chinese: 武夷山云雾茶). Each type has its own special features. This is because they grow in different places with unique climates.