Huangjin Gui facts for kids
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| Type: | Oolong |
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| Other names: | Golden Osmanthus, Golden Cassia |
| Origin: | Anxi County, Fujian Province, China |
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| Quick description: | Similar to Tieguanyin with a fruity taste and aroma |
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| Temperature: | 90-95°C |
Huangjin Gui (pronounced Hwung-jin Gway) is a special kind of oolong tea from China. It comes from a place called Anxi County in Fujian province.
This tea gets its name from the beautiful golden color of its young leaves. It also has a unique, sweet smell, a bit like the Osmanthus flower.
Huangjin Gui tea is similar to another famous oolong tea called Tieguanyin. It goes through only a small amount of oxidation. Oxidation is a natural process that changes the tea leaves after they are picked. Because of this light oxidation, Huangjin Gui has a very flowery and gentle smell. It doesn't taste bitter like some green teas, and it's not as strong as black tea.
Legends of Huangjin Gui Tea
There are two old stories about how Huangjin Gui tea first started. Both stories say the tea began around the mid-1800s.
The Wang Family Story
One story says that in 1860, a young woman named Wang Dan gave a special tea plant seedling to Lin Ziqin on their wedding day. She brought it from her home. They planted it next to their family temple. This plant was meant to show that their families would be strong and grow together. Because of this, Huangjin Gui tea is often given as a wedding gift today.
The tea from this plant had a unique golden color and smelled like osmanthus flowers. So, people called it Huang Dan. This name sounds a bit like Wang Dan, the bride's name, in the local language.
The Farmer Wei Story
Another story from 1850 tells of a tea farmer named Wei Zhen. One day, he was walking by a stream and saw a golden plant in the distance. As a tea farmer, he felt he had to take a piece of the plant and try to grow it.
To his surprise, the tea from this plant had a very strong smell, like osmanthus. When brewed, it made a light, yellow drink. So, he and his neighbors called it Huang Dan. "Huang" means yellow, and "Dan" means light.
Later, in the 1900s, a tea seller named Lin Jintai made this tea very popular in Southeast Asia. It became as valuable as gold! But he thought the name Huang Dan wasn't exciting enough. So, he changed it to Huang Jin Gui. "Huang" means yellow, "Jin" means gold, and "Gui" means osmanthus.
The Mother Bushes
There are two special "mother bushes" of Huangjin Gui tea. These are the original plants linked to the two legends. One mother bush is in Luo Yan village, connected to the Wang family story. The other is in Mei Zhuang village, linked to the Wei farmer story.
Mei Zhuang village actually separated from Luo Yan village in 1961. Both places have recently made big efforts to protect these special mother bushes. The farm where the Wang legend mother bush is located was turned into a beautiful park in 2017. The mother bush there is now protected, and there's a sign telling its story and history.
The mother bush from the Wang legend also has a stone tablet. It was put there in 2009. This tablet explains its history and mentions support from the Fujian province government. There's also a small family temple right next to it.
