Wuyi yancha Terroirs

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LeoFox
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As I drink more wuyi yancha (武夷岩茶), I am motivated to gather information on the micro terroirs of the growing region. References will be listed below. This an evolving post - i will update with new information over time. Text below will be copy paste from the various references. I try to not include too much information about impact of terroir on tea that sounds too much like marketing.

General introduction

Wuyishan Scenic Area is located in the middle of Wuyishan City , Nanping , Fujian , China . part. It is also one of the few cities in China that has successfully driven a low-emission economy through tourism.

Wuyi Mountain is not an independent mountain, but a piece of low mountains and hills, which belongs to the typical Danxia landform . "Mountains and clear waters" is well-known in the world, and is known as "Qi Xiujia in the southeast".

As early as the Bronze Age , this was the activity area of ​​the ancestors of Fujian and Yue, and there are still cliff tombs in Wuyi Mountain . During the Western Han Dynasty, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty once sent messengers to set up an altar at the southern foot of Dawang Peak to worship the mountain god Wuyijun , hence the name of Wuyi Mountain. During the Tianbao reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty , Wuyi Mountain was named "Famous Mountain in the World". In the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, Wuyi Mountain was listed as the "Sixteenth Cave of the Heaven of Prosperity" among the thirty-six caves in the world. During the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhu Xi set up Wuyi Jingshe under the Wuqu Yinping Peak , where he taught for decades and carried forward Neo-Confucianism. The Yulinting area in the Song Dynasty was one of the main production areas for kilns , and there are still Yulinting kiln sites . In the Yuan Dynasty, there were imperial tea gardens in the Siqu area, and they paid tribute to Wuyi rock tea . In modern times, Dahongpao has become the best tea in the world.

In ancient times, Wuyi Mountain was said to have the victory of "three three six six", three three get nine, that is, nine curved streams; six six thirty-six, referring to thirty-six strange peaks. In addition, there are seventy-two caves, ninety-nine rocks, and one hundred and eight scenic spots. The modern scenic spots are divided into six scenic spots: Jiuquxi Scenic Spot, Wuyi Palace-Dawang Peak Scenic Spot, Yunwo-Tianyou Scenic Spot, Huxiaoyan Scenic Spot, Shuiliandong-Dahongpao Scenic Spot, Yulin Pavilion- Lotus Peak Scenic Area. [2]

From its establishment in 1979 to 2008, the Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area has received a total of 24.3 million tourists from home and abroad, including 1.911 million foreign tourists. [3] In 2011, Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area received 7.11 million Chinese and foreign tourists, and ranked first among the national 5A tourist attractions with a total tourism income of 12.26 billion yuan. [4]

From May 18, 2019, Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area will implement real-name ticket purchases. [5]

Famous as a natural landscape garden and a summer resort in China, Mount Wuyi attracts worldwide travelers every year. It sits on the border of Wuyishan City in Fujian Province and Yanshan County in Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province. In 1999, the part in Wuyishan City was included in the World Heritage List by UNESCO. In 2017, the northern range of Mount Wuyi in Yanshan County was added to the World Heritage List as well.

Located in the north of Fujian Province, China, the Wuyi area is famous for its unique geography – The Danxia Landform. This undulating and sometimes spiky landscape makes for phenomenal scenery but what’s more, it also creates an incredible environment for tea growing.

There are 36 peaks at the Wuyi Mountains, and 99 valleys are formed by these 36 peaks. Running through this, is the 9 Bend River, 九曲河. The peaks are not incredibly high, it could be a couple thousand feet in altitude, the annual average temperature is around 18 degrees celsius, it can dip to a few degrees in winter, and remains a cool 25 degrees in summer. Humidity is always over 80%, leaving the mountaineous peaks always easily shrouded in mist and fog.

Some place names:
You'll see '峰' (fēng; peak), '岩' (yán, cliff), 坑 (kēng) quite a bit. 
*三姑石 sān gū shí
* 悟源涧 wù yuán jiàn
* 马头岩 mǎtóu yán - horse head cliff
* 三花峰 sān huā fēng - three flower peak
* 九龙 jiǔlóng kē - 9 dragons nest
* 倒水坑 dào shuǐ kēng
* 天心岩 tiānxīn yán
* 杜辖寨 dù xiá zhài
* 大坑口 dà kēngkǒu
* 牛栏坑 niú lán kēng - cattle pen pit (valley?)
* 流香涧 liú xiāng jiàn
* 慧苑坑 huìyuàn kēng
* 竹窠 zhú kē
* 章堂涧 zhāng táng jiàn
* 鬼洞 guǐ dòng
* 丹霞嶂 dān xiá zhàng
* 燕子峰 yànzi fēng - swallow's peak
* 北斗峰 běidǒu fēng - north star peak
* 曼陀岩 màn tuó yán [famous for shuixian]
* 水帘洞 shuǐ lián dòng
* 桂林 guìlín
* 瑞泉岩 ruì quán yán
* 莲花峰 liánhuā fēng - lotus flower peak
* 三仰峰 sān yǎng fēng
* 双乳峰 shuāng rǔ fēng
* 天游峰 tiānyóu fēng
* 桃源洞 táoyuán dòng
* 北廊岩 běi láng yán
* 大王峰 dà wángfēng
* 九曲溪 jiǔ qū xī
* 虎啸岩 hǔ xiào yán - tiger's roar cliff
* 一线天 yīxiàn tiān
* 狮子峰 shīzi fēng - lion peak
* 马枕峰 mǎ zhěn fēng
* 白云岩 Baiyunyan

Regions / boundaries

The boundaries have been expanding, but if one were to take the most “historically correct” definition to cliff tea, the most orthodox and premium teas are strictly produced in a short 7.6km stretch, commonly known as the San Keng Liang Jian (Three Crevasses and Two Mountain Streams), which comprises of the Hui Yan Crevasse (Garden of Wisdom?), Niu Lan Crevasse(Cattle Pen), Daoshui Crevasse (Pouring Water), the two mountain streams, the Liu Xiang Jian (Flowing Fragrance), and the Wu Yuan Jian (Origin Enlightenment), and two “nests”, the Zhu Cao (Bamboo Nest) and the Jiu Long Cao (9 dragon nest).

Over the years, boundaries are challenged and expanded, and now Zheng Yan tea refers to tea that is being grown along the 9 bend river, and Half Yancha refers to tea that is being grown within the Wuyi Scenic Region. Due to the huge demand for Wuyi Teas, tea cultivation has expanded to the Chong An County and to other areas outside of the Chong An County. These are considered periphery tea from the outer regions. 


Specific areas
Take legends / origin stories of cultivars with handfuls of salt -


Keng (坑): Keng means a concave ground. It usually has only one or two exits. Tea mountain fields that named after “Keng” are typically narrow, crooked valleys with moderate elevation differences. Because a Keng doesn’t have one large flat field, tea plants are scattered in random places.
  • Niu Lan Keng (cattle pen pit/牛栏坑) (core region):
    Niu Lan keng https://oldwaystea.com/blog/2017/12/04/visit-niu-lan-keng
    Niu Lan keng https://oldwaystea.com/blog/2017/12/04/visit-niu-lan-keng
    China 2017, Niu Lan Keng - 75.jpg (251.18 KiB) Viewed 2864 times
    Niulankeng is a long and narrow valley with streams passing through it. In this ditch, naturally formed its own unique microclimate. The rocks on both sides are rich in vegetation, and many of them are primary forests. Every evening, a large number of birds can be heard chirping. It can be seen that clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and good ecology is the key to producing good tea. The litter and natural bird droppings from the mountain walls can provide soil nutrients. The rock debris dropped by the weathered rock on the side can not only increase soil permeability, but also contribute to the formation of rock rhythm.

    Shui Jin Gui Is native to this location.

    Another source:
    There is a path from the northeast of Tianxin Yongle Temple in Wuyi Mountain. A stream flows continuously in a narrow valley. This valley is Niulankeng. Although the name of Niulan Pit is earthy, it is well known in the Wuyi rock tea industry, and the cinnamon produced is dubbed "beef". There are several clusters of tea under the cliffs in many places in the pit, and there is a cluster of famous tea under the cliff, which is called "water beetle" (shu jing gui or Golden water turtle)

    Legendary story: The name of the water beetle (shu jin gui) was rumored in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, and its fame began in the late Qing Dynasty. In the early years of the Republic of China, it became famous because of lawsuits over tea trees, which cost thousands of dollars. Its mother tea tree is now planted on the lower half of the cliff of Dugezhai Peak in Niulankeng, which is owned by Languyan. The tree is native to the lower half of the rock of Dugezhai Peak, belonging to the Tianxin Temple. One day the heavy rain poured down, and the bank of the tea garden on the peak collapsed. The tea tree rushed to the half-rock recess of Niulankeng and stopped, and the mountain flowed into a ditch. , down the side of the tree. At that time, the owner of Langu Rock cut stone and set up steps outside the tree, built a stone enclosure, and dammed the soil to store it. A total of three trees were clustered in one place. Because it comes from water, it is named "water beetle". From 1919 to 1920, the owner of Langu Rock and the monk of Tianxinyan Temple caused a lawsuit for this tree, costing thousands of dollars, and the reputation of tea became evident. Of. Since then, the name of the water beetle has become famous, and it has been listed as one of the four famous clusters.

  • Dao Shui Keng (倒水坑) (core region): Diaoshuikeng is located between Niulankeng and Liuxiang Stream in the depths of Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area. The pit is deep and secluded, with good shading conditions. The trickle of seepage water at the bottom of the valley ensures the humidity of the Diaoshuikeng. In summer, the sunshine time is short, and in winter, the rock walls on both sides of the valley block the cold wind, which makes the temperature difference in the canyon relatively small.The soil in the pouring pit has good permeability, high potassium and manganese content, and moderate acidity. An appropriate amount of moss provides N content for the tea tree, which increases the freshness of the tea soup. The natural ecological environment provides Wuyi rock tea with a unique geographical environment.There are huge boulders on both sides of the pouring pit, and there is a natural canyon in the middle. The tea garden in the pouring water pit is in the middle of the canyon. The green tea trees are arranged in steps from high to bottom according to the terrain
  • Hui Yuan Keng (慧苑坑) (core region): Huiyuan pit belongs to the top stream of the core mountain field of Zhengyan Sankeng and two streams. Moreover, compared with Niulankeng, the mountain range of Huiyuankeng is obviously much larger. Entering from the entrance of the Shuiliandong parking lot, Zhangtangjian, Tianchajia, Feilaifeng, Yingzuiyan, Zhuhu, Gujing, and even the inner and outer ghost caves, etc., belong to the large area of ​​Huiyuankeng in a broad sense. From the perspective of aerial photography, the mountain field of Huiyuan looks like a large basin. It originated from Zhangtangjian near Tianjiao and flows through Huiyuan, which can adjust the humidity and temperature of the climate. Looking around, the pit is deep and long, the depth is long, the sunshine is short, there are many clouds and mists, and there is a lot of diffused light. The overall cool and humid Huiyuan pit is very conducive to the growth of tea trees.The microclimate is suitable and under abundant moisture, the narcissus, cinnamon, and famous cong in Huiyuankeng naturally contain abundant inner substance.

    Have been told this is the largest and core area of wuyi and has the oldest cultivar gardens.

    One source lists this as Origin of tieluo Han. The legend is described below. Another source says it is ghost cave.

    Legend: When it comes to the good tea from Huiyuan Keng, we have to talk about "Iron Arhat". According to legend, there is a long-standing Huiyuan Temple, which is located in the quiet Huiyuan pit, and the temple is full of incense. There is a monk named Jihui in Huiyuan Temple, specializing in tea picking and making skills. The tea he picks is fragrant, mellow and sweet, and when you sip your mouth, your eyes are clear. People around the temple like to drink the tea he made. He is dark and strong, and his body is large and burly, like an Arhat, and the villagers call him "Iron Arhat". One day, he found a tea tree in the crevice of the bee nest pit. The crown was tall and straight, the branches were sturdy and grayish-yellow, the buds and leaves were fluffy and soft as cotton, and it exuded an attractive fragrance. . He picked the young leaves and brought them back to the temple to make rock tea, and invited the neighbors to enjoy the tea together. Everyone asked, "What's the name of this tea?" He couldn't answer, so he had to tell what happened. After listening to it, everyone thought that he discovered the tea tree and made the tea, so this tea is called "Iron Arhat"! Since then, the legend of Tie Luohan has spread.Tie Luohan is the earliest name of Wuyi Mountain. According to the Qing Guo Bocang's "Fujian Luyi" (1886): "Tie Luohan is the name of Wuyi tree, Ye Chang... Laojunmei, Ye Hewei Yu, but many falsely called Iron Luohan. , Falling wicker, all are Song trees, and only one, with a small annual output." It is characterized by high bushes, lush growth, long and large leaves, and delicate and bright leaves. The leaf color is bright green, the leaf surface is flat, the leaf tip is bluntly curved and slightly drooping, the mesophyll is slightly wrinkled, the veins are thick and the serrations are blunt and slightly exposed. The color of dry tea is green, brown and oily, with a precious color, the ropes are thick and tight, and it looks like a narcissus at first glance; the aroma is rich and long; the soup color is clear and bright, deep orange; Strong, with the characteristics of freshness and sweetness; the bottom of the leaves is soft and bright, and the red edge is cinnabar. The top grade of Iron Arhat, with both floral and fruity fragrance.
  • Da Keng Kou (大坑口): There is a deep and long canyon leading to Tianxinyan, commonly known as Dakengkou. The road to Dahongpao Scenic Spot is built along Dakengkou. A section of rock valley from the entrance of the scenic highway to Tianxinyan is called Dakengkou.There are many scenic spots along the Dakengkou-Kowloon Nest. Entering from the mountain gate of the scenic highway, you will soon see the Maitreya Buddha statue. The Buddha statue is backed by a steep rock, and there is a giant word "Buddha" on the stone. Tianxin Yongle Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area, is also on this line. Dakengkou traverses from east to west and connects the water system of Tianxinyan and Chongyang River. Tea gardens are widely distributed on both sides of the pit, and it faces east and west. The tea fields on both sides lie quietly in the shadows of forests and mountains, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth. Dakengkou is the main stream of the stream in the area of ​​Jiulongchao, Diaoshuikeng and Tianxinyan. The water is abundant. The stream also brings fertile soil upstream. The soil is deep and the nutrients are sufficient. The tea trees planted do not need to be fertilized. The sun, air, moisture, soil, and tea are excellent.
Jian (涧): Jian refers to the small water stream in between two adjacent mountains. Because of Wuyi mountains’ unique landform, there are quite some weathered sedimentary rocks piled up along the water stream. In a Jian, the abundant water supply provides tea plants with a humid growing environment. Sunlight is never too strong here. In fact, mountains on the side can shield tea plants from direct sunlight even in the most scorching summer.
  • Wu Yuan Jian (悟源涧) (core region): Wuyuan Stream is located in the north of Wuyi Mountain and the southern foot of Matouyan, with an altitude of about 342 meters. Wuyuan Stream is a stream that flows through Matouyan in Wuyi Mountain. The small streams that flow from many peaks of Sanyang Peak in Wuyi Mountain converge to the Matouyan area to form a stream. This stream is Wuyuan Stream. The water of Wuyuan Stream flows through Lantang Village at the foot of Wharf Rock, joins Jiuqu Stream and Chongyang Stream, and finally pours into Min River.

    There is a stone path next to Wuyuan Stream. The three large stone characters "Wuyuan Stream" on the stone wall next to the stone path are very eye-catching. The path was built in the summer of the Bingshen year during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, and was jointly funded by the letter merchants and the abbot.

    Wuyuanjian is surrounded by steep rocks, with little direct sunlight. The inside of Wuyuanjian is shrouded in fog and the relative humidity is high. The soil of Wuyuanjian is mainly fine gravel soil with good permeability. As a result, the species in Wuyuan Stream are lush, with many unknown wild flowers, weeds and bushes, forming a good micro-domain ecosystem.

    Wuyuanjianshan Farm Tea Garden is distributed on both sides of Wuyuanjian stream.

  • Liu Xiang Jian (流香涧) (core region): The streams, springs and streams in the Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area all flow from west to east, towards the mouth of the gorge, and merge into the Chongyang River. Only Flowing Fragrance Stream originates from the North Valley of Sanyang Peak. .

    In fact, it is strange to say that the streams and springs in the Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area all flow from west to east, towards the mouth of the gorge, and merge into the Chongyang River. Only this mountain stream originates from the north valley of Sanyang Peak. Orchid, deep stream incense. Unable to leave, the pouring water pit was renamed "Liuxiangjian".

    From another source: The Ming Dynasty poet Xu Huotong traveled here and could not bear to leave, so he renamed the stream "Liuxiang Stream". As the mountain stream folds to the north, it is Qingliang Gorge. The cliffs on both sides of the gorge stand between the ravines. Looking up, the indented cliffs and rocks are on the verge of falling. There is only a gap left in the middle, and a ray of sunlight will only penetrate at noon. The water marks hanging on the stone wall turned into droplets of rock in an instant, falling into the stream, making a ding ding dong do

    The mountains, the waters, the rocks, the bones, the fragrant streams have a large height difference, the heights are scattered, the terrain is undulating, the peaks and peaks are stacked, and the landforms are more mountainous and less flat. In addition, the sandy land along the rivers and rivers in this area provides a good environment for tea trees to a large extent
  • Zhang Tang Jian (章堂涧): Zhangtangjian is located in the north of the scenic spot, separated by a mountain from Niulankeng. The scenic road directly leads to the water curtain cave, and it is also one of the tourist distribution centers. Tourists can visit the water curtain cave here, or from Zhangtang Going deep into the stream, to Huiyuankeng and Liuxiang Stream, are important passages for the tea tourism route of Wuyi Mountain. Shuilian Cave is the largest cave in the Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area. It is located on the north side of Zhangtang Stream.

Ke (窠): Ke originally means the burrow or nest of insects, birds and small animals. The terrain characteristics of a Ke is very similar to a Keng. However, a Ke is smaller and more diverse. Some Ke have water streams, and some are in cool and humid places.
  • Jiu Long Ke (九龙窠): The location of Kowloon Nest is where the Dahongpao mother tree is located in the Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area. Jiulongchai is a deep canyon, located on the south side of Niulankeng, roughly parallel to Zhangtang Stream and Niulankeng. There are continuous cliffs on both sides of the Jiulongyu Canyon. The nine rock peaks are shaped like nine giant dragons entrenched on both sides of the canyon. The canyon is like the cave of this giant dragon.

    Along the Jiulongyu Gorge to the east, you can reach Tianxinyan . Under Tianxinyan, there is Tianxin Yongle Temple , the largest Buddhist temple in Wuyi Mountain. Tianxin Yongle Temple was built in the Tang Dynasty. It is said that the Dahongpao mother tree in Jiulongjiao originally belonged to the temple property of Tianxin Yongle Temple.

    Jiulongchai is known as the Kingdom of Tea Trees. There are many ancient tea gardens in the Jiulongchao Gorge. The famous Wuyi Rock Tea Cong Garden is located in the Jiulongchao ValleyWuyishan Jiulong Yanyan Tea Mountain Farm has a mild climate, warm in winter and cool in summer. Between the peaks and ravines of the Jiulongyu Canyon, there are secluded streams and springs, and the mountains in the canyon are filled with clouds and mists all year round. Most of the Jiulongyu tea gardens are located in the valleys and ravines. There are mountains around the canyon as a barrier for the tea gardens. The sunshine is short and there is no wind damage.
  • Zhu Ke (竹窠): The bamboo nest is located on the west side of Liuxiang Stream, which is a natural mountain valley. Compared with the narrow and long mountain streams of the three pits and two streams, the bamboo nests are more low-lying and are dubbed the "cecum" of the three pits and two streams. The low-lying terrain condenses a lot of natural fertilizers and water, the soil is fertile, the water is sufficient, and it is sheltered from the wind and drained, and moss grows. 
Yun Ke(云窠)

Yan Zi Ke (燕子窠)

Feng Shu Ke (枫树窠)


Yan (岩): : A “Yan” means a rock. It’s essentially why Wuyi oolong is also called “Yan-Cha” or “Rock Tea”. It represents the most iconic terrain in Wuyi mountains. Tea fields named after “Yan” normally have fertile soils and plenty of sunlight. Tea plants grow here can acquire and generate plenty fragrance essences.
  • Ma Tou Yan (horse head rock/马头岩):
    Ma tou Yan https://oldwaystea.com/blog/2020/04/25/hike-to-ma-tou-yan
    Ma tou Yan https://oldwaystea.com/blog/2020/04/25/hike-to-ma-tou-yan
    ma tou yan2.jpg (264.68 KiB) Viewed 2865 times
    Matouyan, among the Zhengyan Mountain Fields, is a particularly large mountain field. Inside the huge Matouyan Mountain Field, there are many small mountain fields. For example, when entering the Horse Head Rock from the stone steps, climb to the top and suddenly see the light in front of you. That piece of flat land was named "Kaishanping" because it was the starting point for the cultivation of tea in the mountains. For another example, there is a place with a particularly pleasant name called "Peach Tree Nest".  There are also Maoershi, Leishiyan, Panlong Ridge, Gambling Ridge and so on. There are all kinds of them, big and small. In total, it is estimated that there are as many as dozens of them.

  • Bi Shi Yan (碧石岩): Bishiyan is one of the ninety-nine famous rocks in Wuyi Mountain. It is located in the west of Longfeng and the southeast of Lianhua Peak in the north of Wuyi Mountain. Bishiyan is the center of the north scenic spot of Wuyi Mountain. Bi Shiyan is 402.8 meters above sea level, with a relative height of 160.3 meters. Bishiyan is a north-south mountain, high in the north and low in the south, about 200 meters long. At the waist of Bishiyan, there is a Bishi Nunnery rebuilt during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, which has been partially destroyed and is now a tea making field.

    Bishiyan belongs to the higher altitude in Zhengyan tea area. It is connected to Mituo Rock in the front and Lianhua Peak in the back. There are mountain peaks in the front and back, so that Bishiyan tea trees not only enjoy their favorite diffused light, but also easily cause pollution. The dust blocks the mountain outside. The special microclimate environment of Bishiyan has created the special quality of rock tea in Bishiyan.

    Bishiyan is surrounded by chaotic rocks, decorated with mountain flowers, fresh and pleasing to the eye. The tea gardens around Bishiyan are contiguous, the tea trees are luxuriant, the branches are tall and straight, the leaves are dark green, and the aroma of tea is fragrant, which is intoxicating.

    Compared with the three pits and two streams in the core Zhengyan Mountain Field, the tea mountains in Bishiyan are relatively sunny, with long and sufficient sunshine hours. The southern part of Bishiyan is steep and the eastern wall has multiple layers along the joints. The top of the northern part of the rock mass is conical, the upper tip protrudes downward, there is a nest-shaped rock mass at the eastern foot, and there is a roughly north-south mountain in the east. The western rock is much shorter, a canyon is formed between the two rocks, and rock tea is widely planted in the valley.

    Bishiyan is rich in narcissus rock tea , especially famous for Bishiyan Laocong narcissus .

    The quality characteristics of Bishiyan Narcissus are that the dry tea strips are plump in shape and greenish-brown in colo

    Bishiyan Laocong Narcissus tea trees are at least 65 years old and covered with green moss from the trunk to the stem of the tea tree.
  • Fo Guo Yan (佛国岩): A large area north of Zhangtangjian in Wuyi Mountain Scenic Spot belongs to Foguo Rock and Amituoyan. From Shuiliandong, you turn a mountain, and it is not far from Foguo Rock. Amitabha Rock is located on the side of the huge and square Buddha Rock. Compared with it, it is delicate. People say it is a small Buddha statue sitting cross-legged on a futon, and it is called Amitabha Rock. This area is relatively flat, the traffic is also convenient, and it is also very close to Tianxin Yancha Village.The surrounding areas of Amituoyan and Foguoyan are lower in altitude, and the pits are not as deep as Zhengyan, but the environment and microclimate are also outstanding. The tea garden is relatively open as a whole, with sufficient light, and the soil is similar to Zhengyan, mainly acidic. This area has a large area of ​​tea planting and high output. It used to be a major source of export Wuyi rock tea . 

    With the re-division of the Wuyishan production area by national standards, this area also belongs to the Zhengyan production area, so the narcissus and cinnamon in this area have become the most cost-effective for Zhengyan tea with higher quality and more suitable price. select. This area has a large area of ​​tea planting and high output. It used to be a major source of export Wuyi rock tea . With the re-division of the Wuyishan production area by national standards, this area also belongs to the Zhengyan production area, so the narcissus and cinnamon in this area have become the most cost-effective for Zhengyan tea with higher quality and more suitable price. select. The Mingcong Golden Key is native to the Amitabha Rock.
Dong (洞): In Chinese, Dong usually means a “hole”. But here in tea mountains, Dong actually means caves. Caves have their own small climates because the water flow and the air flow differ from other “open environments”. Caves can maintain a relatively constant temperature. Tea plants also enjoy a shady and cool environment in caves.
  • Gui Dong (ghost cave/鬼洞):
    The ghost cave is hidden between the pouring water pit, the flame peak, the Huiyuan pit and the eagle mouth rock. The ghost cave is actually a narrow canyon, a long and narrow canyon from low to high along the northwest direction. The ghost cave is divided into ghost caves. Hewaiguidong, the so-called "hole" actually means "dongtian".

    Why is the ghost cave called the ghost cave? This is because the cliffs stand on both sides of the Ghost Cave Canyon. No matter day or night, the temperature inside the Ghost Cave is lower than the outside world. In addition, the topography and terrain of the Ghost Cave are unique. As a result, the Ghost Cave has only an air inlet and no air outlet, so that when the wind penetrates into the Ghost Cave Canyon When a backflow is formed, the entire canyon is whistling, as if ghosts are descending, giving people a terrifying feeling, hence the name Ghost Cave.

    The ghost cave is about 284 meters above sea level. The area of ​​the ghost cave is not large, and the area of ​​the inner ghost cave is only 3828 square meters.

    The birthplace of the iron arhat and white cockscomb among the four famous clusters of Wuyi rock tea is in the ghost cave. Note other sources suffer iron arhat arose from huai Yuan keng instead. See above.

    The tea trees of Guidong Rock Tea spread from high places to low places, and have been spreading out of the Guidong Valley. The Guidong tea trees include shrub-type tea trees and small tree-type tea trees.

    The rock walls on both sides of the Ghost Cave Canyon stand, covered with moss and ferns. The Ghost Cave Canyon is abnormally humid, shady, and inaccessible, but the soil is fertile, and the soil in the Ghost Cave Canyon contains a lot of gravel, loose soil, thick soil layer, air permeability In the history of Wuyi rock tea, some of the famous Wuyi varieties originated in the Ghost Cave Canyon, such as: Tie Luohan, White Cockscomb, Golden Luohan, Zuiguifei, Zuiguiji, Guan Gongmei, Red Cockscomb, Red Begonia, Red Rhododendron, Red Boy, Mountain Gardenia, Zheng Tai Yin, Zheng Sun, Yujing Liuxiang, Guoshanlong and other Wuyi famous clusters all originated from Guidong Mountain Field.
  • Shui Lian Dong (水帘洞):
    Google map
    Google map
    SmartSelect_20220904_192831_Maps.jpg (248.04 KiB) Viewed 2814 times
    Shuilian Cave is located to the north of Niulankeng, only one mountain away from Niulankeng, while Liuguanzhai, Foguoyan, and Mituoyan are located to the north of Shuiliandong.

    Shuilian Cave is the largest cave in Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area. The cave is relatively spacious and can accommodate thousands of people. The water curtain cave in Wuyi Mountain is formed by the depression of the softer part of the horizontal rock formation in Wuyi Mountain after being eroded by running water for a long time. Therefore, the water curtain cave in Wuyi Mountain is different from ordinary limestone caves. There is a mountain spring pouring down on the top of Shuilian Cave, forming a waterfall with a drop of more than 80 meters, like a jade curtain falling from the sky, hence the name of Shuilian Cave
.



Man Tuo Dong (曼陀洞)
  • Yu Hua Dong (玉华洞): Yuhua Cave, commonly known as Bat Cave, is located at the foot of Baihuayan in the north of the mountain. From the sixth district of Chachang, go southwest for about 2 kilometers to Yanxia. Yuhua Cave is a huge cave formed by the collapse of the rock wall. It is 120 meters wide, 20 meters deep, and about 50 meters high. Because the rock mass moves up and down, there is no wind and rain in the cave, and the rock mass remains white and reddish when it breaks, so it is called Yuhua Cave.

    Baisuixiang tea tree grows in the Yuhuadong area of ​​the core scenic area of ​​Wuyi Mountain

Feng (峰): Feng means mountain peak. In tea-making, Feng generally refers to the entire mountain. Depending on where exactly tea plants grow, teas from a “Feng” taste differently.
  • 狮子峰 shīzi fēng - lion peak: Lion Peak is one of the thirty-six peaks of Wuyi Mountain. It is about half a kilometer south of Yiquxi. Like a lion squatting with its mane raised. The terrain is high and the peak is tall and straight. It can be seen dozens of miles away. It seems to be a famous Taoist temple---the beast of the town of Chongyou Temple. Song scholar Xu Ji wrote a poem and praised it: "Holding his head up to the sky and occupying the door of the cave, the strange shape squatted and squatted. There were no jackals and tigers in the mountains, and the lonely ape was left to cry in the middle of the night."

Yu Zhu Feng (玉柱峰)
  • San Yang Feng (三仰峰): Sanyang Peak is located in Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area, with an altitude of 717.7 meters and a relative height of 482 meters. The highest peak in the scenic spot, Sanyang Peak, consists of three monoclinic rock formations. As the east side of the red layer rises and tilts westward, three peaks are formed, which looks like three red flags fluttering from a distance. Hence the name "Sanyang Peak".
    There are many scenic spots in Sanyang Peak. On the half wall of Xiaoyang Peak, there is a cave with a depth of four or five feet and a height of two and three feet. It is called "Bixiao Cave." Above the cave, there are five words "the highest point of Wuyi" written by Lin Pei in the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty.There is a well beside the cave, which is said to be Song Bai Yuchan's dan well. In the Qing Dynasty, Huiji Zhou Shifang once cultivated here. On the waist of Dayang Peak, there is a flat and square boulder, known as the chessboard stone. Legend has it that immortals played games here in the past.
    Sanyang Peak is surrounded by ancient trees, dense leaves and shades, and the scenery along the way is charming and winding paths lead to seclusion. It is located in the north of Qiqu River.
Lian Hua Feng (莲花峰)
  • Ma Zhen Feng (马枕峰): (Purported Origin of rougui in wuyi by one source:


    Mazhen Peak is one of the thirty-six peaks of Wuyi Mountain. It is located in the south of Lanshi Peak. This peak is at the southernmost edge of the Wuyi Mountain National Scenic Spot. From a macro point of view, the whole peak is like a huge screen covering the southern end of the whole mountain, and it is also like a giant pillow in the shape of a horse in the Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area. ". The main varieties of Wuyi Mountain are narcissus and cinnamon. Narcissus is an imported variety, and cinnamon is indeed an indigenous variety of Wuyi Mountain, and its origin is in the area of ​​Mazhen Peak. Since the 1960s, due to its special quality, it has gradually been recognized by people, and the planting area has expanded year by year. , Xiangshengyan, Baihuayan, Zhuhu, Bishi, Jiulonghu and other places, and vigorously breed and promote it. Since the 1980s, it has won many national-level famous tea awards and has now become the leading variety in Wuyi rock tea. As the birthplace of cinnamon, Mazhen Peak has a suitable environment for cinnamon to grow. There are many surrounding peaks. Most of the tea trees grow in the middle of the mountain. Rock's "horse meat".
Man Ting Feng (幔亭峰)


Wo (窝): The literal meaning of “Wo” is a nest. But in tea-making, Wo means a “sunken ground”. This might sound similar to a “Keng”. Nevertheless, a “Keng” has at least one or two entry points, but a “Wo” is surrounded by mountains. If we look from the mountain top, it’s like a giant “nest” sits below. A “Wo” terrain can greatly protect tea plants from natural disasters such as spring frostbites. In extreme weather, tea plants inside a “Wo” are guarded by mountains. No hard winds can blow through, and no cold air can infiltrate. Because of Wo’s protection, tea plants can freely grow without natural or human interference.
  • Yun Wo (云窝): Yunwo is located under the rock on the west wall of Jiesun Peak, surrounded by Xiangsheng Rock, Danlu Rock, Xianji Rock, Tianzhu Peak, Changing Terrace, and Cangping Peak. Here the boulders stand against the rocks, the back rocks are facing the water, and it is located in the essence of Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area.

    Cloud Nest is located between Yinping Peak, Tianyou Peak and Jiuqu River. It is named after the clouds and mists in the morning. The Northern Song Dynasty Youyou built a house here, named Shuiyunliao. Jiang Zhi, a native of the Northern Song Dynasty, also built Shugui Jingshe here. After Chen Xing, the minister of the Ministry of War in the Ming Dynasty , was dismissed from office, he built a grass cottage in Youxi on the site of Shugui Jingshe, and left a large number of cliff stone carvings


References


https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attrac ... i-shan.htm

https://www.zhentea.ca/wuyi-yancha-rock-tea/

https://www.teachat.com/viewtopic.php?t=22372

https://www.valleybrooktea.com/post/tea ... nvironment

https://www.kyarazen.com/wuyi-cliff-tea-part-1/

https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/337434948?utm_id=0

https://www.chaxu.com/zixun/chazhishi/wuyuanjian

https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/343689761?utm_id=0

https://www.chaxu.com/zixun/chazhishi/m ... aoshuikeng

https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/463840666?utm_id=0

https://www.chaxu.com/zixun/chazhishi/m ... ng-guidong

https://www.chaxu.com/zixun/chazhishi/s ... ong-yancha

https://m.dhpao.com/zhuke/

https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E4%BA%91%E7%AA%9D/6682349

https://www.chayu.com/baike/460

https://www.chaxu.com/zixun/chazhishi/m ... -jiulongke

https://www.chayu.com/baike/458

https://m.dhpao.com/dakengkou/

https://www.chaxu.com/zixun/chazhishi/s ... g-bishiyan

https://www.xiguatea.com/portal/page/index.html?id=23

https://m.0951njl.com/fujianlvyou/nanpi ... 22971.html

https://zh.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%AD% ... C%E5%8C%BA
https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/102274447?utm_id=0

Publications:

"Wuyi Landscape" by Yong Wanli, Haichao Photography Art Publishing House
《武夷山水》雍万里著,海潮摄影艺术出版社



"Famous Mountain Lingya - Wuyi Rock Tea" Ye Qitong, editor-in-chief, China Agricultural Publishing House
《名山灵芽——武夷岩茶》叶启桐主编,中国农业出版社
Last edited by LeoFox on Tue Oct 25, 2022 5:01 am, edited 36 times in total.
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Bok
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Wed Aug 31, 2022 10:12 am

Nice one!
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teatray
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Wed Aug 31, 2022 11:04 am

As most of these are not on Google Maps, here's one more to help visualize where the San Keng Liang Jian are within the Wuyi Scenic Resort (I added the [hopefully correct] Roman labels).

Dao Shui Keng is here on Google Maps
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Andrew S
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Wed Aug 31, 2022 5:52 pm

Thanks to LeoFox (and all others who contribute) for putting this together.

I am very far from understanding the different sub-regions, but it is something that I'd like to learn more about (as well as cultivars, processing, growing conditions and tea bush age; so, lots to learn).

It feels like yancha is a bit like Burgundy; small region, high prices, lots of small sub-regions with different characteristics, and many small producers and individual farmers. All of that can make them both interesting and difficult to learn about.

(Old Ways Tea also has a few articles and photos if you want to add them to the list: https://oldwaystea.com/tea-info)

Andrew
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LeoFox
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Fri Sep 02, 2022 2:31 pm

I'm gonna stop updating for a while. Losing some momentum, hahaha. I feel I've gotten some info here about most of the main places we see from the online shops
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LeoFox
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Sun Sep 04, 2022 2:20 pm

Andrew S wrote:
Wed Aug 31, 2022 5:52 pm


(Old Ways Tea also has a few articles and photos if you want to add them to the list: https://oldwaystea.com/tea-info)

Andrew
They didn't have much info but I used a few of their photos
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