Yi Hong Gongfu Tea: Embarking on a Journey from Its Birthplace

Published by George Hu.

22th October 2023.

From September 23rd to 26th, the 12th China Wuhan International Tea Industry Expo was held fervently, with Yichang Tea Group making a special appearance. The new product line “Pin Yun” of Yi Hong Gongfu Tea was launched, attracting immediate attention. “Unique aroma, very distinctive!” “The color and taste remain so good even after 10 infusions, it's rare!”… A large number of tea enthusiasts came to taste. After learning about the story of Yi Hong Gongfu Tea, they praised it highly. The on-site sales and business cooperation atmosphere were lively.

The Pin Yun series of Yi Hong Gongfu Tea is a representative work developed by Yichang Tea Group. Its raw materials are selected from fresh leaves of Yi Hong high-standard tea gardens, refined and blended through historical heritage and intangible cultural heritage techniques, presenting the classic flavor of English Royal Black Tea. “Yun, the pinnacle of beauty.” One sip is fresh, the second sip is sweet, and the third sip lingers with a graceful charm. “Amber golden soup, honey-like sweet aroma” - the Pin Yun series of Yi Hong Gongfu Tea, after brewing, perfectly showcases the exquisite qualities of Yi Hong Gongfu Tea’s aroma. It also embodies the profound beauty of Chinese tea culture and tea aesthetics, leaving a lasting impression.

The Hundred-Year Yihong Gongfu Tea, profound in essence, embodies enduring significance

Yihong tea, also known as Yihong Gongfu tea, originated from the Yichang region over a hundred years ago. It earned its name due to its highly complex production process, technical expertise, and time-consuming nature. Yihong Gongfu tea, alongside “Qihong” and “Dianhong,” is renowned as the “Three Great Gongfu Black Teas of China.” Recorded in the “Hubei Tea Industry Trade Records,” during the reign of Emperor Daoguang (1821-1850), Guangdong tea merchant Jun Dafu led a group of skilled craftsmen from Jiangxi to Wufeng Yuyangguan to teach them the techniques of harvesting and producing red tea. They set up tea plantations for the acquisition of refined red tea, which was then transported and exported from Hankou to Guangzhou.

In the tea-trading hub of Hankou, Yihong Gongfu tea, with its exceptional craftsmanship and rich character, ignited its illustrious origins. It gained international fame along the Silk Road and became known as the pinnacle of royal tea consumption. Yihong Gongfu tea crossed the ocean and became Queen Victoria’s birthday tea, a tale that added to its reputation. Yihong Gongfu tea hence became synonymous with high-quality red tea from the mysterious Orient. As one of the Three Great Gongfu Black Teas of China, Yihong Gongfu tea stands apart from Qihong and Dianhong by its earlier creation, predating them by half a century or even more than a hundred years.

The Authentic Flavor of Yihong Tea, Derived from These Secrets

Good mountains and pristine waters yield exquisite tea. A leaf of golden hue is truly nature’s gift. The magical 30 degrees north latitude is renowned as the world’s golden tea-producing belt, and the production region of Yihong Gongfu tea is located nearby. With over 20 counties (municipalities) in Hubei and Hunan provinces surrounding the Wuling Mountains and Daba Mountains, this area is a historically famous tea region in China. The Wuling Mountains have an average elevation of over 1,000 meters, belonging to the semi-mountainous zone with a forest coverage rate reaching 95%.

The mist-shrouded Yangtze River system and the mountainous environment create a “treasure land” with suitable temperatures and a long frost-free period. The region benefits from high accumulated temperatures and abundant rainfall. Coupled with the predominant mountain yellow-brown soil, which has appropriate acidity and alkalinity, deep soil layers, and abundant organic matter content. The excellent climatic conditions and ecological environment in the Yihong tea production region are highly conducive to the growth of tea trees. They also facilitate the accumulation of flavor substances and aromatic compounds in the tea leaves. Thanks to the unique conditions bestowed by nature, tea craftsmen inherit the classics and combine traditional techniques with modern methods to create a new style of red tea that meets the demands of modern consumers.

Good tea yields a good infusion. Yihong Gongfu tea exhibits a bright and elegant amber-colored liquor in the teacup. The golden ring spreading from the edge of the cup, along with the authentic flavor that Yihong tea should possess, all exemplify the noble quality of Yihong Gongfu tea.

Setting Forth with a Halo

In the flowing river of history, the brand aura of Yihong Gongfu Tea shines like a golden halo around a cup, enduring the test of time and growing ever more brilliant. With the evolving trends towards a high-quality lifestyle and health-conscious living, in recent years, the number of Yihong tea enthusiasts has surged, and their reputation has soared. Yihong Tea has gained recognition not only from customers and tea merchants in many overseas countries and regions but also holds the prestigious status of being among the first 100 geographical indication products in China, as well as a protected brand by the European Union.

In October 1988, the esteemed tea scholar, tea educationist, and tea-making expert Chen Chuan visited the Yidu Tea Factory (now known as Hubei Yihong Tea Industry Co., Ltd.), where he left a message for the factory: “Enhance quality, reduce costs, increase foreign exchange earnings, and bring glory to the nation.” He awarded Yihong Tea a second-tier evaluation, praising it for its “uniform appearance, pure aroma, golden-hued liquor, and rich flavour.”

In 2018, Yihong Tea was honored with the title of “World Classic Black Tea” by the International Tea Committee. On August 2, 2022, following the establishment of the Yichang Tea Group, the centralized management of the Yichang tea brand was initiated, with a dedicated effort to polish this historical gem to shine even brighter and more brilliantly.

Guarding the Source, Continuing the Century-Long Brilliance

In the year 2023, stepping into the high-standard ecological tea gardens nestled in Wangjiafan Town, Yidu City, one is greeted by distinctive signage bearing the mark of modern agricultural industry, set against the backdrop of lush green hills merging seamlessly with the tea plantations. Following the winding paths through the tea gardens, one arrives at an observation deck, where the panoramic view of picturesque villages and the charming rural ambiance unfold before your eyes. Such breathtaking beauty keeps visitors enchanted and reluctant to leave.

Venturing into the Qinggangling Ecological Tea Gardens in Yufeng Tujia Autonomous County’s Yuyangguan Town, the nationally renowned AAAA scenic spot of Chaibu River Grand Canyon and the pristine national-level forest of Houhe accompany the journey. The ongoing efforts to standardize ecological practices in the tea gardens are as vigorous as the surrounding landscape. Varieties of tea plants continue to be replaced and improved, and meticulous management proceeds in an orderly fashion.

Entering the tea gardens of Dengcun Tea Tourism Town, which is adjacent to the nationally protected Dalaoling Nature Reserve, with an 80% forest cover and sprawling over thousands of acres in Yiling District, one encounters a glass walkway that winds through tea plantations, enveloped by the 360° embrace of verdant hills. At your feet, the tea bushes stretch as far as the eye can see, and the mist-clad mountains in the distance create an otherworldly atmosphere. The Tea Mountain Park showcases the grandeur of the “Tree of Life” and the enduring, sweet aroma of tea.Yihong Gongfu Tea, embarking anew from its place of origin, carries the essence of nature, and exudes the rich oriental charm. With a bountiful harvest in the year, the autumn waters brew a garden filled with fragrance. More exciting additions to the Yihong Gongfu Tea collection will soon be available on various online and offline platforms, including Tmall, Tik Tok, and Teahouse City. We cordially invite you to savor the “Century-Old Memories in a Cup”!

Tea deep processing business:

As the main product of Yichang Tea Group 's deep processing plate, tea concentrate currently has black tea, green tea, oolong tea, flower tea and other categories. High-quality raw materials are selected, extracted and concentrated by high-tech extraction and concentration, with excellent quality and green health, It can be added to any food that needs tea flavour, such as tea beverage series, juice, candy and so on.

Tea intensive processing business

Instant tea: primary leaves are selected from the national high-quality tea producing areas, and deeply processed by modern high-tech. The products are widely used in tea drinks, dietary supplements, catering drinks and other fields. The tea has strong fragrance and mellow taste, which can be widely used in food formulation.

Matcha powder: products are made from high-quality Matcha raw materials by traditional steam bleaching and stone grinding. The appearance is green, delicate and fragrant. Products are widely used in all kinds of baked bread, cake, biscuit, moon cake and other foods, as well as dairy products, cold food, bean products, beverages, health food, daily chemical products and many others.

About Yichang Tea Group:

Yichang Tea Group Co., Ltd. (Yicha Group), founded in July 2022, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Angel Group, with a registered capital of 300 million yuan. With capital as the link, Yichang Tea Group integrates local tea industry resources in a market-oriented way and further improves industrial concentration and market competitiveness to build an industry leading enterprise.

Premium tea business:

Yichang Group gradually holds Yihong, Caihua, Xiao’s and other well-known local tea enterprises and integrates local tea resources to form an overall advantage. We will improve the layout of green tea, black tea and other popular and high-end famous tea product lines. And the company uses and integrates the existing channels of Angel Group and the original channels for purchasing tea enterprises to continuously promote the sales in the provincial market, and on this basis, takes advantage of the opportunities to expand the market outside the province and overseas famous and high-quality tea market.

For more media information, please contact:

Yichang Tea Group

Yichang, Hubei, China

Jimmy Fu

Tel.: +86 15207201087

Email: fujh@angelyeast.com

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