West Lake Longjing Tea from Long Wu
Before we talk about Long Wu, let's roughly go over classification of Longjing tea by its regions that helps to understand the general regional classification. And it is more easily to understand what the Long Wu Longjing tea is.
Longjing teas on the market are regionally divided into West Lake Longjing, Qiantang Longjing, Zhejiang Longjing and other Longjing.
West Lake Longjing
West Lake(Xihu) Longjing, as the name implies, is Longjing tea within the production area of West Lake District of Hangzhou City. Among the production area of West Lake District, it is again divided into primary district and secondary district. The primary district includes the area of Shi Feng, Longjing Village, Yun Xi, Hu Pao and Mei Jia Wu. Long Wu is located in the secondary district, the Longjing tea from Long Wu is definitely West Lake Longjing tea, although it is not from primary district.
Ironically, only countable people have chance to taste the Longjing tea from the primary district because of the low yield. A portion of the primary harvest has to be officially imposed, and rest of it is really really pricey, not a regular individual can afford it.
It is not that secondary tea quality cannot be comparable to the primary quality. The fact is that some West Lake Longjing teas from secondary areas have better taste than the some from primary areas, it is because they are in the same city, in the same municipal district, West Lake District. Can anyone tell the difference of the climate and the environment in a same district of a city? For sure that the difference is insignificant in human palates.
Qiantang Longjing
Qiantang Longjing refers to the extension in the West Lake District of Hangzhou, but still in the Hangzhou area, such as Fu Yang, Jian De and including counties of Xiao Shan, Yu Hang and etc. Qiantang Longjing is an extension of West Lake Longjing tea, its shape and taste is still somewhat different from the West Lake Longjing, because of the minor environmental change and the tea making process factors.
Zhejiang Longjing
Zhejiang Longjing of course refers to the Longjing tea from outside of hangzhou area, but still in the Zhejiang province. (Hangzhou is capital city of Zhejiang province) Since the different terrains of these places, their Longjing teas are slight various, and each of them has its own characteristics and relatively confusing. Dafo Longjing tea from Xincang and Wu Niu Zao Longjing tea is relatively characteristic, their shapes are very beautiful, short and strong looking, but light in taste. Of course, according to the quality, they are superb, but the taste cannot compete with West Lake Longjing tea.
Other Longjing
Other Longjing tea refers to any other Longjing teas from outside of Zhejiang Province. Nowadays, there are many farmers started to raise Longjing #43 in other regions outside of Zhejiang, due to the popularity of Longjing tea, imitating the Longjing tea making process from Zhejiang.
The largest West Lake Longjing tea farm – Long Wu
In the southwest of Hangzhou, there is a hidden source of exotic place – Long Wu Scenery. The million acres of vast tea farm is screened by clouds and fog all year-round, with the rolling terrains, ridge upon ridge. People drink Longjing green tea recognize Mei Jia Wu or Shi Feng, but very few people recognize Long Wu. In fact, Long Wu is one of largest West Lake Longjing tea source reserves in Hang Zhou. In spite of the price of West Lake Longjing from Long Wu is relatively less expensive than from Mei Jia Wu, the quality is roaring.
Long Wu is a little distance from the downtown of Hangzhou city, about 15 kilometers. The western side of Long Wu Village is mainly covered by the Natural Forest Preservation of Da Dou Mountain and Xiao Dou Mountain. The south and north are a large area of tea farms that covers about the area of 14,000 acres. The total spring tea production of past years reaches 180 tons averagely in Long Wu. It is known as the largest tea village, is a preserved “West Lake Longjing” tea farm by Hang Zhou municipal government, and it is also an important part of the Bai Long Tan Scenery of Long Wu Town in West Lake District. In November 2005, Long Wu was awarded a demonstration point for rural tourism in Hangzhou By the Hangzhou Tourism Commission.
Tea from West Lake is very reputable out there. Here, Long Wu, the tea trees are all over in this area, the air is surrounded by the fragrance of natural tea. Longjing #43 and Old Longjing cultivars are majorly farmed in this huge land from fields to mountainsides and mountaintops. The Old Longjing, the most traditional and original cultivar of West Lake Longjing tea, is sprouting later than Longjing 43, has stronger flavor, dryer and longer sweet lasting, is the most preferable Longjing to those sophisticated Longjing lovers.
Every year from late February, tea gathering workers are assembled and waiting for the first flush tea gathering fight to start. Longjing 43 is usually started to sprout at this time, and it grows quite quick. Time is very important to these workers, they are seemingly racing with time, because if they gathered sprouts one day later, the tea leaves would be valued less expensive.
Long Wu, here with lesser tourists, not prosperous and busy as Mei Jia Wu and Longjing Village, but has only tea farms all over fields and mountain sides in a clean natural environment. Stars in the dark sky are even brighter than the other side of the city. Here is also an ideal place for hiking, camping, fishing or barbecue during the holiday trips from city.
Long Wu Village retains the original ecological forest resources, near Xishan National Forest Preservation Park. In recent years, characteristic local living exploration is opened to public, that people visiting for explanation live with local farmers to experience and enjoy their lives under beautiful sunrise and sunset. In this exotic land, people have chance to explore the living of being tea farmers. Not only we can pick our own tea, but also can explore the local farmhouse daily living.
Long Wu is in unparalleled beauty on drizzling days. People going by are feeling like moving objects in a phantom picture looming ahead through the haze. It is so relaxing with a cup of tea in such beautiful day. Long Wu is born for West Lake Longjing tea to serve our public.
