Did you know ?
Among the most prestigious teas in the world, Da Hong Pao, literally “Great Red Dress”, sits at the pinnacle of excellence.
This Chinese oolong tea, grown in the Wuyi Mountains, is famous for its scarcity, fascinating story and incomparable aromatic richnessA true treasure of Chinese heritage, it has reached record prices, Including 1998When 20 grams of leaves from the mother tea plants were sold for 1,2 million US dollars, making him the most expensive tea in the world.
Origins and Legends: a tea bathed in mystery
The history of Da Hong Pao dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), although some sources suggest that it may have already been cultivated under the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Several legends surround this mythical tea, giving it a almost sacred dimension.
The Emperor and the Red Robe
According to the most famous legend, a young student on his way to the imperial examinations fell seriously ill while crossing the Wuyi Mountains. He was taken in by monks of a monastery, who gave him an infusion prepared from a mysterious tea. After drinking this precious decoction, the student miraculously recovered.
Grateful, he later went to the imperial court, where he was appointed a senior official. Eager to thank the monks, he made bring back leaves from the miraculous tea plant to the emperor. He, convinced of its curative virtues, ordered that the tea plants be protected and made drape in rich red fabrics around them, in homage to their exceptional power. This is how the tea was named "Da Hong Pao", the “Big Red Dress”.
Another version tells that a Ming emperor, having seen his mother healed thanks to this infusion, ordered that these tea plants be exclusively reserved for the imperial family, thus reinforcing its prestige and its almost mystical character.
An exceptional tea: why is it so precious?
1. Extreme rarity
Da Hong Pao comes from six ancestral mother tea trees, perched on the rocky cliffs of the Wuyi Mountains. These tea plants, several centuries old, produce only a tiny quantity of leaves. The last commercial harvest took place in 2005, before the Chinese government declared these trees protected national treasure, thus prohibiting any future exploitation.
Today, only a few dozen grams Leaves from these tea plants are offered to dignitaries or auctioned at astronomical prices.
2. An unmatched price
Due to this rarity, Da Hong Pao holds the record for most expensive tea in the world. In 1998, at an auction in Guangzhou, 20 grams of this legendary tea were awarded for 1,2 million US dollars, About $60 per gram.
3. Rigorous artisanal manufacturing
Da Hong Pao belongs to the category of oolong teas, semi-oxidized, located between the green tea and black tea. Its transformation is a ancestral art, requiring a meticulous craftsmanship :
- Hand harvest, sheet by sheet.
- Sun drying, to preserve essential oils.
- Roasting on charcoal, which gives it its woody, floral and honeyed notes, accompanied by a touch of cocoa and dried fruits.
This traditional method is what gives Da Hong Pao its deep taste and exceptional length in the mouth.
A unique taste experience
Tasting a real Da Hong Pao is a exceptional sensory experience. Its infusion offers a amber liqueur, to complex aromas, oscillating between precious woods, orchids, sweet spices and ripe fruits. Its taste, at the same time intense and velvety, leaves in the mouth a warm and enveloping feeling, almost mystical.
Modern production and reinterpretations
Faced with the scarcity of mother tea plants, cuttings were taken and cultivated elsewhere in the Wuyi Mountains to produce more accessible versions of Da Hong Pao. Although these descendants cannot match the aromatic depth of the leaves from the original tea plants, they remain highly sought after by tea lovers.
An imperial legacy still alive
More than just a tea, the Da Hong Pao current is a symbol of Chinese imperial refinement and centuries-old mastery of teaIts prestige, its fascinating history and its taste qualities make it a jewel of world gastronomy. Today, he remains a exceptional product, reserved for connoisseurs and lovers of rarities, an elixir that continues to inspire dreams beyond centuries and borders.
Moreover, the Wuyi Mountains are famous for their prestigious oolong teasAs Da Hong Pao, but also teas Wuyi Yancha (rock teas) because the mineral composition of the cliff soils gives teas deep and complex flavors, rich in trace elements beneficial for health. Indeed, Wuyi Mountain tea is known for its antioxidant, digestive, relaxing and energizing properties.
Yasmine Maylin
