May 2026
Jian'ou Oolong Tea from Song Gui Fei
Although Wuyi Rock Tea is by far the most famous of Northern Fujian's oolongs, just an hour's drive away lies Jian'ou, a city with an equally deep tea heritage that remains largely unknown outside China. Jian'ou was the home of Bei Yuan, the Song Dynasty's foremost imperial tribute tea garden — and it is the birthplace of the Ai Jiao (Dwarf) Oolong cultivar, the genetic ancestor of Taiwan's beloved Qing Xin Oolong and Dong Ding, as well as Shui Xian, one of the most famous oolong cultivars in Fujian. We chose to feature Jian'ou oolong tea precisely because of this hidden significance: teas that shaped the oolong world, yet rarely get the spotlight. We are honored to collaborate with Song Gui Fei（宋贵妃）, flagship brand of Jian'ou Jingxiangsi Tea Trade Co., Ltd, whose master Huang Shengcan is a recognized inheritor of the intangible Bei Yuan Imperial Tea-Making Craftsmanship and an officially recognized Jian'ou City Tea Craftsman. The four oolongs he has chosen for this box span trees ranging from 30 to 100 years old, each crafted using traditional charcoal-roasting methods passed down through generations. Together they represent a wide range of tree ages, varieties, terroir, and roast levels. For those familiar with Wuyi Rock Tea, these four selections offer a fascinating point of comparison — same region, shared heritage, and yet a character entirely their own.
