As spring warms the mountains and tea buds begin to sprout, the tea-seeking journey of Tongxin She Tea House once again ventures deep into the regions south of the Yangtze River. This time, we travel to Anji in Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, in search of the unique jade-white delicacy exclusive to spring — Anji White Tea. Many refer to it simply as “white tea,” yet only by visiting its place of origin, walking its tea mountain soil, and listening to local tea farmers can one truly understand the strict standards and exceptional natural gifts behind the saying: Not all white tea is Anji White Tea.
Spring in Anji is not marked merely by a turn of the calendar, but by the tender white shoots quietly emerging from the core tea-growing area of Hengkengwu. As spring breeze sweeps over the rolling tea hills, tea trees dormant through winter gradually awaken. Only the rare “Baiye Yihao” (White Leaf No.1) cultivar unfolds its extraordinary grace under the warm spring sun. When young buds first bloom, their leaves are like white jade, with veins resembling emerald silk. The delicate shoots, wrapped in morning dew, are treasures nurtured by nature over time. This distinctive albinism is rarely seen in ordinary tea trees, and it is precisely this trait that creates Anji White Tea’s rare, elegant character, making it stand out among all types of tea.
At first mention, most people are misled by the name and assume it belongs to white tea among the six major categories of Chinese tea. Yet the real distinction lies in this very contrast. White teas from Fujian — such as Fuding, Zhenghe, and Songxi white teas — are genuinely white teas, produced through light fermentation. Anji White Tea, despite bearing the word “white” in its name, is actually a rare treasure among green teas. Made from the precious Baiye Yihao cultivar using traditional green tea processing, it is, simply put, green tea made from white leaves, fundamentally different from Fujian white teas. This uniqueness is an exclusive mark shaped by both geography and cultivar.
According to the national standard Geographical Indication Product — Anji White Tea (GB/T 20354), authentic Anji White Tea must meet two strict requirements: it must be grown within Anji County, and must use only the Baiye Yihao cultivar. Neither condition can be omitted. These rigorous standards preserve the pure essence of Anji White Tea, allowing every leaf to carry the unique character of Anji’s landscape.
Baiye Yihao, a special mutant variety successfully developed in the early 1980s, is unparalleled among green tea cultivars. Its emergence has not only changed people’s traditional perception of green tea but also solved the long-standing problem of bitterness in conventional green teas.
The Chinese people deeply love green tea, which accounts for nearly half of China’s tea consumption. However, the natural bitterness of traditional green tea has long been a regret for tea lovers — enjoying its fresh flavor while enduring its sharp taste. Anji White Tea elegantly resolves this age-old dilemma: it is fresh, mellow, and sweet, with almost no bitterness, greatly inspiring consumer enthusiasm.
Its “white” name comes from its extraordinary cultivar, Baiye Yihao. In just a few words, two essential standards are defined: origin and cultivar.
We arrived just in time for Anji White Tea’s most precious harvesting season. Harvested only once a year, its prime picking window lasts merely around 10 days around Qingming Festival. From late March to mid-to-late April, within only 20 to 30 days, Anji White Tea reaches its most splendid stage.
Why only 20 days?
Because of its unique albinism. As spring temperatures rise, new shoots lack chlorophyll production and appear jade-white. During this period, amino acid content in the leaves surges to its peak — three to four times higher than in ordinary green tea. As temperatures continue to climb, leaves gradually turn green again, and the distinctive freshness fades. This is a race against time, a limited feast bestowed by nature.
Before dawn breaks, elderly tea-picking women shoulder bamboo baskets and walk up the mountains through morning dew. Bent at the waist, they search for plump, healthy buds. Their fingers stained green by tea sap, they skillfully avoid every insect-bitten flaw. Four and a half jin (2.25 kg) of fresh leaves yield only one jin (0.5 kg) of dried tea. This is why pre-Qingming Anji White Tea is so highly valued.
After traveling throughout Anji’s mountains and waters to find these jade-like spring buds, Tongxin She remains committed to a simple belief: great tea is not a mass-produced commodity, but a harmony between nature and craftsmanship.
One cup of Anji White Tea in the afternoon disperses restlessness; sipped slowly at night, it calms the soul. On a desk at work, it is a spring of inspiration. Shared with a close friend, it expresses silent understanding. Given to someone important, it embodies the Eastern philosophy — A friendship between gentlemen is as pure as water.
One drink tastes the spring of Jiangnan; half a cup nourishes the heart with gentle serenity.
From the tea mountains of Anji, Huzhou, to the tea tables of Tongxin She, we travel across landscapes to preserve this purity. Without compromise, we strictly follow origin and cultivar standards, selecting only the finest pre-Qingming tea from core growing areas, so that every tea lover may taste the grace of Jiangnan spring and the pure freshness of nature.
There are thousands of teas in the world, and many kinds of white tea. But only in Anji, only from Baiye Yihao, can such jade-white, vein-green, refreshingly sweet tea be born.
Tongxin She will continue seeking fine teas, bringing this piece of Jiangnan spring intact into your teacup — honoring the mountains, honoring craftsmanship, and honoring every tea lover’s expectation.