In March, Yixing’s spring breeze sweeps across the tea mountains and purple clay soil, awakening the most precious spring flavor of the year.
Tongxin Tea House plans to embark on this spring journey, traveling to the core tea-growing areas of Yixing, in search of limited first-pick Yangxian Xueya, bringing this unique early spring freshness and mellowness to every tea lover.
When people mention Yixing, they all know the fame of Zisha teapots. Few realize that this land, which nurtures countless fine Zisha treasures, is also home to a famous historical tea with a thousand-year heritage: Yangxian Xueya.
Known as “Yangxian” in ancient times, Yixing has long been a famous tea town in the south of the Yangtze River. As early as the Tang Dynasty, Yangxian tea was designated as a tribute tea, praised by the verse:
“Before the Emperor tastes Yangxian tea, all other plants dare not bloom.”
Yangxian Xueya stands out as the finest green tea of Yixing, a rare treasure in spring.
The rarity of first-pick Yangxian Xueya is determined from its very source.
As the first green tea picked each spring, only the single buds or one-bud-one-leaf shoots that sprout after winter are selected. Plump, covered in fine hairs, each leaf concentrates all the nutrients stored by the tea tree through the cold season.
With an extremely short picking period and low yield, only a tiny amount of premium raw leaves remain after careful manual selection. This “first freshness of early spring” is truly rare and hard to come by.
This exceptional freshness and richness come from Yixing’s unique growing environment.
The core production area of Yangxian Xueya lies in the southern hills of Yixing, at the border of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui. Facing Taihu Lake to the east and extending from the Tianmu Mountains to the south, it is surrounded by misty mountains, high forest coverage, abundant diffused light, and great temperature differences between day and night.
These conditions allow tea trees to slowly accumulate rich internal substances. Dense rivers and clear springs nourish the tea buds with pure water and fresh air.
What makes it truly unique is the soil — the same fertile earth that produces Zisha clay, giving Yangxian Xueya an extraordinary character.
The tea region features acidic yellow-brown soil, deep, fertile, and rich in iron, manganese and other trace elements — the very parent material of Zisha clay. With moderate pH and 2.0%–2.5% organic matter, the soil retains water and nutrients perfectly.
Rooted in this mineral-rich earth, the tea buds carry an elegant charm: bright and fresh like green tea, yet gentle and mellow like no ordinary tea.
Brew a cup of first-pick Yangxian Xueya, and you will understand its ultimate taste.
The dry tea is tight, straight, emerald green, and covered in silver hairs, showing supreme tenderness.
When hot water is poured in, the buds slowly unfurl, revealing a clear, bright light-green liquor with no impurities.
The aroma is elegant and long-lasting, a delicate blend of chestnut and orchid, with a faint wild mountain freshness that refreshes the heart.
A gentle sip brings fresh, mellow, sweet and smooth taste, with no astringency.
The bright freshness spreads across the tongue, followed by a long, sweet aftertaste that lingers in the throat.
The soup is soft and mild, leaving a lasting fragrance on the lips and teeth.
Every sip is a gift from the spring breeze, a perfect blend of Yixing’s mountains, waters and purple clay.
To let more tea lovers experience this rare spring treasure,
Tongxin Tea House now launches PRE-SALE for first-pick Yangxian Xueya.
We have carefully prepared it in an elegant 6-bag sharing box, compact, portable and sealed for freshness.
Whether enjoyed alone or shared with friends, it opens a delightful spring tea ceremony.
The capital of Zisha holds not only fine teapots, but also the fresh sweetness of Xueya.
Tongxin Tea House invites you to taste this cup of first-pick Yangxian Xueya, meet the poetic spring of Yixing, and savor the unique elegance hidden in tea and clay.