Tai Ping Hou Kui (太平猴魁)

archetype: Crane in a bamboo grove

A slender crane among bamboo: a long leaf, an orchid aroma, a cool green depth.

History

Tai Ping Hou Kui — 'monkey king of Taiping' — is one of the most unusual green teas of China. The bush is cultivated only in Taiping county (Anhui), on the slopes of Mount Houkeng. The leaf is huge — 5–7 cm long; it is pressed in the palm with a special movement to keep it flat and long. Each leaf is processed separately by hand — hence the high price and rarity.

In Houkeng village there lived a hunter, and his old monkey, his faithful companion, died of age. The hunter buried her by a spring, and at dawn a bush with long leaves grew at that spot. When the leaf met water, it stood upright, as if alive. Ever since, the tea has been called 'monkey king' — and is drunk in memory of those who walked beside us but went on first.

Terroir

300–700 m, slopes of Mount Houkeng. weathered shale, loose clay. dense mists, frequent rains, cool nights. Canonical Hou Kui comes only from the villages Houkeng and Houkang; outside them the leaf loses its characteristic length and orchid.

Leaf

dry leaf: long flat leaves, 5–7 cm, dark jade with veins; in shape, 'two strands and a spear'

warmed: the warmed leaf — white orchid, bamboo, ripe pear, a thin sweetness

after pour: after the infusion — orchid, bamboo, cool pear, a thin flower

taste: white orchid, bamboo, ripe pear, a sweet coolness

finish: long, cool, leaving a 'bamboo' note in the throat and an orchid echo

Properties

TCM: cool, yin; clears heat, brightens the head, nourishes the lungs, moistens the throat

Modern: rich in theanine, low tannins thanks to the large leaf; mild, not sharp

Cha qi: light, rising into the head; felt as a 'straightening of the spine'

Caffeine: moderate (25–40 mg)

Brewing ritual

a tall glass — so the leaf can stand upright; 80 °C; 4 g / 250 ml. 50s — the long leaf lifts a vein — orchid; 70s — the peak: bamboo, cool pear; 100s — a long green depth.

When to drink

morning and day. spring. when you want solemnity; for guests you wish to surprise. ripe pear, steamed rice with vegetables, mild cheeses, white fish. for an important meeting; a slow morning alone

Tea meditation

A big leaf needs a big cup.
Stand as upright as this leaf in water.
The crane in the bamboo hears every rustle.

Questions and answers

How do you brew Tai Ping Hou Kui?

a tall glass — so the leaf can stand upright; 80 °C; 4 g / 250 ml. 50s — the long leaf lifts a vein — orchid; 70s — the peak: bamboo, cool pear; 100s — a long green depth.

What does Tai Ping Hou Kui taste like?

white orchid, bamboo, ripe pear, a sweet coolness

How much caffeine is in Tai Ping Hou Kui?

moderate (25–40 mg)

What are the effects of Tai Ping Hou Kui?

rich in theanine, low tannins thanks to the large leaf; mild, not sharp