Huangshan Maofeng Tea: One of the Top Ten Chinese Teas 中国十大名茶：黄山毛峰

黄山毛峰茶产于安徽省太平县以南，歙县以北的黄山。黄山是我国景色奇绝的自然风景区。那里常年云雾弥漫，云多时能笼罩全山区，山峰露出云上，像是若干岛屿，故称云海。黄山的松或倒悬，或惬卧，树形奇特。黄山的岩峰都是由奇、险、深幽的山岩聚集而成。
Huangshan Maofeng Tea grows in the Huangshan Mountain region to the south of Taiping County and the north of She County, Anhui Province. Huangshan Mountain is a natural scenic spot with picturesque scenery. The mountain remains foggy all year long, and sometimes even the whole mountain is enveloped in clouds and mists. Through the clouds, the mountains penetrate and reveal different island-like peaks. Such scenery is called the "sea of clouds". Huangshan Mountain is also famous for its uniquely shaped pine trees, dangling in the air or running parallel with the ground. Its peaks are formed by strange and steep rocks.
云、松、石的统一，构成了神秘莫测的黄山风景区，这也给黄山毛峰茶蒙上了种种神秘的色彩。黄山毛峰茶园就分布在云谷寺、松谷庵、吊桥庵、慈光阁以及海拔1200米的半山寺周围，在高山的山坞深谷中，坡度达30一50度。这里气候温和，雨量充沛，土壤肥沃，上层深厚，空气湿度大，日照时间短。在这特殊条件下，茶树天天沉浸在云蒸霞蔚之中，因此茶芽格外肥壮，柔软细嫩，叶片肥厚，经久耐泡，香气馥郁，滋味醇甜，成为茶中的上品。
As the clouds, pine trees and rocks form a mysterious scenic spot of Huangshan Mountain, Maofeng Tea (or Fur Peak Tea) also embodies an air of mystery. The Maofeng Tea gardens are located by Yungu Temple, Songgu Nunnery, Ciguang Pavilion and Hillside Temple at an altitude of 1200 meters. Up along the deep valleys between lofty hills, the slope can reach 30-50 degrees. The mountain enjoys a mild climate, a large amount of rainfall, thick and fertile soil, as well as short bursts of sunshine. With such favorable natural conditions, tea trees are always immersed in mists and dampness. Hence, tea buds grow exceptionally big and soft as leaves grow flat and thick. Even soaked for a long period, the tea leaves still produce rich flavors and purely sweet taste. That's what makes Maofeng Tea the best of its kind.
黄山毛峰茶起源于清代光绪年间，而黄山茶叶在300年前就相当著名了。黄山茶的采制相当精细，从清明到立夏为采摘期，采回来的芽头和鲜叶还要进行选剔，剔去其中较老的叶、茎，使芽匀齐一致。在制作方面，要根据芽叶质量，控制杀青温度，不致产生红梗、红叶和杀青不匀不透的现象；火温要先高后低，逐渐下降，叶片着温均匀，理化变化一致。每当制茶季节，临近茶厂就闻到阵阵清香。黄山毛峰的品质特征是：外形细扁稍卷曲，状如雀舌披银毫，汤色清澈带杏黄，香气持久似白兰。
Huangshan Maofeng Tea was first produced in the reign of Emperor Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty, but Huangshan Tea has been universally well-known for 300 years. The production of Huangshan Tea involves complex procedures. The picking starts on Qingming (5th solar term) and ends on Lixia (7th solar term). The buds and fresh leaves should be sifted to ensure that no single old leaf or stalk remains and that the buds are similar in length. In the production phase, the heat should be adjusted according to the quality of leaves. The heat temperature should be under control from high to low gradually, and in the last step of drying should be well-managed, in case any stem or leaf turns red or the leaves are not evenly dried. When tea production seasons arrive, tea factories release tea fragrance that fills the air surrounding the area. As a tea of quality, Maofeng Tea leaves are curled and flat as if they were a sparrow tongue covered with silver fur. The tea looks crystal clear with an apricot yellow colour emerging and carries a lingering fragrance of magnolia.