Tai Ping Hou Kui (Monkey King)
Tai Ping Hou Kui (太平猴魁) is a well known green tea from a small village of Houkeng (猴坑) in Anhui province. Also known as the Monkey King, it is famous for its unique long, flat leaves. When brewed, it has a fresh, orchid like aroma with a refreshing sweet taste. Tai Ping Hou Kui has been cultivated since the Ming dynasty and it was harvested exclusively for emperors under the Qing dynasty. With this, it is no wonder that Tai Ping Hou Kui is one of China's ten famous tea. It has won numerous awards, the most recent being the "King of Tea" in China Tea Exhibition 2004.
Origin:
Hou Keng Village, Tai Ping County, Anhui Province, China
Harvest Period:
April 2013
Appearance:
Long, flat leaves of one bud and two leaves.
Tasting notes:
A lingering floral taste and aroma, with sweet aftertaste.
Health Benefits:
Like all green teas, Tai Ping Hou Kui has high levels of antioxidants, which is believed to be able to reduce to risk of cancer, promote good skin condition, delay aging. Containing vitamin C, fluoride and calcium, it also helps in maintaining healthy teeth and bones.
Recommended Brewing guide:
We recommend using glass-based or ceramic tea ware. Rinse tea cup and teapot with hot water. Use about 2 grams of tea leaves (1-2 teaspoons) for every 150ml of water. Steep tea leaves in hot water at about 80°c (176°F) for 1 minute for the first and second brewing. Gradually increase steeping time and temperature for subsequent brewing.
Legend has it that there was once a monkey couple and their baby living in the magnificent mountains of Huang Shan. One day, the little monkey decided to explore in the surrounding areas and got lost. Worried, the father monkey set out to search for him. Unfortunately, after searching for several days, the old monkey dropped from exhaustion into a ditch close to Taiping County. A kind-hearted old man found its body and buried its body at the foot of the mountain. The following spring, when he returned to the mountain, he found the mountain covered with tea trees. At that moment, he heard a voice calling him "Thank you for helping me. I will give you these tea trees so that you can cultivate them". The old man realized that it must be the spirit of the monkey. To commemorate this unexpected gift, he named the hill Hou Gang (monkey hill) and the tea Hou Cha (monkey tea). And due to the exceptional quality of this tea, it was later renamed as Hou Kui ( Kui meaning "the first" or "the best")
