Hainan Island, densely covered with rainforests, has a long history of tea production and tea drinking. According to records, Hainan's tea culture can be traced back to the Han Dynasty. On this small island that enjoys warm weather all year round, the locals enjoy growing, processing, and drinking tea. After thousands of years of being steeped in tea culture, tea has become an inseparable part of life in Hainan.

Recently, researchers discovered that one type of local Hainan tea, the Hainan Large-Leaf Camellia, is a new Camellia species. Let’s take a look at some of Hainan's many other types of tea.

Green Tea

"Baisha Green Tea" and Wuzhishan "Shuiman Green Tea" are some of the most popular Hainan green teas.

Baisha Green Tea is mainly produced in the hilly slopes around a large meteor crater in Baisha County. This is in fact the only meteor crater in China. The soil inside the crater boasts over 50 types of beneficial minerals. The excellent soil and natural conditions both contribute to the high quality and unique flavor of Baisha Green Tea, which is made from a mixture of Hainan Large-Leaf Camellia, Yunnan Large-Leaf Tea, and tea varieties from Fujian and other parts of China.

"Shuiman Green Tea" is produced in Shuiman Township, Wuzhishan City, from the fresh leaves of wild Hainan large-leaf tea trees. The resulting strong-brew tea has a powerful, sweet aftertaste.

Black Tea

In the late 1950s, Hainan began exporting tea, with the main tea product being black broken-leaf tea. Hainan black broken-leaf tea is made from the young leaves of Yunnan large-leaf tea trees and Hainan Large-Leaf Camellia trees using the CTC (crush, tear and curl) process. Thanks to its dark ruddy color, sharp flavor, and long-lasting aroma, this tea is popular in Europe, the US, and many other parts of the world.

According to research by the Tea Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, wild Hainan Large-Leaf Camellia tea buds and tea leaves from Wuzhishan have a tea polyphenol content of about 35% and a caffeine content of about 6%, and are a unique type of Camellia tea species.

White Tea

In recent years, white tea varieties such as Fuding Dabai and Fuyun No. 6 have been brought to Hainan from Yunnan, Fujian and other parts of China. Currently, white tea is produced in several central Hainan cities and counties including Wuzhishan, Baisha, Qiongzhong, and Baoting.

White tea is processed differently from other teas. It is made by letting green tea leaves wither naturally, then sun-drying them 70-80% before finishing the drying process over a slow fire. This simple process preserves more of the tea leaf surface and presents more of the natural flavor of the tea leaves. Due to being grown on a tropical island, transparent Hainan white tea has a unique floral aroma and flavor.

Partridge Tea

Hainan Partridge Tea is a unique wild tea mainly produced in the mountains, hills, and coastal areas of Hainan. Wanning's Partridge Tea is considered the best of Hainan's Partridge Tea varieties.

Hainan people have a long history of drinking Partridge Tea. This hand-processed tea is usually sold in strings of around 20 balls of tea each, which hang in nearly every Hainan countryside home. Partridge Tea is believed to help the body cope with Hainan's hot, humid climate as well as having a variety of other health benefits.

Kuding Tea

Grown in the tropical jungles of Wuzhi Mountain, Kuding Tea might be bitter on first sip, but leaves behind a pleasantly sweet aftertaste. The strong-brewing yellow-green, clear, bright tea has a compelling aroma and is also known for significant medical benefits.

Hainan Kuding Tea contains natural oxidizing components, has antiviral effects, and is used to treat and prevent hypertension, high blood fat, diabetes, pharyngitis, and other conditions.

Photos by Hinews.