The History of Northern Fujian Oolong Tea
The origins of Northern Fujian Oolong tea can be traced back to the Tang and Song Dynasties, specifically to the Beiyuan Tribute Tea (now Jian'ou, Fujian). Although the Dragon and Phoenix compressed tea cakes of the Song Dynasty were technically steamed green teas, the partial oxidation that occurred during the transportation of fresh leaves resulted in a semi-fermented character, making them the early precursors of Oolong tea.
At the time, tea was primarily made from wild "Caicha" (native tea varieties) from the Wuyi Mountains. These plants naturally crossbred over generations, resulting in great varietal diversity—laying the foundation for later famous cultivars.
After Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty abolished compressed tea and shifted to loose-leaf tea, Wuyi tea farmers combined green and black tea techniques to create semi-fermented Oolong tea. By the Qing Dynasty, a mature Wuyi Rock Tea (Yancha) processing system had formed. Wang Fuli's Tea Discourse described key techniques such as sun-drying, shaking, and roasting, marking the refinement of the Wuyi tea-making craft.
The earliest representative tea types of this era were Wuyi Caicha (native varietals) and the renowned "Four Famous Bushes" (Si Da Ming Cong): Da Hong Pao, Bai Ji Guan, Tie Luo Han, and Shui Jin Gui.
During the Qing Dynasty, a tea variety called Aijiao Oolong (also known as Small-leaf Oolong), originally from Dongfeng Town in Jian'ou, was introduced to the Wuyi Mountains. It was adapted using Yancha roasting techniques, giving it a distinct honey peach aroma and strong “yan yun” (rock rhyme, or minerality). Due to its excellent blending properties, it earned the nickname “Prime Minister of Teas.” Genetic testing in 1990 confirmed its relation to Taiwanese cultivars, identifying it as the mother plant of Qingxin Oolong and Dong Ding Oolong.
Rougui (Cinnamon), one of the core Wuyi Rock Tea varieties, can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty. It was originally a rare selection from the Wuyi Caicha group. Although sparsely distributed in authentic Wuyi growing zones, its cultivation expanded significantly in the 1960s with the development of cutting propagation techniques.
During the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, Shuixian (Water Sprite) was introduced to Wuyi from Jianyang. With its mellow liquor and distinctive woody aroma from aged trees, it quickly became a dominant variety in Northern Fujian.
The 20th century brought breakthroughs in clonal propagation. In 1982, Da Hong Pao was successfully propagated via cuttings, and after harvesting from the original mother bushes ceased in 2006, pure Da Hong Pao became commercially available.
Through hybrid breeding of Rougui and Shuixian, new cultivars such as Jin Mudan and Huang Guanyin were developed, combining traditional depth with modern aromatic intensity. After 19 years of research, the Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences introduced Dangui, bred from natural descendants of Rougui. With its unique blend of cinnamon and osmanthus sweetness and a high yield of top-grade tea, Dangui has become a rising star among premium Wuyi Rock Teas.