Gua Feng Zhai Pu'er Tea: The Wild Essence of Yiwu

Gua Feng Zhai's Wild Ecosystem: 1200m Primordial Tea Forest

Altitude & Rainfall: Nature's Precision Engineering

Nestled at an altitude of 1,200 meters, Gua Feng Zhai Village experiences an annual rainfall of up to 2,100 mm and a day-night temperature difference of around 15°C, making it a true ecological tea haven. The tea trees thrive in a wild environment, varying in height and shape: some stand alone with commanding presence, while others grow in small clusters, leaning on each other and coexisting with the tall trees of the forest.

Forest Symbiosis: Trees, Birds & Tea Coexistence

These towering trees, reaching 20–30 meters, include pines, magnolias, and birches, providing natural shelter for the tea trees. Insects and birds form a natural pest control network, protecting the tea trees without human intervention. The canopy filters direct sunlight, creating gentle diffused light that allows the tea trees to grow healthily under stable temperature and humidity. It is within this ecological environment that Gua Feng Zhai produces high-quality Pu’er tea, highly sought after by tea enthusiasts.

Harvesting the Wild: 6-Hour Mountain Odyssey

Tea Masters' Dedication: On-Site Hand-Processing

Though only 30 km separate Yiwu Town from Gua Feng Zhai Village, the mountainous roads make the journey exceptionally long and arduous. Winding paths twist and turn, dust fills the air, and sheer cliffs rise alongside the trail. Motorbikes tremble along the route, and even a small misstep could cause a fall. The round trip takes a full six hours.

Tea farmers undertake a risky endeavor each time they climb the mountain. Carrying iron pots and essential supplies, they navigate the terrain, blending sweat with dust. The tender tea leaves cannot withstand long, bumpy transport. Therefore, the farmers must process the leaves immediately on-site using mountain stoves, locking in the essence of each leaf and preventing damage, such as red stems or leaves. This fearless dedication gives Gua Feng Zhai Pu’er its distinctive wild charm. Every aroma carries the freshness of the forest, and every sip embodies the essence of nature and the farmers’ diligent work.

2009 Gua Feng Zhai Raw Pu'er: 16-Year Aged Treasure

Traditional Craft: Hand-Pressing & Natural Aging

Launched by Chinese Tea Group, this 2009 Gua Feng Zhai Raw Pu’er Tea Cake presents the unique flavor of aged tea and the classic aroma of the Yiwu Tea Region. Sixteen years ago, a batch of tea cakes handcrafted using traditional methods was obtained from local farmers. Carefully stored in a clean, dry warehouse for sixteen years, these cakes have undergone a remarkable transformation, capturing the essence of Gua Feng Zhai tea with a rich and captivating flavor.

Tea Cake Evolution: Oil Spots & Wild Honey Aroma

During storage and aging, yellow spots may appear on the paper wrapping of the tea cake. This is a natural phenomenon caused by the tea’s oils seeping through the paper—a common hallmark of well-aged Pu’er. The more time passes, the more visible these oil spots become. Many top-quality aged Pu’er teas show similar marks, serving not only as a natural sign of aging but also as a “medal” of the tea’s maturation process.

Opening the packaging of this raw Pu’er tea cake reveals its irregular shape, highlighting the handcrafting rather than machine pressing. The dry leaves are dark brown with a natural sheen, thick and clearly structured, demonstrating their resilience. After years of aging, the tea cake remains largely intact, with slightly loose edges—a result of the fibers naturally relaxing over time, not a flaw in craftsmanship.

Bringing the tea cake close, it exudes a calm, pure, and complex wild honey fragrance. Even before tasting, you can sense the restrained vigor of the tea, as if standing amidst the ancient forest and savoring the unique “wild charm” of Gua Feng Zhai.

Brewing Gua Feng Zhai: 18-Infusion Mastery

Early Infusions (1-3): Unfolding Forest Essence

Carefully pry open this raw Pu’er tea cake with a tea pick and take about 8 grams of dry tea, placing it into pre-warmed tea ware (gaiwan, fairness cup, tasting cup). Slowly pour boiling water into the gaiwan, allowing the leaves to gently unfold and awaken the tea’s compounds and hidden aroma. Let it steep for about 10 seconds and discard the first infusion—it serves as a rinse and awakening.

Peak Flavor (4-8): Honeyed Fruit & Terroir

The second infusion is for drinking: steep with boiling water for about 15 seconds. The tea liquor turns a bright amber, releasing a woody aroma reminiscent of the forest. The taste is smooth and delicate, with noticeable fruity and honey notes, and a lingering sweet finish that exemplifies the wild forest essence of Gua Feng Zhai tea.

For the third to eighth infusions, the liquor becomes thicker and more robust, with fruit and honey notes becoming more prominent. The tea’s oils enhance the texture, demonstrating the full-bodied quality and lively character of aged Gua Feng Zhai tea.

Lingering Sweetness (9-18): Wild Aftertaste

From the eighth to the thirteenth infusions, the tea’s wild vigor rises, and the layered woody aroma fully expresses Gua Feng Zhai’s “wild mountain charm.”

By the thirteenth to eighteenth infusions, steeping for about 30 seconds each time, the flavor is mellow and full-bodied, with increasingly deep and lasting fragrance. As the number of infusions increases, the tea gradually lightens, transitioning from rich and strong to sweet and delicate, with subtle floral notes and a refreshing finish. Even 30 minutes after drinking, the sweetness lingers in the mouth, leaving a long-lasting aftertaste.

Aged Pu’er Tea Tasting: Wild Charm in Every Sip

 Liquid Terroir: How Mountains Shape Each Drop

This 2009 Gua Feng Zhai aged Pu’er tea cake takes you on a sensory journey through a wild forest, fully showcasing the balance of strength and elegance in Yiwu’s Gua Feng Zhai tea. The profound vitality of this aged tea is imprinted in every infusion. Even after eighteen infusions, the tea cake remains durable—from bold and rich to elegant and lingering—leaving a lasting impression.

The mottled oil on the paper is a medal of time; the amber liquor carries the breath of the forest, the echoes of treacherous mountain paths, and sixteen years of quiet transformation. It is a gift of time, a bounty of nature, and the crystallization of the farmers’ wisdom and labor.

This tea perfectly embodies the adage, “If you haven’t tasted Gua Feng Zhai, can you truly understand Pu’er?”—to appreciate its rare ecology, the painstaking craftsmanship, the mysteries of aging, and the soul of its wild charm. Only a cup of this tea allows you to truly grasp the depth of Pu’er.

Explore More Teas

• Raw Pu-erh Tea Collection – Curated selection of high-quality raw Pu’er teas from Yiwu and other renowned regions.
• Tea Cake Collection – Browse artisan-pressed Pu’er tea cakes across various years, showcasing unique flavors and aged treasures.

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