Dian Hong Tea means "Yunnan Red Tea." While "dian" is an aboriginal word for Yunnan, "hong" means "red" in Chinese, as in "hong cha." In the West, we call it "Black Tea". Today, most Dian Hong Black Tea varieties are grown at high elevations, often between about 1,000 and 2,000 meters above sea level. Growing in ecologically pure areas, the finished tea has an exceptional aroma and taste. Rich, mellow, and sweet, with mouth-watering notes of fruits, honey, and sweet potatoes.
Yunnan Tea
According to Chinese legend, tea history began in Yunnan Province, where it was discovered around 2737 BCE by the culture hero Shennong. In the Shennong legend, the ‘first tea’ is often imagined as simple leaves falling into hot water – the most basic and pure form of tea that no one drinks nowadays. Modern research suggests that tea cultivation and early use likely began somewhere in south-western China, including today’s Yunnan and Sichuan, but the earliest solid physical evidence of tea drinking dates to around the 2nd century BCE. With time, tea processing in China progressed, and locals began making compressed tea similar to modern-day pu-erh. Indeed, you can still find some of the most ancient tea trees in Yunnan — many of them reaching close to a thousand years in age, with crowns growing far above farmers' heads.
Yunnan has introduced regulations to protect ancient tea trees, including restrictions on cutting them and on using certain chemicals around them. These protections mean that some ancient tea trees are grown without pesticides and are indeed organic tea, though they’re not necessarily certified organic.
Legally, under China’s Geographical Indication standard, only tea made in designated areas of Yunnan from large-leaf cultivars processed in specific ways can be sold as ‘Pu-erh tea’. Similar large-leaf, post-fermented teas are produced in neighboring regions and countries, but outside Yunnan they’re not officially classified as ‘Pu-erh’ under these rules.
However, throughout the 20th century, Yunnan became known for its green and red tea as well.
What Does Black Tea Taste Like: Dian Hong
Dian Hong black tea is malty, brisk, and full of Cha Qi, and the brew ranges from a pleasing light amber to a dark red. Yunnan black tea is a very honest and robust tea. This is a tea that pu-erh tea enthusiasts may especially enjoy, as it shares some of the same qualities. While it may not be as refined as other varieties of Chinese black tea, it is, in fact, its authentic appeal.
Depending on the type of Dian Hong, the flavor notes range from fruity ones like apricots and plums to sweet ones like cocoa, honey, and sweet potato. In the aroma profiles, you can scent flowers and vanilla.
Dian Hong Production
Farmers produce Dian Hong from the Camellia sinensis var. assamica, a popular variety in Yunnan tea production. In Chinese, it is called Da Ye, meaning "big leaf". Indeed, this Camellia Sinensis variety is known for its larger tea leaves. Furthermore, the tea trees grow tall and wide when allowed to grow wild, with strong, wide tree trunks.
Farmers began producing Dian Hong black tea around a century ago. Thus, it's still considered a new tea compared to teas that have existed for hundreds, if not thousands of years. But why did Dian Hong production spring up?
Brief History Of Yunnan Black Tea
Black tea production in Yunnan began growing in the late 1930s after Japan invaded China. Before Yunnan Gongfu black tea was created in the late 1930s, most of China’s export-oriented black tea came from eastern and central provinces closer to the coast (like Fujian and Anhui), while Yunnan’s local consumption focused more on green and sun-dried teas. After Japanese forces occupied China's coast, the government, which relied on tea exports, had to turn to other markets. The next best thing was Yunnan, a southern Chinese province bordering Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. Through Yunnan's new tea production, China continued the tea trade routes with the Western world through Myanmar and India. The mountainous region of Yunnan, with all its ancient tea trees, was very favorable for tea production.
There is a popular story that high-grade Yunnan black tea was presented to Queen Elizabeth II as a state gift in 1986, and some vendors like to call it a ‘royal favorite’. This is more tea folklore than documented fact, so it’s safer to treat it as a charming anecdote rather than a proven historical detail.
Different Types of Dian Hong Black Tea
- Broken Yunnan (Sui Cha) – is a cheap tea primarily used by farmers for blending. It contains a few golden buds and is quite bitter on its own. The tea leaves are dark with very few specks of gold, and the resulting brew is also dark and robust.
- Yunnan Gold (Gong Fu) – this tea has more golden buds than Broken Yunnan but still predominantly black tea leaves. The brew has a golden-red hue and a vivid sweetness.
- Yunnan Pure Gold (Jin Ya) – contains only golden buds, covered in fine hairs. The resulting brew is bright red with a gentle sweetness and aroma.
- Golden Needle (Jin Zhen Cha)—the golden buds of tea leaves produce an amber-colored tea brew.
- Pine Needle (Song Zhen) – this tea is unique in its pine needle-like shape. The tea leaves (one bud and one leaf) vary in hues from golden to black and brown.
How To Make Chinese Tea: Dian Hong Tea
We brew our Dian Hong tea the same way we would brew other Chinese black tea – at a water temperature of 195ºF (90ºC). If you're trying your tea for the first time, use a porcelain or glass brewing vessel so it doesn't impart any taste. Then, once you are more familiar with your Dian Hong tea, you can begin brewing it gongfu style in a Yixing teapot or gaiwan. Unglazed Yixing teaware is perfect for rounding out hong cha. Most Dian Hong teas are quite sturdy in terms of providing long tea sessions. You can easily get 8-10 good gongfu-style brews from a quality Yunnan tea.
Read more: Let's Get Tea Drunk On Dian Hong Black Tea