Zhang Jiyuan: Traditional Tieguanyin
In the past few decades, Tieguanyin oolongs from Anxi have flooded the market with high-fragrance, ultra green teas that are all fragrance and no soul. In this sea new-style oolongs, the traditional teas produced by master Zhang stand out like diamonds.
Zhang Jiyuan is dedicated to bringing the traditional craft of Tieguanyin back to the forefront after the recent explosion of ultra-green modern style oolongs and the overproduction of monoculture in Anxi. As a result, this tea comes not only from an ecologically dense, organically managed garden, but is also produced more in the traditional style for Tieguanyin: what this means is a longer oxidization process, more complex flavors from the heirloom cultivar, and a much longer lasting aftertaste.
Zhang’s gardens lie in the mountainous terrain northeast of Anxi, in Fuda village. There are about 50 acres of organically-managed gardens scatered throughout these mid-elevation mountain slopes (around 700-900 meters above sea level). The soil is undergoing a complete rejuvination through Zhang's permaculture work, his emphasis against chemical fertilizers and pesticides in addition to his manual weeding and ecological groundcover work restoring nutrients to the earth.
The gardens are organically managed and compliant with EU organic standards. Zhang emphasizes soil vitality and biodiversity over yield maximization: slower growth and lower nitrogen input contribute to a more measured aromatic profile and enhanced textural weight in the cup.
Most of his plantings are heirloom Red Core, Crooked Tail Tieguanyin, an older cultivar selection known for structural depth and textural creaminess when oxidized beyond modern ultra-green standards.
Zhang has been a leading figure in the region focusing on ecologically grown teas that employ both organic and sustainable practices. We were introduced to his lovely teas through a professor in the Tea Research department of the Agricultural university in Fujian, as they have collaborated on projects, tea samples, test plots, field research, and more. Most of his teas are grown from local heirloom Tieguanyin cultivars, such as the 红芯歪尾桃铁观音 (red core, crooked tail, peach shaped Tieguanyin cultivar).
Zhang is a multi-generational tea maker and a true master in the way he cares for every step of the production of his teas. Constantly studying, experimenting, and changing his methods to create truly stand-out teas in a market flooded with dime-a-dozen copycats. We are excited to visit his gardens this spring, and hope to provide more of his teas in the future.
