Nanjing Yuhua tea
Needle-shaped green tea developed in Nanjing and named Yuhua tea in 1959.
Notes#
Shape. The dry leaves are worked into a fine, straight form resembling pine needles. This is a manufacturing style, not a botanical cultivar.
History. Nanjing’s agriculture bureau attributes the successful 1959 development to the Zhongshanling tea factory. The modern style should be distinguished from the city’s much older tea-growing history.
Development continued after 1959. Zhongguo mingchazhi (2000, p. 56) records experiments with machine manufacture from 1964 and a later programme using imported finishing equipment in 1986. This extends the story beyond the tea’s initial creation: the needle shape remained a manufacturing objective while the equipment changed. These are historical milestones, not evidence that a particular packet is handmade or machine-made.
Where to buy#
| Product | Vendor | Price | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic Nanjing Yu Hua Cha Green Tea | Dragon Tea HouseWorldwide |
$32.99 / 50 g | $65.98 |
Prices recorded on the dates checked. Conversions use ECB rates dated 2026-10-20; original prices appear alongside. Origin, age and cultivar are stated by the vendor.
Sources#
- 王镇恒、王广智主编. 中国名茶志. 中国农业出版社, 2000年12月第1版. ISBN 7-109-06510-3 / 9787109065109.