Qimen Ancha
Basket-packed, post-fermented tea associated with Luxi in Qimen, Anhui.
Notes#
Craft and identity#
Craft. The local account describes overnight exposure to dew, steaming and basket packing among the traditional operations.
Distinction. Sharing Qimen origin does not make Ancha the same tea as Qimen Gongfu black tea. Product age, storage and precise packing weight must be documented separately.
Revival, manufacture and an unsettled name#
The monograph links Ancha’s revival to a basket of tea dated 1909 sent back from overseas in 1983, followed by a Qimen trial production in 1984. It describes an earlier division between farmers making the initial tea and tea firms refining it, then an integrated factory route after the revival. Its refining account places sorting and blending before re-drying, overnight outdoor exposure, steaming and basket pressing. The book also gives three competing explanations of the name: a connection with Lu’an tea, an abbreviation of Anhui tea, and a proposed Anxi connection. It does not settle the etymology (pp. 247–249).
Where to buy#
| Product | Vendor | Price | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liu An Mao Jian Hei Cha | TheTeaWorldwide |
€9.57 / 50 g | $21.47 €19.14 / 100 g ≈ $1.50 a session |
| Raw Liuan Basket Tea | Yee On Tea Co.Selected destinations |
HK$1,000 / 500 g | $25.48 HK$200.00 / 100 g ≈ $1.78 a session |
| Liu An | MeeteaSelected destinations |
CZK 340.00 / 50 g | $31.35 CZK 680.00 / 100 g ≈ $2.19 a session |
Ancha - Anhui Fermented Tea
DetailsCompare the details Recorded seller claims; a blank means unrecorded here, not necessarily absent from the seller’s page. Matching production does not establish identical storage or condition.
|
Eastern LeavesWorldwide |
€21.80 / 50 g | $48.90 €43.60 / 100 g ≈ $3.42 a session |
| Liu An | MeeteaSelected destinations |
CZK 780.00 / 50 g | $71.91 CZK 1,560 / 100 g ≈ $5.03 a session |
| Liu An | MeeteaSelected destinations |
CZK 2,280 / 50 g | $210.20 CZK 4,560 / 100 g ≈ $14.71 a session |
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.
Prices by sales channel#
Show as table
| Product | Vendor | Channel | per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liu An Mao Jian Hei Cha | TheTea | International retail | $21.47 |
| Raw Liuan Basket Tea | Yee On Tea Co. | International retail | $25.48 |
| Liu An | Meetea | International retail | $31.35 |
| Ancha - Anhui Fermented Tea | Eastern Leaves | International retail | $48.90 |
| Liu An | Meetea | International retail | $71.91 |
| Liu An | Meetea | International retail | $210.20 |
Sources#
What these sources support
The monograph links Ancha’s revival to a basket of tea dated 1909 sent back from overseas in 1983, followed by a Qimen trial production in 1984. It describes an earlier division between farmers making the initial tea and tea firms refining it, then an integrated factory route after the revival. Its refining account places sorting and blending before re-drying, overnight outdoor exposure, steaming and basket pressing. The book also gives three competing explanations of the name: a connection with Lu’an tea, an abbreviation of Anhui tea, and a proposed Anxi connection. It does not settle the etymology (pp. 247–249).
中国农业出版社 / China Agriculture PressFull text · Printed pp. 247–249; PDF pages 326–328 (1-based) · checked 2026-10-20
Scope and limits: This monograph was published in 2000. Its account does not establish universal or present-day practice, or the requirements of modern standards.
- 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.