Purple Needle Green Tea | Guzhu Mountain Huzhou

Purple Needle · Zǐ Sǔn · 紫笋

2025 / 50 g

€62,00

1/24

Purple Needle · Zǐ Sǔn · 紫笋

€62,00

€1.240,00/kg

An empire's forgotten treasure, painted with the dark, violet touch of the mountain shadows.

The refined legacy of an empire reborn in a single cup. From the gentle, shadowed slopes of Guzhu Mountain in Huzhou grows a legendary green tea once reserved solely for the Tang emperors. Praised by the Sage of Tea, Lu Yu, as "the supreme tea of the Empire," Purple Needle (Guzhu Zisun) was historically crafted beneath the protective flutter of royal banners. Each spring, artisans hand-pick a single bud and leaf, delicately violet-tipped like newborn bamboo. By retaining the ancient, rare Tang method of light steaming to halt oxidation, this tea preserves a pristine, crystalline green profile that elevates the mind and cools the body with absolute aristocratic elegance.

frosty air · crisp pea pod · river stone · roasted nut · clean firewood · white orchid · mountain steam · sweet bamboo

FORMAT · Loose leaf (Single Bud + One Leaf)

b · First Spring Pick · Early April

ORIGIN · Guzhu Mountain, Changxing, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China

ELEVATION · 350m – 400m above sea level

CULTIVAR · Guzhu Zisun Autochthonous Cultivar (Purple Bamboo Shoot Variety)

PRODUCER · State-licensed heritage micro-farm on Guzhu Mountain

PROCESSING · Hand-plucked → Traditional light steaming (Ancient Tang Dynasty Method) → Gentle hand-rolling → Low-temperature basket baking

BATCH · 25kg curated annually for the Yuan Archive

CERTIFICATION · Protected National Geographic Indication status · Compliant with China's heritage agricultural standards

STORAGE · Stored in oxygen-free, refrigerated nitrogen vaults at -18°C to preserve maximum enzymatic freshness.

88/100

静山 · Jìng Shān Still Mountain · 88-94

The peak of nature’s expression. A flawless translation of terroir, variety, and absolute craft mastery. Purple Needle scores an exceptional 88 for its preservation of rare historical craft parameters and its impeccable leaf integrity. The unique purple-grey hue of the dry buds and the absence of any harsh astringency showcase an extraordinary execution of the traditional Tang steaming technique. It delivers an intellectual, cooling palate depth that is rare among modern pan-fired green teas, securing its position as an elite archive selection. more about the Yuan Archive Scoring System

Lab Tested: This batch has undergone independent laboratory screening to verify its purity. It is confirmed free from synthetic pesticide residues and chemical contaminants, offering a clean and uncompromised tasting experience.

The Dry Leaf

Slender, straight, needle-like leaves with a highly distinct, subtle purple-grey hue and a light dusting of fine downy hairs. The dry aroma is exceptionally clean, releasing immediate trails of frosty mountain air and sweet bamboo shoots.

The Soup

A brilliant, pale lime-jade liquor with crystalline physical clarity and a luminous glow.

Fragrance & Palate

As the leaves unfurl in the water, they release the pure, complex breath of the mountain. The initial notes open with a striking burst of crisp pea pods and the ethereal, cooling scent of a frosty morning. As the session deepens, the internal structure reveals a deeply grounding base of roasted nuts and clean firewood, finishing with the softest, most elegant whisper of a distant white orchid. The finish is remarkably long, clean, and cool in the throat.

Spiritual Character

The Energy:

Cold, refined, and highly intellectual. It elevates the mind, cools the internal heat channels of the body, and sharpens spatial focus—making it a beautiful anchor for deep study, writing, or quiet meditation.

The Hour:

Made for crisp summer mornings to awaken the senses with historic elegance, or quiet, contemplative afternoons spent in deep focus.

Lineage & History Purple Needle (historically known as Zisun, or Purple Bamboo Shoot) is one of China’s most historic teas. Ascending to fame in the Tang Dynasty, it became the first official tribute tea of the empire. Over 30,000 workers would gather on Guzhu Mountain each spring to process these leaves under imperial oversight, rushing them to the capital by horse-courier. Its name derives from its unique purple bud tips and spear-like leaf shape, closely resembling young bamboo shoots.

Terroir & Microclimate Guzhu Mountain sits near the vast Taihu Lake, which provides constant, moderating humidity to the surrounding slopes. The soils are heavily weathered, acidic yellow clay rich in organic minerals. Crucially, the local micro-shading from dense bamboo forests protects the emerging tea shoots from harsh sunlight, causing the buds to naturally synthesize anthocyanins (yielding the signature purple tips) and packing them with rich l-theanine for a sweet, savory, umami-rich broth.

This rare steamed green tea is exceptionally delicate and low-oxidized; a heavy boiling water will destroy its high-potency amino acids. Vessel: High-fired porcelain gaiwan (minimum 120ml interior) Ratio: 4g per 120ml Water Temperature: 80°C – 85°C (176°F – 185°F). Never use boiling water. First Rinse: Not recommended for this delicate green; begin immediately with the first infusion to preserve the precious top notes. Steeps: 6–10 quick, successive infusions, starting at 10 seconds. Keep the steeps brief and steady to maintain its pristine, frosty floral presence without releasing bitterness. Teaware Pairing The delicate, aristocratic aroma and purple-green visual nuances of this tea demand a clean, non-porous canvas. A high-fired porcelain gaiwan is the essential companion to capture the high-pitched orchid top notes, ensuring the heat is held just lightly enough to protect the leaves.