Silver Needle tea is a type of white tea made from the buds of the Camellia Sinensis plant, and like many other teas, Silver Needle has a story behind it as well.
The Legend
In the past, the village of He Zheng was struck by a plaque due to an extended drought. In the hills of the neighboring Dong Gong mountain, a herb grew that was reputed to have the ability to cure various ailments. Many courageous individuals attempted to climb the mountain in search of the herb, but none returned due to the plague.
The story begins with a family of three children: Zhigang, Zhicheng, and Yu Chi, who lived in the region and were determined to find the herb.
The eldest brother, Zhigang, decided to go first and encountered an elderly man near the mountain who revealed that the herb was located near a well on the mountaintop. He advised Zhigang that he would only be successful if he persisted in climbing the hills until he located the herb, without ever considering turning back. Zhigang commenced his climb but midway up the mountain, he encountered numerous rocks and still could not see the herb. Suddenly, he heard a voice saying, “Do not dare to climb any further!” Frightened, Zhigang decided to retrace his steps, but he transformed into a stone on the spot.
When Zhigang failed to return, Zhicheng, his younger brother, decided to undertake the same quest.
Tragically, he met with the same fate as Zhigang.
Now, it was up to the youngest sibling, Yu Chi, to find the herb.
As she began her climb, she encountered the same old man who had spoken with her brothers. The old man repeated his advice and even offered Yu Chi some baked rice cakes for her journey. As she approached the same spot where her brothers had encountered the strange voices, Yu Chi used the rice cake to cover her ears and continued to move forward.
Finally, she reached the mountaintop and discovered the heavenly herb growing next to the well. She used the water from the well to irrigate the plants, which started to grow and bloom. Yu Chi harvested the seeds and brought them back to the village, where she planted the seeds and grew them.
It turned out that the herb was actually the tea plant.