Top Grade Artisan Tai Ping Hou Kui Green Tea Monkey King

The King of Green Tea Tai Ping Hou Kui is a legendary Chinese green tea, honored as one of China’s most prestigious teas and famously crowned with the Gold Medal at the 1915 Panama Pacific World Expo. Its impressive reputation has earned it the title “King of Green Tea”.  What makes Hou Kui truly unique is its striking appearance and distinctive craftsmanship. Made from the local Shi Da Ye cultivar 柿大叶, “Persimmon Big Leaf”, this tea boasts the largest leaves among all Chinese green teas, often 5–7 cm long, with some exceeding the length of a finger. Harvested between mid-April and mid-May, later than most green teas, the leaves are hand-picked with great care from the renowned Hou Gang village in Xinming, within the core Huang Shan production region. Unlike typical green teas that are pan-fired, Hou Kui is gently baked two to three times at low temperatures. The traditional method involves flattening the leaves with a hand-pressed mesh, leaving behind a subtle imprint, a mark of aut