A legendary hand-made Chinese green tea from Anhui’s misty cliffs. Monkey Picked Taiping Hou Kui is elegant, rare, and beautifully long-leafed — with crisp notes of orchid, green bean, and pear. Light, sweet, and pure, this is a green tea for quiet moments and refined palates.
fresh edamame, toasted rice, orchid blossom
steamed greens, sugar snap peas, buttery almonds
melon, steamed bock choi, fresh hazelnut
Taiping Hou Kui is one of China’s most visually striking and historically prized green teas. Originating in the Huangshan region of Anhui province, its name translates to "Monkey King from Taiping," inspired by local folklore. Legend says agile monkeys once helped pick tea leaves from cliffsides too steep for humans—though today’s “Monkey Picked” title simply refers to the finest hand-plucked leaves, traditionally selected from the first flush of spring.
This tea is crafted using large, tender buds from the Shi Da cultivar, known for its distinct spear-like shape and broad, flat leaves. After picking, the leaves are carefully pan-fixed to preserve their green vibrancy and pressed in a special rolling machine. This labor-intensive process results in beautifully flattened leaves that resemble orchid petals—long, graceful, and veined like natural foliage.
Brewing this tea brings out a subtle yet layered flavor: crisp greens, a whisper of floral sweetness, and a gentle nutty aftertaste. It's a quiet, contemplative tea, ideal for slow sipping and spring mornings.
Tea Region | Huangshan, Anhui Province, China
Tea tree | Camellia sinensis sinensis
Cultivar | Shi Da (Large-Leaved Huangshan cultivar)
Harvest | Spring, 2025
Picking & processing | Hand-plucked one bud with one or two leaves / pan-fixed / flattened / basket dried
Steamed fish with ginger and scallion
The delicate, clean flavor of steamed white fish accentuates the tea’s vegetal sweetness and floral top notes, creating a perfectly balanced pairing.
Snow pea and sesame salad
Crisp green flavors and nutty sesame align with the tea’s tender snap pea and chestnut character, highlighting its refreshing clarity.
Almond tofu with lychee syrup
This light dessert echoes the tea’s almond and orchid tones, making for a delicate, floral-sweet finish to a meal or tea session.
