LONGING HEART

Is your heart longing to gaze upon the craggy peaks of Mount Huang Shan? If you've ever visited Anhui province, the answer is probably yes. There is a saying in the ancient towns and villages there that one, who visits, even for a day, will never really leave. That the natural beauty of the place will remain imprinted on their hearts and minds for the rest of their lives. And truthfully, with its soaring mountains, incredibly twisted and shapely pine trees, surging seas of cloud, and lush tea gardens, the province really is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. It was the sentiment at the heart of the old saying that inspired the creator of this fabulous handmade tea.

Although it is not certain when it was first produced, legend has it that Longing Heart was created by an old Anhui Tea Master in an effort to soothe the yearning of his heart when making the long trek to the markets of Beijing. He took the fresh young shoots of the finest bushes of his native Huang Shan district and painstakingly tied them with Chrysanthemum petals into an ancient symbol for the human heart, a pearl within a shell. Now, when sitting around a fire on the market trail he could brew a pot of tea, watch the leaves unfold, and in his heart feel that he had never left his beloved home. Over the years the Master enjoyed the tea in solitude. One day at the Beijing market however, a local buyer noticed the special tea in a pouch on his table and asked if he could purchase some. The rest as they say is history.

We are pleased to offer Longing Heart as an example of one of China's finest artisan teas. Visits to Anhui have shown us that in keeping with tradition only the finest Huang Shan leaf is used and tied according to ancient technique. We invite you to brew a pot today and let your mind and heart turn east towards the mystical mountains of Anhui.