Tài Píng Hóu Kuí (太平猴魁) — Monkey King Green Tea

Tài Píng Hóu Kuí (太平猴魁, "Tàipíng Monkey King") is one of China's ten officially recognised famous teas and the most visually distinctive Chinese green. Unlike most greens made from small buds and rolled into compact forms, Hóu Kuí consists of large flat-pressed leaves 6–8 cm long, with a characteristic cross-pressed pattern from the drying screens, and a full, structured body unusual for an unoxidised green.

The name: 太平 (Tàipíng) = the county of origin; 猴 (hóu) = monkey; 魁 (kuí) = first, finest, leader. The "monkey king" name refers to the Hóu Kēng (猴坑) village — the core origin — whose name includes the character 猴, and to the tea's status as the finest production of the area.

TL;DR: Large flat-pressed green (6–8 cm), cross-hatch pattern, from Hóu Kēng village, Tàipíng county, Ānhuī. One of China's ten famous teas. Full-bodied for a green, orchid fragrance, lingering sweet finish. Brew 80–85°C, 4–5 g per 100 ml (the large leaf needs slightly more), 30–40 s. Long steeping vessel recommended.

Origin and terroir

Hóu Kuí comes from Hóu Kēng (猴坑) village and surrounding Hóu Gǎng (猴岗) and Yán Jiā (颜家) areas in the Xīn Míng (新明) township of what was formerly Tàipíng county (now part of Huángshān City). The villages sit at around 700–900 m elevation in the Qīngshān (青山) valley — a deeply shaded area with high humidity, acidic peat-influenced soils, and very limited direct sunlight.

The tea gardens are old — some individual bushes in the core Hóu Kēng zone are estimated at over 100 years old. The specific combination of shade, altitude, and soil gives the area's leaf an unusually large size and the high theanine-to-catechin ratio that makes Hóu Kuí sweet and smooth rather than bitter.

Appearance and grades

The finished tea is unmistakable: flat, long (6–8 cm), green with a pale tan edge, with a regular diamond/cross-hatch pattern pressed into both sides by the drying mesh. The two leaves are pressed flat around a central bud, which remains visible as a slight ridge.

Grades (in descending quality):

• Hóu Kuí (猴魁): Highest grade, from the core Hóu Kēng village zone
• Hóu Gǎng (猴岗): Second grade, from the surrounding hills
• Rén Jiān (仁间): Lower grade, from outer growing areas

Counterfeits and lower-grade imitations from outside the area are common. The surest sign of genuine core-zone material: the leaves are naturally large without appearing forced or over-pressed; the cross-hatch pattern is even; the fragrance is distinctly orchid-floral.

Taste profile

Hóu Kuí is often described as the most "complex" of Chinese greens, with a flavour unusual for an unoxidised tea:

• Fragrance: Orchid — clear, persistent, sometimes described as slightly sweet-woody
• Taste: Full-bodied, structured, with a clean sweetness and a long finish. The presence of tannin structure (rare in green teas) gives it a weight and persistence more reminiscent of a very light oolong than a typical green.
• Aftertaste: Known for huíwèi (回味) — a returning sweetness in the throat after swallowing, lasting several minutes in the best material
• Bitterness: Very low in authentic core-zone material; higher in lower-grade outer-area teas

Processing

The large leaf requires adapted processing:

1. Harvest: Single bud and two leaves — always two, never one or three. The leaves must be large (not trimmed) and undamaged.
2. Withering: 2–4 hours
3. Pan-firing (shā qīng): In a large wok at medium heat — the large leaf needs a longer kill-green than smaller teas
4. Pressing and shaping: The defining step. Leaf is laid flat on a bamboo drying screen and a second screen pressed over it, creating the cross-hatch pattern. Specific hand pressure applied during this step shapes the flat form without breaking the central bud structure.
5. Drying: At low temperature, preserving the flat form

Brewing

The large leaf requires a tall vessel — a standard small gaiwan makes it difficult to control the flat leaf. A tall glass, large porcelain gaiwan (120–150 ml), or a tall mug works well.

Related

• Green Tea Overview
• Huángshān Máofēng — another Ānhuī green, very different character
• Lù'ān Guā Piàn — the third major Ānhuī green
• Chinese Tea Regions

FAQ

Does the cross-hatch grid pattern indicate authentic Hóu Kuí? Paradoxically, no. The grid pattern comes from mesh-screen pressing in factory production — traditional hand-made Hóu Kuí is pressed on flat boards and has no grid. The grid became associated with "authentic" only because factory processing adopted the screen. Premium hand-made Hóu Kēng material can be recognised partly by the absence of the pattern consumers now associate with authenticity.

What is the difference between 猴魁 Hóu Kuí and 魁尖 Kuí Jiān? 魁尖 (kuí jiān) is a look-alike from outside the Hóu Kēng origin zone — similar large flat shape, but not from the core cultivar or elevation. It lacks the orchid fragrance and strong huíwèi of genuine Hóu Kuí; the pressed structure is typically less even. Legitimate product at lower price; not a fraud — just a different, inferior tea.

How do I identify genuine Hóu Kuí when buying? Two markers: always exactly two leaves pressed around one bud — three-leaf sets or bud-only are not Hóu Kuí; colour is 苍绿匀润 (cāng lǜ yún rùn, uniform deep grey-green lustre) — bright emerald or yellowed leaf indicates low-grade or machine-made material. Genuine core-zone (猴坑) material below ¥300/jin is a clear red flag.

What should Hóu Kuí cost and which brands are reputable? Core Hóu Kēng village head-harvest: ¥1,500–3,000+/jin. Quality special-grade: ¥500–1,500/jin. Everyday 1st grade: ¥200–500/jin. Budget "猴魁" below ¥100 is typically machine-made outer-area material. Reputable brands: 猴坑 Hóukēng (the only 中华老字号 in this category), 六百里 Liùbǎilǐ, 谢裕大 Xiè Yùdà.

How does Hóu Kuí compare to Máofēng and Guā Piàn (the other Ānhuī greens)? The three Ānhuī greens differ sharply. Máofēng: bud-heavy, bright floral, delicate, 2–3 infusions. Guā Piàn: single mature leaf (no bud), roasted-chestnut, full body. Hóu Kuí: largest leaf, most complex — full-bodied, orchid fragrance, 5–6 infusions. Of the three, Hóu Kuí has the most tannin structure and the longest-lingering finish.