Yong Chun Fo Shou is a specialty tea of Yong Chun County, and also a precious choice among the numerous classic Oolongs of Southern Fujian, boasting a history of over 300 years.
 
The Fo Shou cultivar originated from Shifeng Rock in Yong Chun County and gradually spread to other Oolong-producing regions in both Southern and Northern Fujian etc., as well as to Taiwan and Japan.It is a large-leaf shrub, named “Fo Shou” (Buddha’s Hand) for its huge leaves, which reach the size of an adult’s hand. Another widely circulated but barely credible legend claims that monks from the temple at Shifeng Rock created it by grafting tea plants onto Fo Shou Gan (a citron fruit known as Buddha’s Hand) trees.
 
Starting in the 1990s, with the booming popularity of other teas like Puerh, especially during the heyday of Tie Guan Yin, some tea farmers in Yong Chun cut down their Fo Shou trees to plant Tie Guan Yin instead. The remaining Fo Shou trees were often undervalued, which led to a lack of authentic Yong Chun Fo Shou on the market. Luckily, “Yong Chun Fo Shou” was granted protection as a Geographical Indication Product in 2006, putting it on a path to recovery.
 
Yong Chun Fo Shou is a delicious Oolong in the typical Southern Fujian style, known for its mellow, fresh, and sweet taste with a pleasant Huigan. It features a rich and lingering aroma with natural floral and fruity notes created under lighter roasting. This is distinctly different from the Yancha Fo Shou, which is made using Northern Fujian techniques after the cultivar was introduced to the Wuyi Mountains in the early 20th century, in spite of both teas coming from the same cultivar.
 
This tea is included in the value offers of Southern Fujian Oolong Tasting Set.