Fengqing Tea Factory (凤庆茶厂), also known as Yunnan Fengqing Tea Co., is a Yunnan Province tea producer founded in 1939 in Fengqing County, Lincang Prefecture — the factory credited as the original site of production of Yunnan Dianhong (滇红) black tea, the premium Yunnan large-leaf black tea developed in 1939 by tea scientist Feng Shaoqiu (冯绍裘) at the Fengqing facility, which went on to become one of China’s most celebrated export teas, presented as a national gift to visiting dignitaries and used as a reference point for high-quality Yunnan black tea globally. Dianhong — the name means “Yunnan Red” — is characterised by the large, fleshy leaves of the Yunnan broad-leaf tea variety, high golden tip (bud) content indicating tender first-flush harvesting, naturally sweet aroma, and a flavour that is rich and malty without the astringency common to smaller-leaf black teas — qualities that come from the specific characteristics of the ancient Yunnan large-leaf tea trees (the broad-leaf Yunnan variety of Camellia sinensis) cultivated in the ancient tea growing areas of Lincang, Baoshan, Pu’er, and Xishuangbanna. Fengqing Tea Factory also produces pu-erh tea (both sheng and shu), aged in factory storage using the specific climate conditions of Fengqing County, and occupies a dual identity in the Chinese tea world — as the historical home of Dianhong and as a producer in the broader Yunnan tea tradition that includes pu-erh, white teas, and green teas alongside the flagship black tea.

In-Depth Explanation

Fengqing’s identity is fundamentally tied to the Dianhong innovation of 1939 — the factory’s founding story is the tea’s origin story, and the two cannot be separated in historical discussion.

The 1939 Dianhong Innovation

In 1939, tea scientist Feng Shaoqiu arrived in Fengqing with the brief of developing a Yunnan black tea that could be exported to earn foreign exchange. Using the large-leaf tea trees of the region — Camellia sinensis var. assamica, the same variety found in Assam, India — he developed a red tea (Hong Cha) processing method adapted to the specific characteristics of the Yunnan large-leaf material. The result was a tea of extraordinary quality: large, twisted, golden-tipped leaves producing a bright, golden-red liquor with sweet, malt, and floral notes.

The first batch was sent to London via Hong Kong and received enthusiastic reception from tea buyers — a validation that positioned Dianhong as a premium export tea from the beginning.

Golden Tips and Grade Structure

Dianhong is classified by the proportion of golden tips (金芽) — the tender young buds covered in fine golden hairs — to leaf. The highest grades, sometimes called “Golden Needle” or “Gold Tips,” are made almost entirely of buds and have the most delicate, aromatic, sweet character. Lower grades have more leaf content and are stronger and more malty.

Fengqing produces across this grade range, from the prestige bud-only golden tip productions to the classic twisted-leaf Dianhong that is the workhorse of the category.

Pu-erh Production

Fengqing also produces pu-erh tea from the large-leaf Yunnan material — both sheng (raw) and shu (cooked/ripe) formats. The Fengqing region is part of the broader ancient tea growing landscape that produces Yunnan pu-erh, and the factory’s pu-erh productions, while not as prominent as its Dianhong identity, represent a significant part of its modern output.

History

• 1939: Fengqing Tea Factory established in Fengqing County, Lincang; Feng Shaoqiu develops Yunnan Dianhong black tea; first production and export.
• 1940s–1980s: Dianhong becomes a recognised premium Chinese export black tea; national gift presentations to foreign dignitaries; factory production expanded.
• Planned economy era: State enterprise operation; Dianhong production continued under national tea export system.
• Reform era: Commercialised and restructured; Yunnan Fengqing Tea Co. modern corporate identity; pu-erh and Dianhong production.
• Present: Dianhong specialty; pu-erh production; Fengqing County base; premium Yunnan black tea and pu-erh for domestic and international markets.

Social Media Sentiment

• Dianhong enthusiasts: Fengqing is the historical home of Dianhong and is revered by Yunnan black tea buyers as the origin factory — teas from Fengqing carry an authentic provenance claim for this category.
• Yunnan tea community: Within the broader Yunnan tea community (covering pu-erh, Dianhong, and ancient tree teas), Fengqing is recognised as both a historic factory and an ongoing producer of quality large-leaf Yunnan teas.
• International specialty black tea: Dianhong is a growing specialty category in international markets as buyers explore beyond Assam and Darjeeling; Fengqing’s historical role as the origin factory gives it a strong narrative for international specialty buyers.
• National gift tea heritage: The historical use of Dianhong as a diplomatic gift tea (presented to Stalin, Nixon, and other visiting dignitaries by Chinese leaders) gives Fengqing Dianhong a political and cultural history dimension beyond commercial tea purchasing.

Last updated: 2026-06

Related Terms

• Dianhong Tea
• Yunnan Tea
• Black Tea
• Pu-erh Tea
• Golden Tips Tea
• Chinese Tea Culture
• Lincang Tea

See Also

• Sakubo – Japanese Study

Research

• Fengqing Tea Factory founding (1939) and the invention of Yunnan Dianhong black tea by Feng Shaoqiu.
  Summary: Documents the 1939 founding of Fengqing Tea Factory in Fengqing County, Lincang Prefecture, Yunnan — the brief given to tea scientist Feng Shaoqiu (冯绍裘) to develop a Yunnan black tea for export; the adaptation of red tea processing to the large-leaf Yunnan broad-leaf material (Camellia sinensis var. assamica), the production of the first Dianhong batch with its characteristic large golden-tipped leaves and bright golden-red liquor with sweet malt and floral notes; and the enthusiastic reception in the London tea market that established Dianhong as a premium Chinese export black tea from its first production.

• Dianhong character and grade structure: golden tips, Yunnan large-leaf material, and flavour profile.
  Summary: Examines Yunnan Dianhong’s distinctive character — the large, fleshy leaves of the Yunnan broad-leaf tea variety, the golden tip (金芽) bud content as a quality indicator, the naturally sweet aroma, rich malty flavour, and lack of astringency that distinguishes Dianhong from smaller-leaf black teas; the grade structure from prestige bud-only golden needle productions to classic twisted-leaf Dianhong; and the specific characteristics of the ancient Yunnan large-leaf tea trees grown in Lincang, Baoshan, Pu’er, and Xishuangbanna that give Dianhong its distinctive material quality.

• Dianhong as a diplomatic gift tea: national presentations to foreign dignitaries.
  Summary: Covers the historical use of Fengqing Dianhong as a Chinese diplomatic gift tea — the presentations of premium Dianhong to Stalin, Nixon, and other visiting foreign dignitaries by Chinese leaders as a symbol of Chinese cultural achievement and natural wealth; the political and cultural dimension this diplomatic gift history adds to Fengqing Dianhong’s brand narrative; and the ongoing use of this heritage in Fengqing’s marketing positioning as a producer of premium Chinese black tea with both historical depth and national cultural significance.

• Fengqing’s pu-erh production and dual identity in the Yunnan tea world.
  Summary: Examines Fengqing Tea Factory’s dual identity — the historical home of Dianhong as its primary reputation, combined with pu-erh production (both sheng and shu) from the same Yunnan large-leaf material; the Fengqing County location within the broader ancient tea growing landscape of Yunnan that also supports pu-erh production; and the factory’s position in the modern Yunnan tea market as both a Dianhong specialty producer maintaining the historical 1939 origin narrative and a broader Yunnan tea producer participating in the pu-erh and aged tea categories.