1963 People’s Communes Lao Lung Tuan Naturally Compressed Mao Cha

By Guang, 3 May, 2010, No Comment

Undoubtedly the most “heavy-weight” offering from us in Aged Puerh category this year – the 1963 People’s Coomunes Lao Lung Tuan (Old Draon Ball), from owner of Xi-Zhi Hao Mr. Chen.

The discovery of it was around early 2000 in one of Feng Ching Factory’s old warehouse. Several sacks of old mao cha were found underneath many other sacks of new mao cha. Due to the weight on top of them, they were compressed into irregular shapes. Mr. Chen acquired all of them in ~2002. And it was not until the opportunity of 2009 Taipei World Tea Expo that he finally put them into the spotlight and attracted a lot of attentions among pu-erh collectors in Asia.

Though no record left to pinpoint the date/year of their harvest, but a record of 1963 inventory check did prove their existence. And 1963 was right in the peak of Cultural Revolution in China, and the most common production unit were People’s Communes. Hence, Mr. Chen gave the precious a name: 1963 People’s Commune Lao Lung Tuan.

When I visited Mr. Chen in Feb/2010, this was the last tea that we went through in an 8-hour pu-erh tasting marathon. In the end, it was me who failed to be able to appreciate the full capacity of the 1963 gem: by the end of 16th steepings, I decided I was tea-drunk enough and my train back to Taipei was nearly due. Mr. Chen had wanted me to count its steepings to at least 30th!

It was so complex and ever-changing, that I must admit it’s beyond me to be able to remember every change and every aspect it displayed to me. My first impression of it: if blind-tasting, I would say it is 50’s Hun Yin. But there were something smoother, thicker, spicier, and more lively in it.

Mr. Chen used a Qing-dynasty zhu ni teapot of ~ 180cc to brew it. The enjoy of having such precious teapot to brew such a precious tea was beyond words.

You can see the display of the Lao Lung Tuan in XZH’s 2009 World tea expo at 0:37 of this Youtube, or Mr. Chen preparing to brew this tea in this Youtube clip.

The price of this tea is – kind of strange to say in such an economy – a lot more affordable than 50’s Hun Yin. The beautiful box with Mr. Chen’s hand calligraphy is for 500g. We offer size from 1oz to 4oz on Hou De. If you decide to collect the 500g piece, please let us know for a quote.

Guang :)

Problems Regarding Shipping Items Damaged

By Guang, 30 March, 2010, 2 Comments

An email from a dear customer brought this problem to our awareness:

One of the two “Palace Pu-erh” (2008 XZH Palace Pu-erh”)cans had a sizeable dent in it when I received it. I’m assuming it was not dented when it was shipped, but in transit. Several orders from Hou De that I’ve received over the last 6 months or so were packaged the same way; the item in the order was as wide or wider than the Priority Mail box it was shipped in. It was stuffed in anyway, so it was not well protected from external pressure. There should be some space around the items inside the box and the box walls so there’s a better chance of the items surviving if the box is dropped or stepped during delivery.

While we are sorry for what happened to the customer’s order, we also worry the same thing might has also happened to other customers.

If there is one thing that is trickier than selecting good teas to offer on Hou De, it has to be how to safely and economically deliver the teas/teawares to customers. We should have paid more attentions to the way we packed items. Sometimes we may be “off track” a bit to save on the shipping cost. This kind of email is a good reminder to bring us back to what should be the priority.

So, please don’t be shy to let us know, openly, the problems of shipping you’ve encountered. Or any idea that might help us improve.

Thanks :)
Guang

2009 Xi-Zhi Hao Arrived!

By Guang, 20 March, 2010, 1 Comment

They are here! They are here! Just when I started to worry whereabouts are they, they showed up at the front door! Five exciting pu-erhs, big and small, cake and loose, new and aged, from Xi-Zhi Hao. Some more will arrive soon, finger crossed.

I will post them asap.

Guang :)

Regarding those Private Collection Yixing Pictures

By Guang, 6 March, 2010, No Comment

About two weeks ago I posted some pictures of yixings, categorized as “Private Collection”. The life became really busy (went to Norman, Oklahoma for a conference, and came back to face overtime hours on project deadlines… ) and I did not have time to explain what they are and why post them.

Each of them is stored in a museum-quality thick padded box, and each of them is my ultimate pride and joy as an yixing fan and collector. They are some of my very precious collections still kept in Taiwan. People who visited us in Houston should know we have some such “boxed” yixing here as well.

Every one on them is really unique. Not only their vintage, but also the clay and the craftsmanship. Like this yellow “little pear”. It was made of what collector called “huang zhu ni (yellow zhu ni)” – a kind of clay having every quality of zhu ni except it is yellow. The random red dots were genuine zhu ni splashed – yes, hand spalshed! – onto its surface. Vintage – no later than late Qing dynasty. Bottom seal – Ming Yuan.

This one is, again no later than late-Qing dynasty, duan ni of that vintage. So soft, creamy, elegant. The aesthetic level of the nature beauty of the clay is at least on a par with zhu ni of that period. I especially enjoyed using a magnifier to look into the detailed structure of this clay.

I took these pictures by a point-and-shoot Panasonic digital camera indoor with flash light, so as to keep a record myself. The quality of these pictures is surprising!

Honestly speaking, many of the yixings we offered on Hou De are already well above the level of what people can usually find in teashops in China or Taiwan. Not to mention those in the Private Collection folders – if you can find just one of the yixings that can match the level in these pictures, you can call it a lucky day.

Guang :)

Happy “Tiger” New Year and Thank You

By Guang, 14 February, 2010, 2 Comments

Dear Friends,

Irene, Yuan and I would like to wish your family and you a Happy and Healthy New “Tiger” Year!

The Chinese letter on the right is a “Spring” written upside down. The pronunciation of the verb for “something being put upside down” and the “arrive” is similar in Chinese. So an upside down Spring means “the Spring has arrived”.

The unusually harsh winter in Taiwan (oh, yes, nearly all Northern Hemisphere) may set up a stage of great Spring teas in 2010. Let’s hope there is no surprise (no news is good news scenario) in early Spring.

2009 Xi-Zi Hao and some fabulous aged pu-erhs will arrive in about 4 weeks from now. The harvest activities in Yunnan in 2008 was very slow due to the collapse in market demand. That gave tea trees in many area a good recovering period. Maybe that contributed to the wonderful quality of 2009 Xi-Zi Hao I tried in Taiwan – many of them honey-packed, floral and organic mushroom-y fragrance, lot of juice and even jelly like, and sensational body feeling.

So, stay with us, and let’s have fun together!

Guang :)

Visit Mu-Zha Tie Guan Yin Plantation Feb/2010

By Guang, 12 February, 2010, 2 Comments

A whole day of my February trip to Taiwan was spent in some tea plantations near Taipei: Mu-Zha for Tie Guan Yin and Pin Lin for Bao Zhong and Bi Lou Chun(green teas). When I got to Pin Lin in the afternoon, it was raining. I only had chances to take some pictures in Mu Zha:

The owner of the Mu Zha plantation, Mr. Zhang (90% of the people living in Mu Zha have family name of Zhang!), has a very easy and carefree attitude – it also reflects in the least-interruption way of his care for his plantation. We probably spent more time chatting the three ducks and peanuts and kids than about Tie Guan Yin :mrgreen:

I tried the winter-harvested bao zhong in Pin Lin, very good. But I will wait to get their Spring harvest some time in March. The unusually cold weather in this Winter should predict excellent quality in the coming Spring harvest.

Guang

A short documentary of Xi-Zi Hao 2009

By Guang, 9 February, 2010, No Comment

Just returned from Taiwan

By Guang, 8 February, 2010, 9 Comments

Guess why I am sitting in front of the computer at 4:20AM… jet lag @___@ Just returned from a two-week trip in Taiwan, visiting family, tea/teaware sources and plantations. I had my focus on Mu-Zha area (Bao Zhong, Bi Lou Chun and Tie Guan Yin), Pu-erh (spent a whole day with Mr. Chen of Xi-Zi Hao) and Yixings. So be prepared, really prepared, to see a flood of great new (I mean, some very old) things on Hou De soon!

Video clip: Visiting Mr. Chen of Xi-Zi Hao

Guang :)

Snowman – Houston Style

By Guang, 5 December, 2009, 1 Comment

Considering it as an early Christmas present, Houston had an earliest recorded snowfall yesterday! And I think it was the biggest one I’ve ever had in Houston in a decade. Several cute snowmen popping up in our neighboor this morning. Share those Houston-style snowmen with you:

Yuan, Blondie and Wolfie also could not wait to enjoy the rare snowy treat!

Hou De Tea Blog – Updated!

By Guang, 21 November, 2009, 2 Comments

Hou De Tea Blog has been acted “out of whack” recently. New posts disappeared without a warning, and spammed comments pouring in like Bailout money for Wall street!

Finally updated the WordPress system to its latest version, which promises many bugs fixed and a better security. We will see. Hope you like the new design of our blog. I will post new topics very soon.

Guang :)

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