Short answers, with sources.
Plain answers to the questions tea shops, importers and tea drinkers ask us most about Kings Tea (Qingshenge): organic certification, the heritage craft, where the tea comes from, the teas themselves and how to buy.
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Is Kings Tea certified organic?
Yes. Kings Tea (Qingshenge) was first certified organic on 30 September 2005 under China's national organic standard. We hold twenty consecutive annual certificates covering 30 September 2005 to 29 September 2025, and our current garden (096OP1200315) and processing (096OP1200316) certificates run to 29 September 2027. These are Chinese certificates; we do not claim EU, USDA or JAS organic status. Read the organic record.
Who makes the tea?
Our chief tea maker is Liu Dexi (刘德喜), who has led tea making at Kings Tea since 2005. In 2015 the Wuyishan Municipal People's Government named him a representative inheritor of the Wuyi rock tea (Da Hong Pao) making technique, a craft on China's national intangible cultural heritage list since 2006. See how the tea is made.
Where is the tea grown and made?
In our own gardens and factory in Huangbai Village, Wuyishan, Fujian, China — about 2 km from the northern boundary of the Mount Wuyi scenic area. We grow, process and roast the tea ourselves. See where it comes from.
Do you sell to tea shops outside China?
Yes. We welcome enquiries from tea shops, importers and tea clubs. Tell us which teas interest you and where you are based; samples, prices, quantities and delivery terms are agreed for each enquiry. Start an enquiry.
What is Wuyi rock tea?
Wuyi rock tea (yancha, 岩茶) is a partly oxidised, roasted oolong tea from the Wuyi Mountains in Fujian, China. It is a protected geographical-indication product, and its making technique is on China's national intangible cultural heritage list. Well-known types include Da Hong Pao, Rou Gui and Shui Xian. Read the guide.
Which certificates are current?
Garden certificate 096OP1200315 and processing certificate 096OP1200316, issued under GB/T 19630-2019 by Hangzhou Zhongnong Quality Certification Centre and valid from 30 September 2026 to 29 September 2027.
What exactly do the certificates cover?
The garden certificate covers fresh tea leaf from the Huanglongshan No. 1 garden, 10.53 hectares. The processing certificate covers Qingshenge-brand oolong tea (Wuyi rock tea) and black tea made at our factory. A tea is covered only if it falls within these scopes, so ask us which teas and lots are certified.
Is the tea certified organic in the EU, US or Japan?
No. Our certificates are issued under China's national organic standard. We do not hold EU, USDA or JAS organic certification, and we do not use those marks. An importer who needs one of those schemes should raise it with us at the start.
Is the tea free of pesticide residues?
We do not claim "zero residues". An EU-standard laboratory report on a Rou Gui sample (lot 20260510, 30 August 2026) found the tested parameters within the EU limits cited; one substance, 2-phenylphenol, was detected at 0.036 mg/kg against a limit of 0.05 mg/kg. Laboratory results apply only to the sample tested.
Is Wuyi rock tea making officially recognised heritage?
Yes. The Wuyi rock tea (Da Hong Pao) making technique was named to China's first national list of intangible cultural heritage in 2006 (item VIII-63). In 2022 it was among the techniques inscribed by UNESCO as "Traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in China".
Who is Liu Dexi?
Liu Dexi (刘德喜) is the factory director and chief tea maker at Kings Tea, a post he has held since February 2005. On 20 March 2015 the Wuyishan Municipal People's Government named him one of six second-batch representative inheritors of the Wuyi rock tea (Da Hong Pao) making technique (Wu Zheng Zong [2015] No. 34). This is a municipal recognition, not a national one.
Why is charcoal roasting important?
Roasting over a bed of ash-covered charcoal is the step that gives Wuyi rock tea much of its depth. The heat is low and slow, adjusted by hand, and a tea may be roasted more than once. Many producers now use electric ovens, which are quicker and easier to control. Read the comparison.
Is every step done by hand?
We do not claim that every step is done by hand. Hand skill and judgement matter most at the stages that decide the tea — withering, shaking, firing and roasting. The photographs on this page show our team at each stage in August 2025. Ask us how a particular tea or lot was made.
Where exactly is Huangbai Village?
Huangbai Village is in Wuyi Subdistrict, Wuyishan, Fujian province, north of the Mount Wuyi scenic area. Our factory is about 2 km in a straight line from the scenic area's northern boundary.
Is all Kings Tea from your own gardens?
Our own gardens cover about 600 mu (about 40 hectares). Some leaf also comes from partner growers who farm to our standards. Ask us about the origin of any tea or lot you are considering, and whether it falls within our certified organic scope.
Why does origin matter for Wuyi rock tea?
Wuyi rock tea is a geographical-indication product: under China's national standard GB/T 18745-2006 the name belongs to tea from the Wuyishan area. Mount Wuyi has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999.
Which teas does Kings Tea make?
Mainly Wuyi rock tea (oolong): Rou Gui, Shui Xian and Da Hong Pao, in several grades. We also make Wuyi black tea. Grades, lots and formats available for export are confirmed per enquiry.
How should I brew Wuyi rock tea?
A common starting point is a small gaiwan or teapot, about 5–8 g of leaf for 100–110 ml of water just off the boil, a quick rinse, then short infusions starting around 10–15 seconds and lengthening as you go. Read the brewing guide.
Can I order samples?
Yes, for tea shops, importers and tea clubs. Tell us which teas interest you and your destination; sample selection, quantity, cost and delivery are agreed with each enquiry.
Good tea begins
with a conversation.
Tell us which teas you are looking for and where you are based. We will suggest what to taste and share the certificates and reports that apply to it.