Dongshan Mountain, Suzhou
Early Spring, Before Qingming
This handmade Mingqian Biluochun is picked in the first days of the season, well before Qingming, when buds are at their smallest and most aromatic stage.
2026 picking time: 26th Mar
Harvested in Dongshan, one of the original Biluochun producing areas. Yang carried the tea back to Amsterdam herself to keep it fresh.
Handmade with Master Sun
This year’s Biluochun comes from a farm in Dongshan 东山 overseen by Master Sun, who has been part of it since its days as a collective. Even at retirement age, he is still there for the spring harvest, working alongside the team.
We arrived on 21 March, just as the first picking had started. The garden is closer to an orchard than a tea field, with tea plants growing among fruit trees, and the leaves are still worked fully by hand: around 38 minutes across four woks. From the 26 March picking we selected a small batch of this green Biluochun, and a red tea from the same leaves.
Each leaf is hand-rolled to preserve its tight spiral form and fine down. Dongshan Biluochun are characterised by local fruit orchid aroma: peachy, complex floral and fruity, spring blossoms, smooth and sweet finish.
Handmade Mingqian Biluochun yields are extremely limited.
Once sold out, this batch cannot be restocked.
