Baimao Hou

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Baimao Hou
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Baimao Hou (White Monkey) tea leaves.
Baimao Hou freshly brewed.

Baimao Hou (Chinese: ; pinyin: báimáohóu; literally: "white-haired monkey") is a green tea made from the top two leaves and the bud of new season growth (late March / early April). It originates from the Wuyi Mountains in Fujian Province, China. These delicate leaves are gently and gingerly steamed and dried. The dried leaf is said to look like that of a white-haired monkey's paw.

The leaves still show the "hairy down" on them which indicates that these leaves were plucked very early in the morning and within the first two weeks of the new season of growth. Even though this is a green tea, the visual appearance and cup liquor is so delicate that this is known as a white tea.