Tai Ping Hou Kui
Green tea
About this tea
Tai Ping Hou Kui, often called 'Monkey King' tea, is a striking green tea from Anhui Province famous for its unusually large, flat, deep-green leaves that can stretch several centimeters long. Made from two leaves and a bud picked from a special cultivar, the leaves are gently pressed during firing, sometimes leaving a faint net pattern from the screens used. The cup is remarkably smooth and mellow, with a pronounced orchid fragrance and almost no astringency. Elegant and refined, Hou Kui is prized as one of China's most distinctive famous green teas and supports a clear, focused calm.
How to brew: 80°C, 3 min, 4 g per cup.
Caffeine
Medium
How to brew
Flavor notes
floral, vegetal, smooth, lightly sweet
Often associated with
Focus, Clarity
Best time to enjoy
Morning, Mid-morning, Mid-afternoon
Tags
Origin & Production
Tai Ping Hou Kui originates from the area around Hou Keng and Hou Gang near Lake Taiping in the Huangshan district of Anhui Province. The tea grows on cool, humid mountain slopes shrouded in mist, with rich soils and diffuse light that encourage large, tender leaves. A distinctive local cultivar known as Shi Da Cha (large-leaf bush) is essential to the variety's signature size and mellow flavor. The lake's moderating influence and the surrounding bamboo and broadleaf forests contribute to the tea's clean, orchid-scented character.
Production process
Selective plucking
Pickers harvest two leaves and a bud of uniform length in mid to late spring, choosing only robust, evenly sized shoots from the large-leaf cultivar.
Sorting & withering
The fresh leaf sets are carefully sorted by hand for consistency, then briefly withered to soften them and begin developing the floral aroma.
Kill-green (sha qing)
The large leaves are pan-fired to halt oxidation while keeping them whole and intact, preserving the deep green color and the tea's hallmark mellowness.
Pressing
Each leaf is laid flat and gently pressed, traditionally between metal screens, giving Hou Kui its iconic flat shape and the faint net imprint on the highest grades.
Drying
The pressed leaves are dried slowly over low heat to lock in the orchid fragrance and bring the moisture to a stable, storable level without scorching.
Grading
The finished leaves are graded by length, flatness, and aroma, with the longest, most uniform leaves bearing a clear net pattern reserved for the top grades.
History & Tradition
Tai Ping Hou Kui is a relatively young famous tea by Chinese standards, created at the turn of the twentieth century, yet it quickly earned a place among the country's most admired green teas through its dramatic appearance and refined taste.
Origins in Hou Keng
Tai Ping Hou Kui is traditionally said to have been developed in the village of Hou Keng near Lake Taiping, where local growers refined the pressing technique that gives the tea its flat form.
Panama-Pacific recognition
Tai Ping Hou Kui is widely reported to have received an award at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, an early milestone in its international reputation.
A famous Chinese tea
Hou Kui became firmly established among China's roster of distinguished famous teas, admired for its unusual leaf and exceptionally smooth, low-astringency cup.
King of green teas
At a major national tea exposition, Tai Ping Hou Kui was honored as a standout among Chinese green teas, reinforcing its premium standing among collectors and connoisseurs.
Protected origin
The name gained protected geographic indication status, linking authentic Tai Ping Hou Kui to leaf grown and processed in its traditional Anhui homeland.
Health Benefits
Clear, focused calm
Hou Kui is naturally rich in L-theanine, an amino acid traditionally linked to relaxed alertness, which combines with moderate caffeine to support smooth, sustained concentration.
Even, gentle lift
Its moderate caffeine content delivers a soft, gradual energy that suits long stretches of work or study without the jitters often linked to stronger drinks.
Antioxidant-rich
As a lightly processed green tea, Hou Kui retains plentiful catechins such as EGCG, plant polyphenols widely studied for their antioxidant properties.
Exceptionally smooth
With very low astringency and a mellow body, Hou Kui is one of the gentlest greens on the palate, traditionally appreciated as an easy, soothing cup at any time of day.
Mindful ritual
Watching the long leaves unfurl as they steep makes brewing Hou Kui a calming, meditative ritual that supports a general sense of well-being and presence.
Grades & Varieties
Hou Keng (top origin) grade
The most prized lots from the original Hou Keng gardens, with the longest, flattest leaves and a clear net imprint. Intensely orchid-fragrant, exceptionally smooth, and almost entirely free of astringency.
Best for
- ✓Connoisseur tasting
- ✓Glass-tumbler brewing to watch the leaves
- ✓Special gifts
Premium (first grade)
Large, well-pressed flat leaves with a strong orchid aroma and a sweet, mellow body. A refined choice that captures the essence of Hou Kui at a more approachable level than the very top lots.
Best for
- ✓Focused work and study
- ✓Everyday premium green tea
- ✓Sharing with guests
Standard grade
Slightly shorter or less uniform leaves from later picks or wider growing areas. Still smooth and pleasantly floral, with a fuller vegetal note, making it a versatile and forgiving everyday tea.
Best for
- ✓Casual all-day drinking
- ✓Cold brewing and iced tea
- ✓Tea blends and cooking
Did you know?
Called 'Monkey King' tea, Tai Ping Hou Kui has unusually large flat leaves, pan-pressed between screens that can leave a faint net pattern.
Foods with this tea
What to Eat with Tai Ping Hou Kui
The mellow, orchid-scented smoothness of Tai Ping Hou Kui calls for clean, delicate foods—steamed dumplings, fresh tofu, and lightly dressed greens that respect its gentle elegance.
Hou Kui Green Tea Shrimp Stir-Fry
Delicate shrimp stir-fried with brewed Tai Ping Hou Kui leaves, ginger, and peas—a famous-tea-inspired dish where the orchid fragrance lifts the seafood without a hint of bitterness.
Hou Kui Green Tea and Almond Jelly
A cool, wobbly almond jelly infused with Tai Ping Hou Kui—the tea's orchid aroma and mellow sweetness add a fragrant lift to a classic Chinese dessert.
Drinks with this tea
Hou Kui Clarity Cup with Honey and Lemon
A smooth, soothing wellness cup of Tai Ping Hou Kui with a touch of honey and lemon—gentle caffeine and orchid fragrance for clear, unhurried focus.
Cold-Brew Hou Kui with Melon and Basil
A delicate, cooling cold brew of Tai Ping Hou Kui with fresh melon and basil—silky smooth, lightly sweet, and beautifully aromatic over ice.
Hou Kui Sake Orchid Spritz
An elegant, low-key spritz built on Tai Ping Hou Kui with sake, yuzu, and sparkling water—floral and refined, with an easy alcohol-free version too.