Collection: The Xiangtu Collection

tu or soil, ... evokes locality, homestead, and hearth. This is the nurturing root of one's being. Attachment to it is built on the unexamined foundations of biological life, the intimacies of childhood experience, the warmth of familial communions, local customs and practices, the unique qualities of place.

Hearth and Cosmos
Yi-fu Tuan

Shoucha, accelerated fermentation Pu'er tea, is produced through a piling process similar to composting. Heat and moisture stimulate microbial activity, breaking down organic matter. As with natural fermentation shengcha - leaf quality, craftsmanship, and storage all have a significant impact on quality.

The resulting leaf yields an earthy, mineral-laden infusion that imparts a profound sense of comfort. Xiangtu (鄉土) translates as 'native soil' and refers to one's ancestral homeland and a deeply rooted sense of place. 

Our shoucha is lineage specific - sourced and refined into an immaculately curated collection in Yunnan over the course of several decades before being presented here. The result is a well-focused collection expressing clarity, depth and complexity. Beginning with our signature 'Xiangtu Jingmai' cake, we follow leaf type, fermentation and storage styles back several decades to the 1970s beginning of shoucha. A thorough initiation into the art of transformation.