Taiping Houkui Monkey-King Tea
Orchid perfume and sweet vegetable depth from the village that gave Houkui its name.
Taiping Houkui, the Monkey-King tea, was first made in 1900 by Wang Kuicheng in the hills of Taiping, Anhui, and won a gold medal in San Francisco in 1915. Its long, flat leaves give an orchid-scented, sweet cup.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 30 mg in one serving (8 oz cup (240ml)), a concentration of 12.5 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
Related gear
Related reading
| Brewing method | Tall Glass |
|---|---|
| Brew ratio | 1:83 |
| Dose & yield | 2.9g → 240g |
| Grind size | Flat Whole Leaf |
| Water temperature | 176°F / 80°C |
| Target brew time | 2:00-3:00 |
| Serving | 8 oz cup (240ml) |
What you need
- 2.9 g loose-leaf green tea
- 240 g filtered water at 80°C
Required gear
- Tall, narrow heatproof glass, 250 to 300 ml
- Kettle with temperature control
- Scale
- Timer
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Warm a tall, narrow glass with hot water and pour it away.
- 0:15Add 2.9 g of leaf to the glass.
- 0:30Pour in a little water at 80°C to wet the leaf, swirl once, then add the rest slowly down the inside wall of the glass, 240 g in all.
- 3:00Watch the leaves unfurl and sink, and start sipping once most have settled. Leave the leaf in the glass.
- 4:00Top up with hot water when about a third of the tea is left. Good leaf gives two or three infusions.
Troubleshooting
What it may be good for
How strong is it?
We list about 30 mg for an 8 oz cup.
Look before you sip
Take a moment to look at the glass. The long flat leaves, each pair wrapped around a bud, are the mark of the style.
What to watch out for
- Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much tea is right for you.
Taiping Houkui, the Monkey-King tea, was first made in 1900 by Wang Kuicheng in the hills of Taiping, Anhui, and won a gold medal in San Francisco in 1915. Its long, flat leaves give an orchid-scented, sweet cup. Brewed in a tall glass at 80°C.
Origin & Story
Taiping Houkui has a maker and a date. In about 1900 a tea farmer named Wang Kuicheng, who lived from 1861 to 1909 in the hills of Taiping in Anhui, chose stout, upright shoots with one bud and two leaves from high mountain gardens and worked out the way of making that gave Houkui its flat, straight leaf.
The name is explained this way: hou for Houkeng, Monkey Pit, the village where the tea began, and kui, meaning the best of its kind, a word that also appears in the name of Wang Kuicheng himself. A folk legend about a monkey in a mountain pit is told as well. Taiping was the old county name, and the area is now part of Huangshan District in the city of Huangshan.
Recognition came quickly. The tea was shown at an exposition in Nanjing in 1900 and won an award, and at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco in 1915 it was awarded a first-class gold medal.
The leaf is two leaves wrapped around a bud, flat and straight with a hint of white down, and in the cup it tastes of orchid, sweet corn, bamboo and a rock-sugar sweetness. A tall glass suits it: about 3 g of leaf, water at 80 to 85°C, steeped for two to three minutes.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 76/100 |
| Acidity | 28/100 |
| Bitterness | 16/100 |
| Body | 54/100 |
| Aroma | 96/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Taiping Houkui Monkey-King Tea?
One serving, 8 oz cup (240ml), contains approximately 30 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Taiping Houkui Monkey-King Tea?
Target 80°C (176°F).
How long should Taiping Houkui Monkey-King Tea be extracted?
Timing: 2:00-3:00. Method: Tall Glass. Ratio: 12g leaves per Liter of water. Grind or leaf format: Flat Whole Leaf.
Who created Taiping Houkui?
A tea farmer named Wang Kuicheng, who lived in the hills of Taiping in Anhui, is credited with creating it in about 1900.
What does Houkui mean?
It is usually explained as Monkey Pit, after the village of Houkeng where the tea began, combined with kui, meaning the best of its kind.
Who should avoid Taiping Houkui Monkey-King Tea?
Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much tea is right for you. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
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