Fei Zi Xiao
Fei Zi Xiao (妃子笑)
Also known as The Concubine’s Smile, Lychee Aroma Black Tea, and 妃子笑红茶
Fei Zi Xiao is an aromatic Hong Cha (红茶) from Wuyishan, known for its natural lychee fragrance.
Name
- 妃 (pronounced Fei in Mandarin): refers to an imperial concubine.
- 子 (pronounced Zi in Mandarin): a nominal suffix.
- 笑 (pronounced Xiao in Mandarin): means smile or laugh.
妃子 altogether means imperial concubine.
It’s a name that carries dual significance, referring both to a famous lychee cultivar grown in southern China and to a well-known poem by the Tang dynasty poet Du Mu.
The poem describes a horse kicking up red dust as it carries fresh lychees to Yang Guifei, the favorite concubine of Emperor Xuanzong. As she sees them, she smiles. The lychees would have had to have quickly travelled great distances in order to remain fresh. The poem is read as a reflection of the era’s decadance, as well as the great lengths that Emperor Xuanzong would go to please Yang Guifei.
Fei Zi Xiao (the tea) is known for its lychee-like aroma, making the name an homage to the fruit it closely resembles in scent. It’s a classic move in Chinese tea naming: draw from history, literature, and myth to imbue the tea with a layer of prestige (You can see other examples of this with Da Hong Pao and Bi Luo Chun).
Production
Fei Zi Xiao tea should come from Wuyishan, particularly Tongmuguan, where it is picked once per year.
Think of it as the authentic counterpart to cheap, artificially flavored lychee hong cha. Instead of added flavoring, this tea gains its fruitiness naturally through cultivar, terroir, and craft.