The Goddess Tai Mu and Fuding White Tea

　　Ningde City is world-renowned for tea cultivation, boasting the largest variety of teas and one of the longest histories of tea drinking in China. And almost every tea variety comes with a beautiful legend that remains popular and widely cherished even today. Among the many tea-related tales, the legend of Fuding White Tea is the most widely circulated among the local people.

　　According to the "Ningde Tea Chronicle," it is said that during Emperor Yao's reign, a peasant girl living at the foot of Mount Taomu fled into the mountains to escape war and settled there, making a living by cultivating indigo. Known for her kindness and generosity, she was affectionately called "Lady Blue." That year, measles broke out across the region surrounding Mount Taomu, prompting villagers to trek up the mountain in search of medicinal herbs to heal their children—yet all their efforts proved futile. Tragically, the disease claimed one innocent life after another, leaving Lady Blue’s compassionate heart bleeding with sorrow.

　　One night, while Blue Auntie was fast asleep, she had a dream in which she met the Celestial Old Man of the South Pole. The old man spoke: "Blue Auntie, atop the Hongxue Cave where you dwell, there grows a tree called White Tea. Its dried leaves, steeped in hot water, make an excellent remedy for measles." Awakening instantly, Blue Auntie seized the moonlit opportunity and hurriedly climbed to the summit of Hongxue Cave. But the rocky terrain was treacherous—jagged boulders loomed everywhere, overgrown with thick weeds and tangled with sharp thorns. Yet her urgency to find the magical tea tree left no room for hesitation. Suddenly, amidst the dense underbrush, she spotted a slender, graceful little tree—a plant unlike any other. Her eyes lit up with excitement: "Ah! It’s the White Tea tree! Yes, it’s the White Tea tree!" Following the celestial old man’s instructions, she eagerly plucked the fresh green leaves from the tree and tucked them safely into the pocket of her flowing skirt. Just as she finished filling her makeshift pouch, she turned back—and to her astonishment, she noticed that new leaves were already sprouting once more on the very same tree. How remarkable! It was clearly a divine, enchanted plant bestowed by the wise old man himself.

　　Determined to save the impoverished children of rural families, Aunt Lan worked tirelessly—picking and drying tea leaves—and then delivered them to every mountain village. There, she taught villagers how to brew tea for their measles-stricken children, ultimately helping them overcome the terrifying measles epidemic.

　　Years pass, yet return; autumn departs, only to welcome spring again. Throughout her life, Lan Gu never ceased helping the poor. In her later years, she was guided by a celestial being and, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, ascended to heaven in divine form. People deeply cherished her memory and revered her as the revered Lady Tai Lao.

　　Lady Lan, having attained immortality, still cared deeply for her fellow villagers. Every year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, she would return to visit them. Each time she saw the villagers still dressed in tattered clothes and looking pale and emaciated, she would cry bitterly upon returning to heaven. Once, she was seen by the Immortal of the South Pole. After hearing her story, the Immortal said, "You actually can help your villagers live better lives. Do you still remember that tea tree? It not only cures measles but also dispels illness, strengthens the body, promotes saliva production, and invigorates the spirit. You should go back and teach the villagers to propagate it by cutting branches and planting them. When the branches grow into trees, cut and plant again repeatedly. Soon, the area around Mount Tailao will be planted with white tea. Tea can be sold for money; if planted extensively, wouldn’t they become prosperous?" Hearing this, Lady Lan stopped crying and laughed.

　　Next, there’s ZhulanTou Village in Mount Taimu, home to a young man named Chen Huan. His family includes elderly, ill parents and young children still in school—life depends entirely on him and his wife, who earn their living by gathering firewood in the mountains. One day, while they were out collecting wood, his wife accidentally twisted her left ankle. Determined to help her, Chen Huan carried her on his back and made their way into Hongxue Cave. As he stood there, he thought: "People say you should climb the mountain to seek blessings from Taimu and head to the sea for protection from Mazu—but why not ask Taimu herself to grant our fellow villagers a prosperous livelihood?" With that in mind, the couple scooped up some water from the sacred Dan Well, purified their hands, lit incense, and bowed respectfully before the statue of the goddess. To their delight, Taimu herself appeared, visibly pleased by their sincere devotion. She then revealed the secret recipe for crafting white tea—a gift that would transform their lives and, ultimately, uplift the entire region. Inspired, Chen Huan and his wife not only began cultivating tea themselves but also encouraged neighboring villagers to join them. Over the next few years, their collective efforts turned the entire Taimu mountain area into a thriving tea-growing region. As a result, farmers saw their incomes soar thanks to the lucrative white tea trade, while local tea merchants reaped extraordinary profits, fueling both economic growth and community prosperity.