Guniangzhai 42 is a small boutique run from up on Nannuoshan. They produce their own tea from the family plot in Guniangzhai and source tea from friends (e.g. Laoman’e) and family (e.g. Bama[link]) across Yunnan. They mainly do small runs and the majority of their customers are tea collectors who live in large cities across the mainland.

Guniangzhai 42 is a second-generation operation run by CJ and his wife Xiaotiantian. CJ was born and raised in Guniangzhai and is a member of the Hani people. Xiaotiantian, on the other hand, relocated from Chongqing. CJ once said of himself: “For recreation I drink puerh, smoke cigarettes, and play flight simulator”. Xiaotiantian, alternatively, has a strong fashion sense and collects Manfu clothing.

Having taken over from CJ’s parents, CJ and Xiaotiantian have not only spread the business beyond Guniangzhai but also dramatically increased the quality. In fact, CJ is focused and ambitious in this regard: he’s always trying to improve his tea. Even though he’s been at it for decades already, he always has new agroforestry insights from his cousin in the Tea Research Institute in Menghai town or new puerh processing techniques with from his friend on the other side of Yunnan.

How did they come to know Blue Hat? That’s a longer story involving a number of coincidences on mountain roads in Yunnan, but that’s for another time. What matters is, like Yinji, their emphasis the good stuff: CJ and Xiaotiantian have bet on quality and you can try the result for yourself.