Cloud tea is like life; life is learning, wisdom is cultivation.
Today, let me share with you the story of Tong Qing Hao’s “Dragon-Horse Trademark.” A single trademark used for one or two hundred years — how remarkable is that? In this era of rapid brand turnover, a trademark lasting even a few decades is rare enough, let alone one or two centuries.
The inner ticket and inner flyer of Tong Qing Hao’s Dragon-Horse Trademark are among the most representative trademarks in the history of Pu-erh tea. What is an inner flyer? It is the small piece of paper pressed inside the tea cake, printed with the tea house’s logo and information. The inner ticket is the explanatory paper inside the packaging. These seemingly simple pieces of paper served as the tea house’s identity certificate and an important basis for consumers to distinguish genuine products from counterfeits. In an era without the internet or anti-counterfeiting technology, these exquisitely printed inner flyers and inner tickets were the best anti-counterfeiting measures available.
The design of the Dragon-Horse Trademark is deeply meaningful. The dragon represents nobility, and the horse represents speed — together they convey “both noble and swift.” This meaning perfectly reflects Tong Qing Hao’s positioning of its products — high quality and high efficiency. In those days, a good trademark was the soul of a brand. Tong Qing Hao’s Dragon-Horse Trademark has been used for one or two hundred years, becoming synonymous with quality. Whenever tea enthusiasts saw the Dragon-Horse pattern, they knew it was authentic Tong Qing Hao produce, with guaranteed quality.
I have seen many old tea friends’ cherished Tong Qing Hao vintage teas. When you open the packaging paper, the inner flyer inside may have yellowed with age, but the Dragon-Horse pattern on it remains clearly identifiable. That sense of historical weight is truly awe-inspiring. A small piece of paper carries hundreds of years of tea industry history — how precious is that? At auction, Tong Qing Hao vintage teas with a complete Dragon-Horse Trademark are worth a fortune. Some collectors are willing to pay tens of thousands just for a complete inner flyer.
Speaking of brand awareness, it is truly admirable that Tong Qing Hao had such an advanced philosophy over two hundred years ago. In today’s brand-conscious era, many companies spend heavily on brand promotion, but the most fundamental brand building has always been product quality. Tong Qing Hao’s history proves that good products speak for themselves. A brand’s value is not blown up by advertising, but accumulated through word of mouth by generation after generation of consumers.
On the topic of wellness, I recently noticed an interesting phenomenon. Many friends pay great attention to packaging when buying tea, but great tea does not necessarily need fancy packaging. Like Tong Qing Hao’s vintage teas, the packaging may be simple, but the quality of the tea leaves inside is first-rate. So when selecting tea, do not be misled by packaging — what matters is the color, aroma, and mouthfeel of the tea leaves themselves. A truly good Pu-erh tea has dark, moist dry leaves, and when brewed, the liquor is bright red and crystal clear, with a rich, sweet aftertaste. It is best to buy a small sample for tasting first, confirm the quality, and then purchase in larger quantities.
When drinking tea, I enjoy observing the changes in the tea liquor’s color. From the first infusion to the tenth, the color gradually shifts from golden yellow to amber. This transformation itself is a pleasure. Like the history of the Dragon-Horse Trademark, as time passes, its value only increases. Things of true value withstand the test of time. I often tell my friends: choosing tea is like choosing friends — do not judge by appearances, look at the substance within.
Tea has grades; all may enjoy it regardless of status. The story of the Dragon-Horse Trademark tells us that a brand’s value lies not in how splendid its packaging is, but in how genuine its commitment to quality truly is.
Make friends through tea, please enjoy a cup.
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Author: Old Tea Head · Lin Shen (LamSam)
Zen Tea Manor ZENTEA MANOR
Tianying Supply Chain Company
www.zentea-shop.com
