Mao Xie (Hairy Crab)
Mao Xie (hairy crab) is one of the four famous Anxi cultivars, alongside Tieguanyin, Ben Shan and Huang Jin Gui, named for the fine downy hairs on its buds and the crab-leg shape of the leaf. It is jade-rolled and lightly oxidized in the qingxiang Anxi style, but runs lighter, greener and more vegetal than Tieguanyin, with a brisk floral freshness; as with all Anxi greens, freshness is the variable that matters most.
Tightly rolled jade-green balls, often with fine visible downy tips, opening into whole supple leaves. The cup should be fresh, bright and floral with a clean, slightly vegetal green character and a sweet finish, lighter in body than Tieguanyin. Flat, dull or hay-like leaf is stale or low grade. Because it is lightly oxidized and unroasted, it shows its age quickly, so favor recent harvests and airtight storage.
Mao xie is an Anxi county cultivar from southern Fujian, made in the same rolled, lightly oxidized qingxiang style as the other famous Anxi oolongs. The name comes from the downy hairs on the buds; the character is lighter and more vegetal than Tieguanyin, which makes it a common, affordable everyday Anxi oolong. As one of the four famous Anxi cultivars, it shares processing and heritage with Tieguanyin, ben shan and huang jin gui but is its own distinct variety.
Gongfu: 5-7 g per 100 ml in a porcelain gaiwan, 90-95°C, first steep 30-40 seconds, ascending; the rolled balls open by the second infusion. 6-8 infusions. Western: 3 g per 200 ml, 90-95°C, 2-3 minutes.
Mao xie runs €10-25 (about $11-27) per 100 g for everyday material, with better named-source lots up to €25-40 (about $27-43) per 100 g.
Prices reviewed June 2026
Tie Guan Yin (Iron Goddess)
The fuller, creamier, more orchid-refined Anxi flagship; mao xie is the lighter, greener, more vegetal cousin.
Ben Shan
Another of the four famous Anxi cultivars, fruitier and rounder where mao xie is fresh and vegetal.
Huang Jin Gui
The high-floral, early-budding Anxi cultivar; comparing the trio with Tieguanyin shows how much character is cultivar rather than processing.
Mao xie takes its name (hairy crab) from the fine silvery down on its young buds and the crab-claw shape of its rolled leaf, and it is one of the four traditional famous cultivars of Anxi county that share the rolled, lightly oxidized style with their far more famous neighbor, Tieguanyin.