Misconception 1: The Greener, the Better

The traditional authentic Tieguanyin has a sand-green lustrous appearance, and its infusion color is golden yellow or golden yellow with a green tinge, where golden yellow is the main hue. Upon spreading out the leaves, one can observe some edges that have turned red due to fermentation (i.e., green leaves with red borders). However, some people mistake the “clear broth and green water,” a characteristic of green Tea, as a feature of Tieguanyin.

Misconception 2: The More Sour, the Better

Tieguanyin processed using non-traditional methods such as dragging acid, dragging supplementation, and fixing green, undergoes very light shaking during the initial rounds of bruising, extending the making green (fermentation) process until late afternoon the next day before fixation, creating a “sour” taste. This leads people to mistakenly believe this is the Guanyin character. In fact, this is a method that emphasizes less cultivation and more withering. Some tea farmers do not focus on soil improvement, ecological protection, and organic cultivation techniques but instead alter the processing methods to create the so-called “sourness,” misleading people into thinking that sourness is synonymous with character.

Misconception 3: New Shoots Are Best

Some people believe that new shoots of Tieguanyin offer the best quality. In reality, the physiological age of Tieguanyin tea plants can extend over a century, with the suitable economic picking age ranging from about 3 to 60 years. Practical experience shows that Tieguanyin made from trees over ten years old does not fall short in quality compared to new shoots, and it boasts a rich aroma, abundant inner content, and a mellow taste. Of course, whether they are new shoots or older shoots, scientific cultivation management measures and favorable soil environmental conditions are necessary to promote the health and vigor of the tea plants.

Misconception 4: Discarding the Red Edges

Traditionally, Tieguanyin features green leaves with red borders. Nowadays, some tea farmers, in pursuit of a clear infusion and a tighter leaf wrap, discard all the red edges and broken leaves after drying. This approach indeed results in a clearer infusion, but excessively discarding the leaves removes substances rich in tea pigments. Tea pigments contain theaflavins, thearubigins, and theabrownins, with theaflavins being referred to as the soft gold of tea. They possess excellent Health benefits, warming the stomach and moisturizing the intestines. It is recommended not to excessively discard the edges and to use sieving to remove broken leaves and impurities instead.

Misconception 5: The Stomach-Irritating Claim

Throughout history, Oolong Tea has been controversial regarding its stomach-irritating effects. When categorized by their nature, green tea leans cool, while Black Tea leans warm. Oolong tea is neutral, and traditionally made Tieguanyin, when sufficiently fermented, nurtures the stomach and moistens the intestines. Tieguanyin with a rich fragrance and sufficient fermentation, including the fragrant type, contains a significant amount of tea pigments (primarily theaflavins and thearubigins). In recent years, the Chinese Gastritis Professional Committee has organized nationwide clinical research on the application of tea pigments, achieving very promising results. Therefore, fragrant-type Tieguanyin is relatively stomach-nurturing, but the dragged-acid, dragged-supplementation, and fixed-green types of Tieguanyin can harm the stomach and intestines.

Misconception 6: Air Conditioning for Oxidation

The optimal temperature for oxidation in Tieguanyin is between 18°C and 22°C. In many areas of Anxi, spring and autumn nighttime temperatures often fall within this range, meaning that air conditioning for oxidation is not required in all seasons and production regions. If the oxidation temperature is appropriate, there is no need to use air conditioning. Good air circulation ensures that humidity remains low, and the tea leaves lose moisture naturally, resulting in a tea with natural aroma and a longer shelf life.

Misconception 7: Fragrant-Type Tieguanyin Has a Higher Aroma

There is a perception in the market that, based on literal interpretation, if fragrant is followed by rich, then doesn't it mean that the aroma is higher? According to national standards, Anxi Tieguanyin is divided into two categories: fragrant and rich. Rich-type Tieguanyin is defined as Tieguanyin that, after being traditionally processed, undergoes further refinement and baking. It can also be understood as a mature fragrance type. There was controversy over the terminology of rich versus mature when setting this standard. Experts believed that since the primary characteristic of Tieguanyin is its aroma, it should be distinguished based on different aromas. “Mature” corresponds to “raw.” If raw Guanyin were used to name the fragrant type, consumers might think that the raw Guanyin is not ready to drink. Considering that the refined and baked Tieguanyin contains caramel and roasted rice aromas, naming it rich to correspond with fragrant is scientifically sound.