Basic Introduction to Phoenix Dancong Tea
Phoenix Dancong tea is a specialty product of Chaoan District, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province and is a Chinese National Geographical Indication (GI) product.
Produced in the Phoenix Town, it is named after the Phoenix Mountain. According to legend, during the late Southern Song Dynasty, Emperor Bing of the Southern Song Dynasty passed through Wudong Mountain while fleeing south and was extremely thirsty. A local villager offered him a cup of Hongyin tea, which quenched his thirst and refreshed him, so he bestowed the name “Songcha” (Song tea) upon it. Later, it became known as “Songzhong” (Song seedling). There is also a legend that a phoenix bird, knowing that the emperor was thirsty, brought a branch of tea for him, hence it is also called “Bird's Beak Tea.” By the Tongzhi and Guangxu periods of the Qing Dynasty (1875-1908), to improve the quality of the tea, people began selecting individual plants for picking, processing, and selling, isolating and cultivating superior single plants, and naming them according to their origin. At that time, over ten thousand superior ancient tea trees were processed using this method, thus the name Phoenix Dancong tea was given.
The initial processing of Phoenix Dancong tea involves manual or a combination of manual and mechanical methods. The process includes sun-withering, shade-withering, shaking, fixation, rolling, and baking. Based on its processing techniques, Phoenix Dancong can be classified into more than 80 varieties under ten major categories such as Cinnamon Fragrance, Yellow Twig Fragrance, Honey Orchid Fragrance, etc. Some are named after the shape of the leaves, such as Mountain Eggplant Leaf, Pomelo Leaf, Bamboo Leaf, and Sawtooth Leaf. Others are named after their fragrance, like Honey Orchid Fragrance, Yellow Olive Fragrance, Lily Fragrance, Osmanthus Fragrance, Magnolia Fragrance, Cinnamon Fragrance, Apricot Kernel Fragrance, Pomelo Flower Fragrance, Night-Blooming Jasmine Fragrance, Ginger Flower Fragrance, and others. Additionally, there are those named after the place of origin, the tea owner, historical stories, or legends.
Phoenix Dancong tea is renowned for its “beautiful shape, emerald color, fragrant aroma, and sweet taste.” Its distinctive features include a robust, plump, and glossy appearance; an elegant and naturally floral aroma; a rich, mellow, refreshing, and sweet taste; a bright orange-yellow and clear liquor; greenish leaves with red edges and a durable character. In addition to these qualities, Phoenix Dancong possesses a unique “mountain character,” which primarily refers to the taste and can only be experienced rather than described. This special “mountain character” is the key to the quality of Phoenix Dancong and sets it apart from other teas produced elsewhere. Three essential factors contribute to this: superior ecological conditions, high-quality tea tree resources, and exquisite picking and processing techniques.
The main tea-producing areas of Chaozhou City have a high altitude with short daylight hours, abundant clouds, fog, and rainfall, mild winters, and cool summers, making them ideal for tea cultivation. The tea trees do not experience a distinct dormant period and can produce tea throughout the year. The soil types within Chaozhou City are mainly yellow soil, red soil, red-brown soil, and paddy soil. Yellow soil and red soil, found above 400 meters, have a pH value between 4.5-6.5, deep layers, and rich organic matter (3.81%-4.26%) and dozens of trace elements. These elements and substances, after undergoing a series of chemical reactions including metabolism and transpiration in the tea plant, are transported to the young leaves, significantly impacting the aroma and flavor of Phoenix Dancong tea. Red-brown soil and paddy soil have good water and heat conditions, deeper soil maturity, and higher fertility, with a pH value between 5.5-6.5, which is suitable for tea growth and is mainly distributed in low-altitude areas and fields converted for tea cultivation.
The geographical indication product protection area for Phoenix Dancong (Dancong) tea covers the following towns and tea regions in Chao'an District, Chaozhou City: Fenghuang Town, Tielu Town, Wenchi Town, Linxi Town, Guantang Town, Diantang Town, Chifeng Town, Guilu Town, Guxiang Town, Fengtang Town, and Wanfeng Forest Farm; in Raoping County: Fubin Town, Qiantong Town, Zhangxi Town, Fushan Town, Tangxi Town, Sanrao Town, Lianrao Town, Xinwei Town, Xinfeng Town, Raoyang Town, Shangrao Town, Jianrao Town, Gaotang Town, Xintang Town, and Dongshan Town; in Xiangqiao District: Yixi Town and Qiaodong Street; and in Fengxi District: Yunbu Caolannwu and Huishan Gang.
Nutritional Value
Phoenix Dancong tea is a semi-fermented Oolong Tea. Recent studies have shown that Phoenix Dancong contains abundant amino acids, vitamins, tea polyphenols, and alkaloids, among which tea polyphenols have strong anti-radiation properties and can reach up to 30% in content.
Product Characteristics
The tea has a robust, uniform, and straight appearance, with a yellow-brown color, a lustrous sheen, and crimson spots. When brewed, it produces a long-lasting fragrance, a rich and fresh taste, a soothing sweetness, and a unique mountain character. Phoenix Dancong is characterized by its beautiful shape, emerald color, fragrant aroma, and sweet taste. As a poem describes, “I wish to be a guest on Phoenix tea mountain, not a drunk sage in apricot flower land.”
Historical and Folklore Background
According to the “Chronicles of Chaozhou Prefecture,” Phoenix Dancong tea originated during the late Southern Song Dynasty and has a history of more than 900 years. In Chaozhou City, there are over 3,700 ancient tea trees aged over 200 years, one of which, “Songcha,” is over 600 years old.
According to legend, during the late Southern Song Dynasty (1278), Emperor Bing passed through Fenghuang Wudong Mountain while fleeing south and was extremely thirsty. His attendant recognized that tea could quench thirst and picked fresh tea leaves from the mountain for the emperor to chew, which relieved his thirst and refreshed him. The emperor then bestowed the name “Songcha” upon it, and the locals widely cultivated it thereafter.
The earliest recorded history of tea production in Chaozhou dates back to the 26th year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1547). The “Chronicles of Chaozhou Prefecture” records that Raoping County had to offer “150 jin 2 catties of leaf tea and 180 jin 3 catties of bud tea” annually. From this, we can see that Chaozhou's tea history spans at least 400 years. At that time, Phoenix tea, due to its superior quality, was already a tribute to the imperial court.
In the 25th year of the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty (1687), the “Annals of Raoping County” states: “Shizhao Mountain, located thirty li southwest of the county (Raoping County was set up in Sanrao Town at that time), is adorned with flowers of various kinds throughout the year, also known as Hundred Flowers Mountain. The locals grow tea on it, and it is known as Shizhao tea in Chaozhou Prefecture.” It also records that “Recently, much of it has been planted in the Hundred Flowers and Phoenix Mountains in Raoping, and the quality is not bad.” The “Chronicles of Chaozhou Prefecture” of the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty also states: “Now, Fengshan tea is excellent, also known as Shizhao Mountain tea.”
Authenticity of Phoenix Dancong
To distinguish the quality of tea, one can judge based on the shape, color, aroma, taste, and liquor color of the tea.
Shape: This is mainly judged based on the shape of the tea, tenderness, color, and purity.
Shape: The shape of strip tea is called “strip.” Tight, fine, round, straight, uniform, heavy, and solid strips are better.
Tenderness: The tenderness of the tea is mainly determined by the number of