Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity: Traditional Chinese Tea Processing Skills

On November 29, 2025, China's application for the project “Traditional Chinese Tea processing Skills and Related Customs” was reviewed and approved by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage under UNESCO, and was included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO.

To enhance public awareness of traditional tea processing skills and related customs, raise the consciousness of the importance of protecting intangible cultural heritage related to tea, increase national pride, and strengthen cultural confidence, including previous series of posts, we will share a total of 44 items of intangible cultural heritage (including 39 traditional tea processing skills and 5 folk categories of intangible cultural heritage).

This issue will explain Wuyi Rock Tea (Da Hongpao) within the “Traditional Chinese Tea Processing Skills and Related Customs” ——

I. Development History

Da Hongpao is produced in the Wuyi Mountain area of Fujian Province and belongs to the oolong tea category, which is a semi-Fermented tea. Its processing skills originated in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, with a history of more than three hundred years.

II. Processing Technology

Da Hongpao has the quality characteristics of “rocky flavor and floral fragrance,” and there is a traditional method of harvesting and processing, each step closely following the other. The basic process includes: picking, withering, shaking, pan-firing, rolling, drying (initial drying, cooling, secondary drying), and packing of raw tea.

△ Picking

△ Withering

△ Shaking

△ Pan-firing

△ Rolling

△ Initial Drying

△ Secondary Drying

Among these, shaking and double pan-firing and double rolling are unique steps. Shaking requires “making tea according to the weather and the condition of the tea leaves,” and takes about 8-10 hours. When the tea leaves are properly shaken, the surface of the Leaf will bulge into a turtle-back shape (commonly known as “spoon-shaped leaves”). Shaking and double pan-firing and double rolling are the main processes that form the “three-color sections” appearance and the “frog skin-like” surface of the tea.

III. Quality Characteristics

The finished Da Hongpao has tightly twisted and sturdy strands, an oily luster, and is evenly clean; its aroma is clear and long-lasting; the taste shows a distinct rocky character, full-bodied, sweet, and refreshing; the liquor color is clear and bright, deep orange-yellow; the infused leaves are soft, bright, and uniformly colored with a rhyolite hue.

△ Dry Tea

△ Liquor Color

△ Infused Leaves

The tea customs associated with the production skills of Da Hongpao also have local characteristics, such as shouting at the mountains and folk tea competitions.