Basic Introduction to Zhangping Narcissus Tea

Zhangping Narcissus Tea is a specialty of Zhangping City, Fujian Province, and a Chinese Geographical Indication product. The Jiupeng Creek area in Zhangping is the main production region for Zhangping Narcissus Tea. Its superior natural environment conditions have formed the unique quality of this tea. The Narcissus tea cake is the only Compressed tea in the Oolong category, with a precious quality and a unique style that is highly traditional and rich in flavor. It has a clear and high aroma, naturally fragrant like orchids, a taste that is smooth and refreshing with floral notes, and can be stored for long periods and withstands multiple infusions. The tea has a reddish-yellow color and a pleasant aftertaste with a sweet return to the throat. It is especially known for not harming the stomach even when consumed frequently. This tea is popular in western Fujian, Guangdong, Xiamen, and is also exported to Southeast Asian countries and regions.

Nutritional Value

In addition to its stimulating effects on the mind, it also has the functions of invigorating the stomach, aiding digestion, detoxifying, and reducing dampness.

Product Characteristics

The Narcissus Tea belongs to the Oolong series and comes in two forms: Narcissus tea cakes and loose-leaf Narcissus tea. The tea has thick stems, long internodes, and plump leaves with high water content that does not evaporate easily. The shape of the tea is tightly twisted and curled, resembling a “cane” or “yoke” shape, and the raw tea branches are square-shaped, with a color that is dark green with a yellow tinge, similar to the color of bananas, and the “three-color” feature is evident. The inner quality of the tea results in an orange-yellow or golden-yellow clear broth, a fresh and high aroma with a distinct orchid fragrance, a taste that is pure, refreshing, and subtly floral, and the leaves at the bottom are thick, soft, and bright, with red edges and wide, yellow central veins. The Zhangping Narcissus Tea cakes combine the manufacturing techniques of northern Fujian Narcissus tea and southern Fujian Tieguanyin tea, pressed into square tea cakes using a wooden mold. As the only compressed tea in the Oolong category, it has a rare quality and a unique style, imbued with a strong traditional flavor, a clear and high aroma, a natural floral fragrance reminiscent of orchids, a taste that is smooth and refreshing, lively and enduring, and can withstand multiple infusions with a reddish-Yellow Tea color. A careful tasting reveals a Narcissus flower fragrance, and it has a good throat moisturizing effect with a sweet return to the throat.

Manufacturing Process

The manufacturing process of Zhangping Narcissus Tea cakes includes: fresh leaves → sun-withering → cooling → green making (shaking and cooling alternately) → pan-firing (fixation) → baking. The main characteristics of Zhangping Narcissus Tea's manufacturing process include heavier sun-withering, and the green-making method combines the techniques used for northern Fujian Oolong Tea and southern Fujian Oolong tea. In the early stage of green-making, a water sieve is used for shaking, while in the later stage, a shaking machine is used, with two rounds each. The principle is to shake lightly and frequently; in the early stage of green-making, light shaking is applied, and in the later stage, more vigorous shaking is appropriate. The cooling process follows the principle of thin spreading and frequent airing. After pan-firing and rolling, a wooden mold is used for shaping and filter paper for setting the form, which are unique steps in the process. Finally, meticulous charcoal roasting in a baking cage is performed, resulting in a uniquely shaped, high-quality, and distinctive compressed Oolong tea.

Awards and Honors of Zhangping Narcissus Tea

Zhangping Narcissus Tea had already crossed oceans by the early Republican era, exporting in large quantities to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and other Southeast Asian countries and regions. In 1995, it won the Gold Award at the Second China Agricultural Exposition, and has consistently received awards for excellent teas in various Fujian Provincial Tea Appraisal Conferences. It has been collected by the China National Tea Museum and has become a member of China's famous teas. Famous crosstalk master Jiang Kun inscribed “The fragrance travels ten thousand miles.” Premier Zhou Enlai had a special fondness for Zhangping Narcissus Tea. When he learned about its cancer-preventing properties, he specifically recommended and introduced Narcissus Tea to Japanese guests during his meeting with them in 1956. In 2007, Zhangping Narcissus Tea won the award for Fujian Famous Tea, and in 2008, it won the gold medal at the China Agricultural Products Fair. In February 2008, the comprehensive production standardization demonstration zone for Zhangping Narcissus Tea was approved as one of the sixth batch of national agricultural standardization demonstration projects by the National Standards Commission. In April 2008, the geographical indication collective trademark for “Zhangping Narcissus Tea” was registered by the State Trademark Office. In December 2008, the trademarks “Zhangping Narcissus Tea” and “Jiupeng” were recognized as well-known trademarks in Longyan City. According to statistics, by 2010, the Narcissus tea cake had won more than thirty provincial-level and above awards.