Every early spring, the Tea trees in the Hani tea gardens flourish in the breeze, with new shoots sprouting tender buds that stretch out their small leaves in the bright spring light. Diligent Hani people, carrying their tea baskets, make their way into the tea mountains one after another, ready to welcome the arrival of the new season's Spring Tea fragrance.

Before picking the fresh leaves from the tea trees, the Hani people conduct a special communal sacrificial ceremony called “Fu Ma Tu.” During this ceremony, the Hani people worship the tea trees, hoping that the tea tree gods will awaken from their hibernation and produce more buds, yielding more fresh leaves for the Hani people.

After the tea worship ceremony, the Hani people begin harvesting the fresh leaves in bulk, following the standard of “two leaves and a bud” to ensure the quality of the raw materials. Such fresh leaves, when made into a product, have slightly white hairs and the leaves are tightly embraced, making them top-quality refined tea.

In terms of tea production and processing, the Hani people primarily process sun-dried or pan-fired rough tea by hand. Many Hani households use traditional methods, drying the freshly picked leaves for about an hour, then heating up a Wok until it is red hot before adding the leaves and continuously stir-frying while reducing the heat. This method of fixing enables the tea to retain its freshness and various nutrients to the greatest extent. After fixing, they continuously knead the leaves, with longer kneading times being better. The leaves are then returned to the wok and dried over low heat to produce high-quality Hani tea. The tea made using this method produces a fresh, clear green infusion that is fragrant and has excellent brewing qualities.

Nowadays, mechanized tea production and processing methods are widely adopted in tea-growing areas where the Hani people reside. However, some tea-growing regions still preserve the tradition of handmade tea, especially bamboo tube tea, which involves fixing and kneading the fresh tea leaves, then stuffing them into bamboo tubes. After securing them, the bamboo tubes are placed next to a fire pit and roasted until they turn golden brown. Once the bamboo tubes are split open, the tea inside is ready. Nowadays, some farmers' markets still see Hani women selling homemade bamboo tube tea.

Source: Mr. Mo on Tea,information is valuable when shared,