JiuLong DaBai Tea originates from JiuLong Gang, Shuangyuan Village, Zhengdun Town, Songxi County, Fujian Province. In 1998, Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea was approved by the Fujian Province Crop Variety Approval Committee as a provincial variety. Over the past two decades, Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea has gained popularity among consumers for its unique taste of freshness, sweetness, floral fragrance, and rich flavor.

How is this high-quality and distinctively flavored Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea cultivated? What are the processing procedures and quality characteristics of this tea type?

To answer these questions, “Tea Talk” invited Ye Hong, General Manager of Minbei Raw Material Center of China National Tea Corporation, and Li Guangfa, Chairman of Fujian Mingbo Tea Co., Ltd., to join the live broadcast. They shared insights on the two group standards, “Cultivation Techniques Specification for Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea” and “Processing Techniques Specification for Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea,” detailing the uniqueness of Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea.

Optimal Cultivation Conditions

Shaping the Superior Quality of JiuLong DaBai

JiuLong DaBai Tea is an exclusive tea variety in Songxi County, known for its exceptionally long buds and uniquely white tips, making it a high-quality and flavorful White Tea. The cultivation of such premium tea cannot be separated from a favorable ecological environment. In addition to short-shoot cuttings performed annually between September and November, the planning of tea gardens, planting of seedlings, farming practices, fertilization, pest and disease control, and prevention of natural disasters in Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea cultivation also require meticulous attention. Ye Hong provided detailed interpretations of these aspects.

Tea Garden Planning and Planting

The garden environment significantly impacts the quality of the tea. Therefore, every detail, from site selection to road construction, must be carefully considered. When constructing tea gardens for Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea, it is essential to choose areas with good ecological conditions, fresh air, clean water sources, and unpolluted soil. Generally, tea gardens should be located on flat land or on slopes with a gradient of no more than 25 degrees, with red soil and a pH value between 4.0 and 6.5. The soil structure should be excellent, free of pollution, rich in organic matter, and have an organic matter content of at least 2%.

The road system within the tea garden should be reasonably designed based on the scale, topography, and geomorphology of the area. Roads should be constructed in a zigzag pattern around the mountains. Vegetation should be planted along walkways, main channels, steep slopes, and gullies where soil erosion is likely to occur. Evergreen or deciduous trees that do not share common pests and diseases with tea plants should be selected for planting.

When planting tea bushes, straight rows are used for flat land, while contour planting is employed for sloping land. Generally, the best time for planting Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea is late autumn (November) to early spring (late February).

Fertilization and Farming Practices in the Tea Garden

Fertilization in Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea gardens involves base fertilizer, top dressing, and green manure. Before planting new tea bushes, sufficient base fertilizer should be applied, and the fertilizer should be promptly covered with soil. Organic fertilizers that improve soil properties should be primarily used. After the tea bushes enter dormancy, fertilizers should be applied during autumn and winter, with multiple small applications. Top dressing should be done before each season's sprouting, using compound fertilizers, calcium magnesium phosphate, superphosphate, bio-nitrogen-fixing bacterial fertilizers, and organic fertilizers. Green manure can be planted between tea bushes, such as white clover and Chinese violet, and pruned branches and leaves can be returned to the garden.

Ye Hong noted that shallow cultivation should be paired with annual top dressing, with a depth of 5 cm to 10 cm. Deep cultivation, preferably conducted between October and mid-November, should reach a depth of 20 cm to 25 cm, which greatly benefits tea growth. Ye Hong also pointed out that mulching the aisles between tea bushes with materials like straw, rice husks, sugarcane residue, and corn stalks is an excellent agricultural practice. Mulching helps retain soil temperature and moisture, reduces soil compaction, increases organic matter content, reduces pests, and inhibits weed growth. Local tea gardens can select suitable materials based on local availability.

Pest and Disease Control and Disaster Prevention in the Tea Garden

In addition to pest and disease control, measures for preventing the impact of high temperatures, drought, low temperatures, and freezing on tea gardens are also crucial. Ye Hong mentioned that when controlling pests and diseases, priority should be given to agricultural, biological, and physical methods, with chemical methods used sparingly and moderately. Cultural practices such as pruning, cultivation, and fertilization should be integrated comprehensively.

For frost control, measures include installing fans to create airflow and placing smoking materials throughout the tea garden. After frost damage, light pruning should be performed.

Simplified Processing

Crafting Aromatic and Refreshing JiuLong DaBai Tea

A superior ecological environment nurtures high-quality tea varieties, while unique and meticulous processing techniques significantly influence the tea's quality.

Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea is made from fresh leaves of the JiuLong DaBai tea bush, undergoing specific processes including withering, drying, and sorting. It is mainly divided into JiuLong Silver Needle and JiuLong Bai Mudan, with only special grade and first-grade products produced.

During the live broadcast, Li Guangfa explained the physical standards, requirements, testing methods, inspection rules, labeling, packaging, storage, and other aspects of Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea.

Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea belongs to the medium-leaf variety. Silver Needles are typically made from the plump single buds of the JiuLong DaBai tea bush, while Bai Mudan is crafted from one bud and one leaf or two leaves, both of exceptional quality. Li Guangfa mentioned that the natural aroma is preserved during the processing of Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea, resulting in an exceptionally high-quality product.

Taking the Special Grade Songxi JiuLong Silver Needle as an example, the finished tea features plump, straight buds fully covered with downy hair, a silver-gray-white color that is uniform and bright, a strong downy aroma with floral notes. The Special Grade Songxi JiuLong Bai Mudan has plump downy tips and visible downy hair on the back of the leaves, a gray-green color, and a sweet and refreshing taste with a prominent downy flavor.

To ensure better transformation of the internal qualities of white tea, in addition to the original withering and drying processes, special attention should be paid to the screening and merging steps during the production of Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea. Furthermore, due to the climate in Fujian, the use of withering troughs should be minimized to avoid affecting the moisture content of the tea. The physical and chemical indicators stipulate that the moisture content of dried Silver Needles and Bai Mudan from Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea should be within eight percent.

When inspecting Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea, each batch of products should undergo sensory quality, moisture, total ash, powder, and net weight inspections. Only after these indicators are qualified can the products be released from the factory.

The transportation vehicles should be clean, dry, odorless, and pollution-free. Protective measures against rain, dampness, and sun exposure should be taken during transportation. The products should not be mixed with toxic, harmful, odorous, or easily contaminated items during transportation and storage.

Finally, Li Guangfa discussed the storage of Songxi JiuLong DaBai Tea. When storing white tea, attention should be paid to external factors such as light and moisture.