Tea production

The appearance of Phoenix tea is varied and very beautiful, distinct from other types of tea, standing out due to its unique characteristics. It is made by tea farmers using a unique traditional process.

The general production of Phoenix tea involves manual or combined manual and mechanical methods. It goes through six procedures: picking fresh leaves, withering, fermentation, fixation, rolling, and drying.

Picking Fresh Leaves

Tea production starts with picking fresh leaves. The freshness of the leaves is the raw material for tea. Whether the leaves are picked timely and according to standard directly affects the quality of the finished tea. To obtain the best tea, the top leaves must be removed two days before picking, promoting balanced growth of new shoots, so that the leaves can undergo synchronized withering and fermentation during the tea-making process.

The specifics of how to pick the tender leaves have been discussed in the second section “Picking Tender Leaves,” and will not be repeated here.

Withering

This includes sun exposure and air-drying, which play a crucial role in the quality of the finished tea.

(1) Sun Exposure

Freshly picked leaves are spread evenly under suitable sunlight to allow them to lose some of their moisture and become soft. This process is called sun exposure. In 1965, when the Phoenix Commune Tea Industry Middle School and Funan Brigade Tea Industry Middle School opened, the term “sun exposure” started to be used in local conversations as tea knowledge spread.

Sun exposure usually lasts for 10-20 minutes, but this should be adjusted based on the season, climate, sunlight, variety, and moisture content of the fresh leaves. Spring Tea has more moisture, requiring longer sun exposure; summer, summer heat, and autumn teas require shorter periods of sun exposure.

Proper sun exposure is achieved when the leaves lose their luster, turning dark green, the veins become soft, and the leaves adhere to the sieve. If the sun exposure is insufficient, the leaves will only slightly soften, making it difficult for them to “lose water” during the air-drying process, commonly referred to as “not air-drying properly.” Therefore, during sun exposure, the leaves must be spread evenly and thinly to receive adequate sunlight and heat, otherwise, the quality of the finished tea will be affected.

(2) Air-Drying

The sun-exposed leaves are moved indoors to a well-ventilated area, where they can release heat, lower the leaf temperature, and lose some moisture. This is called air-drying.

If the sun exposure was insufficient, the leaves should be placed high in a dry and ventilated spot to continue losing moisture. If the sun exposure was excessive, the tea sieve should be placed on the ground or sprinkled with water, then tilted against the ground, increasing the humidity and regulating the moisture, allowing the leaves to “revive.”

The duration of air-drying is generally determined by the actual needs of the tea-making process and can be long or short.

After air-drying to an appropriate level, the leaves are combined into one sieve and gently turned once to prepare for the next step, bruising.

Fermentation

This includes bruising (tumbling), shaking, and resting, which is a critical procedure that determines the color, aroma, and taste of the finished tea.

(1) Bruising

The leaves are shaken with both hands, causing them to collide with each other, promoting fermentation, which turns the edges of the leaves crimson and releases a strong floral fragrance. This process is called bruising, also known as “making the tea,” or commonly referred to as tumbling. The bruising operation must be performed by “observing the tea while tumbling,” taking into account the variety, degree of sun exposure, and weather conditions. Generally, the principles of light force at first, gradually increasing, fewer times initially, then more, and thinner spreading at first, then thicker, should be followed.

Bruising is typically done five times, with each cycle lasting about 2 hours: the first two times are light tumblings, allowing the leaves to return to life (commonly referred to as reviving or becoming alive again), promoting enzymatic activity, decomposition, movement, and release of aromatic substances. The third, fourth, and fifth times, the force and number of times should be gradually increased to continue raising the temperature of the leaves, promoting fermentation, and releasing aromas. From 1961 to 1974, brigades promoted a rapid fermentation method, tumbling every 30 minutes, completing the fermentation process in six cycles.

(2) Shaking

After the fourth and fifth bruising, the two hands tightly grasp the edge of the sieve and vigorously rotate and move it up and down, causing the tips of the leaves to rotate in a circular motion on the surface of the sieve and jump up and down, causing the leaves to collide with each other, and also causing the leaves to rub against the sieve. This is called shaking, commonly known as shaking the sieve.

(3) Resting

After each bruising or shaking, the leaves are left to rest in the sieve or basket, allowing them to lose moisture, raise the leaf temperature, and promote cell activity within the leaves.

Since 1986, most tea farmers have used hand tumbling twice, followed by shaking with a shaking machine three times, or started with a shaking machine, shaking five times to complete the fermentation process.

Proper bruising and shaking are achieved when the edges of the leaves reach a red line, the veins become translucent, the color returns to green, the leaves harden, take on a spoon-like shape, and emit a clear fragrance. After proper bruising and shaking, the leaves should rest for 2-4 hours, or even 6-8 hours, before fixation.

Fixation

The fermented leaves are put into a hot Wok or drum (tea stirrer) for rolling and frying, stopping the fermentation, removing the grassy flavor, volatilizing moisture, and enhancing the tea's aroma. On the other hand, it makes the leaves mature, softer, and easier to roll. This process is called fixation, commonly known as stir-frying the tea.

Manual operation of wok stir-frying usually employs the method of “initial smothering, middle spreading, and final smothering,” but the fire control must always be precise to ensure uniformity, thoroughness, and appropriateness. As documented in the “Rao Ping County Annals” in the 25th year of the Kangxi era (1686) of the Qing dynasty: “Stir-frying should use gentle and vigorous fires, skilled kneading to maintain vitality, clean woks, and sealed storage. If all these are adhered to, there is no need to rely on skilled neighboring women!”

The typical fixation time is around 15 minutes. Before 1958, when double stir-frying and double rolling were used, the time required was shorter for each cycle. Since 1994, using drum stir-frying, the time required for each cycle has been longer.

Signs of proper fixation include slightly wrinkled leaves, loss of luster, yellow-green color change, sticky feel, clumping when squeezed, disappearance of grassy smell, release of a frag