Eight Pictures to Instantly Understand Wuyi Rock Tea!_Tea News

Wuyi Mountain in northern Fujian is renowned for its stunning landscapes. "Every bend of the mountain turns, every peak embraces the water"—in the folds of the valleys and streams, on the rocky and gravelly soil, grows the robust Wuyi Rock Tea, with the saying "every rock has tea, no tea without rock."

Wuyi Rock Tea is a traditional Chinese tea, combining the freshness of green tea and the sweetness of red tea, embodying the unique "rock rhyme" (rock bone floral aroma) quality, making it the pinnacle of Chinese oolong tea. The most famous among them is Da Hong Pao. Here, we explore Wuyi Rock Tea through eight pictures:

1. What is Wuyi Rock Tea

National standard definition: Wuyi Rock Tea is produced within the scenic area of Wuyi Mountain, made from local traditional tea varieties (including Shui Xian, Rou Gui, Wuyi Cai Cha, Dwarf Oolong, etc.), using traditional Wuyi Rock Tea processing techniques.

2. The Production Range of Wuyi Rock Tea

According to national standards, the production range of Wuyi Rock Tea includes the scenic area from Chongyang Stream in the east, Nanxing Highway in the south, Gaoxing Highway in the west, and Huangbai Stream in the north. Based on popular terroir perspectives, Wuyi Rock Tea is categorized by ecological conditions into Zheng Yan (true rock) tea, Ban Yan (half-rock) tea, Zhou (riverbank) tea, and Wai Shan (outer mountain) tea. Among them, the Zheng Yan area is famed for having "tea on every rock," with the Three Pits and Two Streams being the most renowned, while other pits and streams each have their unique characteristics.

Three Pits and Two Streams. Three Pits: Niu Lan Keng (Ox Pen Pit), Hui Yuan Keng (Wisdom Garden Pit), and Dao Shui Keng (also known as Da Keng Kou). Two Streams: Wu Yuan Jian (Enlightenment Source Stream) and Liu Xiang Jian (Fragrant Flow Stream).

3. The Growing Environment of Wuyi Rock Tea

4. The Wuyi Rock Teas We've Enjoyed Over the Years

Wuyi Rock Tea is not a single type but a broad category with a vast family. According to Lin Fuquan's 1943 survey, the "Hui Yuan Yan" alone had 280 tea varieties.

1. Blended Categories

① (Commercial) Da Hong Pao: Developed in the 1980s, commercial Da Hong Pao is primarily blended from high-quality Wuyi Rock Teas, including pure Da Hong Pao.

② Shui Xian Series: Appearance—tight, robust strips; flavor—rich, refreshing, and sharp; leaves—tender, soft, and bright.

③ Rou Gui Series: Color—oily, sandy green; liquor—golden, clear, and bright; leaves—thick, soft, and bright.

2. Famous Clusters Series:

Famous clusters refer to naturally high-quality tea plants with unique styles, selected over time from a large number of "Cai Cha" varieties. The current four most famous clusters of Wuyi Rock Tea are (pure) Da Hong Pao, Shui Jin Gui (Golden Water Turtle), Bai Ji Guan (White Cockscomb), and Tie Luo Han (Iron Arhat).

3. Qi Zhong: Made from local Cai Cha varieties.

5. The Processing of Wuyi Rock Tea

Traditional Wuyi Rock Tea processing involves: Sun withering → (Cooling, shaking) → Fixation → Rolling → Drying (initial drying, cooling, final drying) → Raw tea (sorting).

6. Brewing Wuyi Rock Tea