Crafting high-quality tea by hand requires years of experience, while machine-made tea is far more convenient. Handmade tea demands significant time and labor, whereas machine production reduces human effort and saves time. Artisans can better control tea variations through manual methods, though output is limited. Machine-made tea ensures consistent quality and larger quantities. Thus, choosing between handmade and machine-made tea seems like a matter of personal preference—akin to selecting "fish or bear paw." How would you choose?

It’s often claimed that "fully handmade" teas are superior, with "handmade" serving as a benchmark for quality. But is it true that handmade teas are inherently better, while machine-made teas are inferior?

This belief stems from two reasons:

1. High labor costs mean only premium leaves are processed manually. For example, skilled West Lake Longjing tea roasters earn over a thousand yuan daily, so they would never use low-grade leaves.

2. For teas requiring subtle adjustments during processing, such as high-end green teas, an artisan’s expertise is crucial. Factors like picking time, terrain, and weather require roasters to rely on smell and touch to adjust techniques, temperature, and timing.

Is handmade processing the only way to produce good tea?

1. First, tool usage signifies human progress. Quality tools are essential for roasting good tea. Modern green tea roasting uses electric woks, which offer more precise temperature control than traditional wood-fired woks. If one insists that wood-fired woks represent "traditional" craftsmanship and yield better tea, no roaster would agree. Since wood-fired woks have evolved into electric ones, why shouldn’t other tools be adopted to improve tea quality? Does using modern tools diminish the value of tea?

2. Handmade teas rely heavily on personal experience, resulting in variations between batches and even inconsistencies from the same artisan. Uncontrolled factors make handmade teas unpredictable—which can be part of their charm. However, for commercial products, lack of consistency harms both producers and consumers. Making or drinking good tea becomes a matter of luck.

3. Combining personal expertise with modern technology is key to producing excellent tea. Rock tea (Yancha) is a prime example. Mechanical harvesting is common, explaining why 10 pounds of fresh leaves yield only one pound of dry tea—stems must be manually removed during refining. While processes like withering, rolling, and drying are machine-assisted, masters monitor and adjust parameters throughout. During baking, the choice between electric and charcoal roasting (ideally with lychee wood charcoal) significantly impacts aroma and taste, highlighting the superiority of traditional methods.

Today, top-grade rock tea blends traditional wisdom with modern techniques. Forcing veterans to shake leaves entirely by hand is unnecessary when machines can handle it efficiently.

Result or Process?

Tea is not an artwork; it is ultimately a beverage.

Some insist on drinking only fully handmade teas to assert their connoisseurship, even judging quality solely based on production methods. But should the focus be on the psychological satisfaction of handmade processing or the actual taste of the tea?

In a progressive,多元化 era, traditional handmade techniques deserve preservation. However, refusing better tools that enhance tea quality is counterproductive. Should we revert to primitive methods to honor tradition?

Tradition evolves, and craftsmanship adapts. Clinging to the past while dismissing the present will only leave one behind, sighing alone in history’s dust.