Oolong Tea, a semi-Fermented tea that lies between green and black tea, is loved by tea enthusiasts for its unique aroma and flavor. This article delves into the principles and technical points of qingmaking in oolong tea, revealing the essence of this traditional tea-making craft.

Principles of Qingmaking in Oolong Tea

The qingmaking process in oolong tea is a critical step in forming its distinctive flavor, involving physical interactions and biochemical changes among the leaves. Through the collision of leaves, enzymes within the leaves are disrupted, promoting the oxidation of polyphenols, which is the core principle of qingmaking in oolong tea.

Technical Points: Alternating Shaking and Spreading

The qingmaking process alternates between shaking and spreading. During shaking, leaves collide with each other, disrupting cellular structures, causing browning, and allowing moisture to permeate the leaf surface, making the leaves plump again. The spreading phase involves laying out the tea leaves to lose moisture, causing them to wilt once more. This process is repeated five to seven times to achieve the desired level of fermentation.

Factors Affecting Qingmaking

The technical points of qingmaking are finely nuanced and complex, requiring adjustments to the shaking and spreading methods based on the specific conditions of the fresh leaves. Leaves with thicker flesh and higher water content require longer periods of shaking and spreading, while thinner-leaved varieties with lower water content need shorter periods and gentler shaking. Additionally, different temperatures influence the shaking and spreading methods; lighter shaking, thinner spreading, and shorter spreading are suitable for summer, whereas thicker spreading and shorter spreading are appropriate for autumn.

The Process of Oolong Tea Making

The production of oolong tea is divided into preliminary processing and finishing. Qingmaking is one part of the preliminary processing, which consists of over ten steps, while the finishing process has nine steps. Every leaf of oolong tea is the result of careful selection and multiple processing steps.

Quality Assessment of Oolong Tea

The quality assessment of oolong tea primarily depends on its appearance, aroma, color of the infusion, and Taste. High-quality oolong tea has tightly bound leaves with a lustrous color, a long-lasting and layered aroma, a clear and bright infusion color, and a rich and sweet aftertaste.

Health benefits of Oolong Tea

In addition to its unique taste, oolong tea offers various health benefits. Its polyphenols and catechins have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cholesterol-lowering, and weight-loss effects.