Fair-minded people know there is a kind of tea; once you taste it, you may never forget its aroma, and you won't confuse it with the fragrance of other teas. This is Chaozhou Phoenix Dancong.
Phoenix Dancong tea belongs to the oolong tea category. It was first created in the Ming Dynasty and is named after being harvested and processed from individual tea bushes ("cong") in the Wudong Mountain area of Fenghuang Town, Chao'an County. Phoenix Dancong is selected from exceptional individual plants within the national-level superior Fenghuang Shuixian group variety. Its finished tea product is of excellent quality, with floral and fruity aromas that refresh the heart and mind, possessing a unique "mountain rhythm."
Phoenix tea includes 79 types with natural floral fragrances, 12 types with natural fruity aromas, and 16 other fresh fragrance types. The tea made from the fresh leaves of these superior individual plants, such as Huangzhixiang tea, Zhilanxiang tea, and Guihuaxiang oolong tea, uses both the tea plant variety name and the finished tea name as the tea name. It has effects such as refreshing the mind, promoting saliva production and quenching thirst, aiding digestion and reducing greasiness, and weight loss and beauty enhancement.
Identifying Phoenix Dancong Tea: Mastering the "Fast" Technique in Appreciation
Phoenix Dancong tea has several sub-varieties like Guihuaxiang Dancong, Chouhuaxiang Dancong, Jianghuaxiang Dancong, and Xingrenxiang Dancong, all of which are medium-ripening tea varieties picked around four or five days after Qingming Festival.
To appreciate Phoenix Dancong tea, one can start with its appearance and brewing method: Phoenix Dancong tea has thick, straight, and well-proportioned strips, a yellowish-brown color that is glossy and moist, with vermilion-red spots. When brewed, it has a lasting fresh fragrance and a unique natural orchid aroma. The taste is rich, mellow, fresh, and brisk, with a throat-soothing sweet aftertaste. The tea liquor is clear and bright yellow, while the brewed leaves have red edges and a yellow center, famously known as "green leaves with red borders." It possesses a unique mountain charm character.
Brewing Phoenix Dancong tea differs somewhat from other teas, and it is somewhat more challenging, requiring more讲究 technique. If brewed improperly, it can easily become bitter and astringent,违背ing the tea ceremony. Therefore, it is necessary to master the "fast" technique: that is, adding tea leaves quickly, rinsing quickly, and pouring the tea liquor quickly.
The amount of Dancong tea leaves should generally be controlled to about 60-70% fullness of the pot. After the water boils, rinse the teapot and cups with hot water, then add the tea leaves. After adding the leaves, do not shake for aroma; just cover them slightly. Rinsing should be fast,可以用 "without a moment's delay" to describe.
Pouring the tea liquor for Dancong should also be quick. The first infusion should not exceed 3 seconds, the second not exceed 5 seconds, and by the sixth infusion, it should not exceed 30 seconds. Tea brewed this way is neither bitter nor astringent, making it most suitable for drinking. Because the pouring is fast, from the first to the sixth or seventh infusion, there is no need to change water or reheat it; one pot of water can be used from start to finish, which is truly畅快淋漓. Additionally, after the third infusion, you can gently flip the tea leaves in the pot. If brewed correctly, the tea leaves will cling together in a tight ball, and the aroma at the bottom of the pot will be the most elegant and pure.
Furthermore, boiling water and brewing tea, like writing an essay,也应该讲究起承转合 (have a beginning, development, transition, and conclusion); like splashing ink in painting,也应该讲究浓淡干湿 (density, lightness, dryness, and wetness); like playing the zither,也应该讲究轻重缓急 (lightness, heaviness, slowness, and urgency); like practicing Zen meditation,也应该讲究明心见性 (enlightening the mind and seeing one's true nature). When brewing Dancong tea, adding the leaves and rinsing must be done quickly and gently. Only in this way can the tea's fragrance be released, its flavor enhanced, the tea's principles followed, and the tea's essence fully expressed.