Dongting Biluochun, Feilüyin in Taihu Lake.

As one of the top ten famous teas in China known as the “fairy of teas, a precious treasure of the world,” Dongting (Mountain) Biluochun is not only renowned but also embodies the dedication of countless craftsmen in its production.

The quality of Biluochun depends on the picking process, which requires fine and tender tea buds to be picked and processed on the same day.

Picking Process

The picking of Biluochun has three distinctive features: early picking, picking young shoots, and thorough sorting.

1. Early Picking

The picking period for Biluochun starts around the Spring Equinox and ends before the Grain Rain. The tea harvested from the Spring Equinox to Qingming Festival is the most valuable, while tea picked after the Grain Rain cannot be called Biluochun.

Picking Young Shoots

The picking standard for Biluochun is the first unfurled Leaf with a Bud or the second unfurled leaf with a bud.

Thorough Sorting

The fresh leaves of Biluochun must be picked in batches, carefully removing fish leaves, old leaves, and immature fruits, ensuring they are completely sorted and clean.

Processing Techniques

The processing techniques include: sorting fresh leaves – fixing – hot kneading into shape – rolling into tight spirals – drying.

Traditional Processing Technology: Hand-processing of Dongting Biluochun takes place in a 60cm flat pan or slanted pan using firewood from fruit trees and flowers on the tea mountain. The key characteristics of processing are “hands never leave the tea, the tea never leaves the pot. Kneading combined with fixing, fixing combined with kneading, continuous operation, all in one go.” The entire process lasts about 30-35 minutes.

Sorting Fresh Leaves

The freshly picked leaves are placed on clean bamboo trays or mats indoors in a cool area, where they are sorted and spread out. The thickness of the spread-out leaves is generally 3-5 centimeters, and the sorting and spreading process takes 3-8 hours to complete. The indoor air is ventilated and cool.

Fixing

This step is carried out in a flat pan. Each pan contains 500-600g of fresh leaves, and the pan temperature is 190-200°C. After the leaves are placed in the pan, they are quickly rotated and repeatedly tossed, combining exposure and smothering, starting with tossing and then smothering, with more exposure and less smothering. The goal is to ensure the leaves are evenly fixed, dispersed, and thoroughly processed. During the fixing process, the leaves are tossed and dispersed every 3-4 minutes to release water vapor and prevent clumping. The frequency of rotation is gradually increased, while the number of tosses is reduced, forming tightly coiled strands.

Rolling into Tight Spirals

The pan temperature is lowered to 55-75°C. The dough is divided into several small portions and rolled into tight spirals between the palms, rolling each portion 4-5 times. After rolling, the portion is placed in the pan to set its shape before rolling the next portion. After rolling the second portion, the first portion is unrolled and scattered. This process is repeated, rolling, unrolling, and drying simultaneously. The rolling direction remains consistent, without reversing, with even pressure, following the principle of light – heavy – light. The entire process of rolling into tight spirals takes about 15 minutes until the downy hairs appear, the strands curl, and the moisture content drops to 20-25%, at which point it is ready for low-temperature drying.

Drying

The pan temperature is 50-60°C. After rolling the tea into spirals, it is gently stirred in the pan. Once the tea has a touchable feel, it is evenly spread on a clean paper and placed back in the pan for another round of heating before being removed.

The drying process lasts 5-6 minutes, and when the moisture content reaches 6-7%, the tea is taken out of the pan.

brewing Method

Biluochun has a unique brewing technique, using the top-down method, pouring water first and then adding the tea. After brewing, clouds of white foam form in the Cup, the liquor is clear and green, and a faint aroma of flowers and fruits can be enjoyed. Watching the leaves slowly unfurl in the cup adds an extra layer of tea appreciation.