The Allure of Time in Yunnan Large-Leaf White Tea

If Yunnan's Pu'er tea can be considered the biggest “dark horse” to emerge in the Chinese tea world in recent years, then over the past two years, the rising trend of drinking White Tea has brought attention to Yunnan white tea as a “white horse” within the tea community. Alongside Dianhong (a type of black tea), it has become one of the three leading types of tea from Yunnan, captivating the palates of many Pu'er tea enthusiasts.

In terms of tea history, white tea is likely the oldest type, with ancient people drying tea leaves for preservation being the earliest form of processing. However, it wasn't until the late Qing dynasty that white tea became an established category.

The earliest written reference to white tea can be found in Emperor Huizong's “Treatise on Tea” from the Song Dynasty: “White tea stands alone, different from regular teas. Its leaves are broad and thin, occasionally sprouting in cliffs and forests. Not made by human hands, there are only four or five households who have it, with no more than two or three plants each. Only two or three baskets of this tea are produced, with few buds, making it particularly difficult to steam and dry. If the timing of water and fire is off, it becomes just like any other tea.”

However, the white tea mentioned by this artist-emperor is not the same as the modern white tea, which is one of the six major categories of tea. It refers to tea made from leaves of white-veined tea plants, using a process similar to that used for Bai Jiguan from Wuyi Mountain, Anji White Tea, and Ningbo Yin Xue White Tea, all of which fall under the category of green tea.

Yang Shaowei, the general manager of Yunnan Jin Qiao Pu'er Tea Industry, is well-versed in the history of white tea. To him, simple as it may seem, white tea is the most straightforward, natural, essential, and transparent among the six major types of tea. Despite its simplicity, it carries a profound historical background. So, starting in 2025, he decided to lead his team in developing products for Yunnan white tea.

“We started making white tea in 2025. At that time, there were very few companies in Yunnan producing white tea, and there were no reference products available. After studying the traditional white tea production techniques from Fujian, our factory experimented to create a white tea that showcased the characteristics of Yunnan's large-leaf varieties. The ancestors' original use of tea was white tea, which didn't require rolling or kneading; it could simply be dried and consumed. Although the process seems uniform, the simpler the technique, the more profound the knowledge involved.” Yang Shaowei explains.

Jin Qiao's white tea uses the large-leaf variety from Mengku in Lincang as raw material. According to Yang Shaowei, the distinctive feature of Lincang white tea lies in its fresh, sweet taste, smooth and rich broth, thanks to Yunnan's unique plateau environment.

“Yunnan's large-leaf variety is indeed suitable for making white tea. Compared to Fujian, the climate and tea varieties in Yunnan are different, so even with the same production techniques, the taste varies greatly. Yunnan's climate is generally dry and thin, with significant daily temperature fluctuations. The large-leaf variety from Mengku in Lincang has the advantage of plump buds covered in white down and high tenderness. The broth is bright yellow-green with exceptionally noticeable sweetness and extremely high brewing endurance.” With this tea variety that is characteristic of the region, Yunnan white tea has formed unique quality features distinct from other regions, imbued with a sense of power.

“In the past, white tea was used medicinally, but we did not focus on its medicinal benefits as a selling point. Instead, we targeted niche collectors and those traditionally knowledgeable about tea. Most people understand its benefits, especially regarding Yunnan white tea, which garners great interest. I've also tasted many white teas from Fujian, and compared to Yunnan white tea, the taste, aroma, and character are quite different.” Jin Qiao positions its white tea as a niche collector's item, carefully selecting ancient tree materials for production. “After all, it's meant to satisfy the collection needs of tea enthusiasts, so the choice of materials must be meticulous,” emphasizes Yang Shaowei.

White tea has long been described as “one-year tea, three-year medicine, seven-year treasure”: as time passes, its coolness fades, improving its taste and even imparting Health benefits. During this period, its aroma, taste, and color undergo new transformations. It seems that the ancients understood how to utilize “time” as a seasoning. Time softens the sharp edges of food and transforms it into richness. This appears to be true for many interesting foods and drinks around the world; they require time, and when savored slowly, their depth emerges.

So, what is the secret of time for white tea?

White tea belongs to the category of slightly fermented teas. After the fresh tea leaves are picked, they are not stir-fried or rolled but dried solely through sun exposure, air-drying, or gentle heating, preserving the most natural elements of the tea. The comfort one feels from the tea is often derived from polysaccharides, which is closely related to the environment, light, and temperature during its growth.

With age, white tea captures the beauty of time. And the essence of the origin is not lost in the cup of tea. Through storage, it continues to offer pleasant surprises. Due to its non-stir-fried and non-rolled nature, white tea preserves the activity of various enzymes within the leaves, enriching its internal content and leaving room for further transformation.

As the storage duration of white tea increases, catechins oxidize, and the content of ester-type catechins, which impart astringency, significantly decreases, reducing bitterness and astringency. Other substances, such as polysaccharides, become more prominent. As catechins “disperse,” theaflavins begin to form. Theaflavins are pigments that give tea its orange-red color and astringency. The pale yellow color of the broth in new tea changes to a deeper yellow or even orange-red, at which point the full-bodied character of aged white tea emerges. During the storage of aged white tea, the structure of polyphenols transforms, and the flavonoid content is generally higher than that of new white tea, approximately 2.5 times more.

“Many places in Yunnan can produce white tea using white Tea processing techniques. Among the varieties, the most famous are the White Dragon Whiskers and Dragon Pearls from Jinggu, as well as Moonlight White, Da Bai Mao, and Ancient Tree White. The large-leaf variety from Mengku in Lincang is very suitable for making Shoumei, but not Silver Needle. The large-leaf white tea from Jinggu might be more suitable due to its white down. White tea is an important manifestation of Yunnan tea, and our mission as tea companies is to make good products.

The new “White Tea Standard” implemented in May 2025 made significant revisions, including extending the storage life of white tea, increasing the moisture content to 8.5%, and adding standards for Shoumei. Article eight of the standard stipulates that the storage conditions for white tea should comply with the relevant provisions of GB/T30375, and if stored properly, white tea can be preserved for a long time. The issuance of the new “White Tea Standard” has clearly established an industry standard for the long-term storage of white tea.