Three Essays on the Introduction to Tea Ceremony - Tea Making, Tea Tasting, Tea Brewing

Author: Cai Rongzhang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
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3. Should the freshly plucked tea leaves be processed immediately? — Withering and Aging
After tea leaves are plucked from the tea plant, if the goal is to produce "unfermented tea" (e.g., green tea), they are directly processed through "" (also known as ""). If the intention is to make "partially fermented tea" (e.g., oolong) or "fully fermented tea" (e.g., black tea), they undergo "."
If immediate is performed, the method—whether "" (steaming) or "" (stir-frying)—must be considered. Steaming does not account for whether the tea leaves contain dew; they are steamed immediately after harvesting. Stir-frying, however, requires the tea leaves to be spread out for a period to allow moisture to dissipate slightly, especially for leaves with dew or raindrops. Withering (1-18) becomes particularly important in this case (hence the saying, "Do not pick tea too early").
To produce fermented tea, the tea leaves must first undergo withering. Withering refers to reducing the moisture content of the leaves (not drying them completely), as only then can oxygen in the air react chemically with the components inside the leaf cells. This chemical reaction is what is known as "fermentation," a crucial process in the production of fermented tea.
Withering is divided into "outdoor withering" and "indoor withering." Outdoor withering involves placing the leaves in the sun (providing shade if the sun is too strong) (1-19). Once the leaves soften, they are moved indoors, after which the process is referred to as "indoor withering" (1—20).
After moving indoors, the tea leaves are first left undisturbed, a stage called "" (1-20). At this point, moisture in the center of the leaves is redistributed to the tips and edges, as these areas are where moisture evaporates most rapidly. After a period of (e.g., one and a half hours), the moisture is evenly distributed, and the leaves are then "stirred" (1-21) to promote further even moisture evaporation. Another follows to ensure continued even moisture distribution. This cycle of stirring and continues until every cell in the leaf has reached the desired moisture level.
In the first half of withering, stirring primarily aims to promote moisture evaporation. In the latter half, the duration and intensity of stirring increase, as the friction between leaves facilitates oxidation (i.e., fermentation). This is why stirring is also called "."
The loss of moisture is visible on the leaf surface—the gloss disappears where moisture evaporates (1—22). Initially, the tips and outer edges lose their shine, followed by the front half near the tips, and finally the base and stem.
Withering precedes fermentation. Once all cells have lost the necessary moisture, vigorous stirring and thick piling during can accelerate fermentation. This leads to various practices such as "light withering and light fermentation" (e.g., Wuyi Rock Tea), "medium withering and medium fermentation" (e.g., Tieguanyin), "heavy withering and heavy fermentation" (e.g., White), "heavy withering and light fermentation" (e.g., white tea varieties), and "heavy withering and full fermentation" (e.g., black tea).
Withering and fermentation are critical steps in creating the distinct flavors of tea. Sunlight withering, in particular, can produce a more vibrant aroma. "Partially fermented teas" pride themselves on their "high fragrance," making sunlight withering an essential process for these teas. However, for fully fermented teas,