Classification of Chinese Tea

Chinese tea has the largest variety in the world, which can be classified into two categories: basic tea and processed tea. The basic types of tea vary from shallow to deep depending on the degree of fermentation, including green tea, white tea, yellow tea, oolong tea (green tea), black tea, and black tea. Using basic tea leaves as raw materials, various types of reprocessed tea are formed, including flower tea, compressed tea, extracted tea, fruit flavored tea, medicinal health tea, and tea containing beverages.

Tea processing

1. Green tea processing

Manufacturing of roasted green tea:
Green tea is the most widely produced type of tea in China, with all 18 tea producing provinces (regions) producing green tea. There are hundreds of varieties of green tea in China, with various shapes including curly, straight, bead shaped, spiral shaped, needle shaped, single bud shaped, flake shaped, stretched, flat, granular, flower shaped, etc. China’s traditional green teas, eyebrow tea and pearl tea, are the main exported green teas.
Basic process flow: withering → rolling → drying

There are two ways to kill green tea: pan fried green tea and hot steam green tea. Steam green tea is called “steamed green tea”. Drying varies depending on the final drying method, including stir frying, drying, and sun drying. Stir frying is called “stir frying green”, drying is called “drying green”, and sun drying is called “sun drying green”.
The delicate and high-quality green tea, with various shapes and forms, is formed by different shaping methods (techniques) during the manufacturing process. Some are flattened, some are twisted into needles, some are kneaded into balls, some are captured into slices, some are kneaded and curled, some are tied into flowers, and so on.

2. White tea processing
White tea is a type of tea that is harvested from the thick buds and leaves of large white tea varieties with abundant back hair. The tea buds and leaves are separated and processed separately.
Basic process flow: Fresh leaves → Withering → Drying

3. Yellow tea processing
Yellow tea is formed by wrapping it after withering, and then wrapping it after roasting and frying to turn the buds and leaves yellow. Therefore, yellowing is the key to the process. Taking Mengding Huangya as an example,
Basic process flow: withering → initial packaging → re frying → re packaging → three frying → stacking and spreading → four frying → baking

4. Oolong tea processing

Oolong tea is a type of semi fermented tea that falls between green tea (unfermented tea) and black tea (fully fermented tea). There are two types of oolong tea: strip tea and hemisphere tea. Hemisphere tea needs to be wrapped and kneaded. Wuyi Rock Tea from Fujian, Phoenix Narcissus from Guangdong, and Wenshan Baozhong Tea from Taiwan belong to the category of strip oolong tea.
Basic process flow (Wuyi Rock Tea): Fresh leaves → sun dried green → cool green → make green → kill green → knead → dry

5. Black tea processing

Black tea belongs to fully fermented tea, and the key to the process is to knead and ferment the leaves to turn red. Chinese black tea is divided into three categories: small variety black tea, Gongfu black tea, and broken red tea.

During the final drying process in the production of Xiaozhong black tea, pine wood is smoked and dried, resulting in a distinct pine smoke aroma.

Basic process: Fresh leaves → Withering → Rolling → Fermentation → Smoking and drying

The production of Gongfu black tea emphasizes moderate fermentation, slow roasting and drying over low heat. For example, Qimen Gongfu black tea has a special high aroma.

Basic process flow: Fresh leaves → Withering → Rolling → Fermentation → Roasting with wool fire → Drying with sufficient heat

In the production of broken red tea, kneading and tea cutting machine is used to cut it into small granular pieces, and moderate fermentation and timely drying are emphasized.

5. Black tea processing
Black tea belongs to fully fermented tea, and the key to the process is to knead and ferment the leaves to turn red. Chinese black tea is divided into three categories: small variety black tea, Gongfu black tea, and broken red tea.
During the final drying process in the production of Xiaozhong black tea, pine wood is smoked and dried, resulting in a distinct pine smoke aroma.
Basic process: Fresh leaves → Withering → Rolling → Fermentation → Smoking and drying
The production of Gongfu black tea emphasizes moderate fermentation, slow roasting and drying over low heat. For example, Qimen Gongfu black tea has a special high aroma.
Basic process flow: Fresh leaves → Withering → Rolling → Fermentation → Roasting with wool fire → Drying with sufficient heat
In the production of broken red tea, kneading and cutting equipment is used to cut it into small granular pieces, and moderate fermentation and timely drying are emphasized.
Basic process flow (Gongfu black tea): withering, kneading and cutting, fermentation, drying