Anxi Tie Guan Yin

 

(Voiceover)

00:02 Chen Yuxian is a well-known tea-making expert of Fudu Village, Longjuan Township, Anxi County. He arrives early at the village's tea-making workshop every day. Today, he prepares to process the final batch of autumn tea leaves from his own tea garden.

 

00:20 Anxi County, located to the west of the city of Quanzhou, is known as the tea capital of China. Its fertile terraces swell with Chinese oolong and its most celebrated variety: Tieguanyin, which literally translates as "iron Buddha".

 

00:35 Tieguanyin is one of the most famous ten teas in China. The legend goes that Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong named the tea because he fancied the leaves looked like the Guanyin goddess' face and were heavy like iron.

 

00:51 Tieguanyin autumn tea is made with leaves picked during September and October. Its taste and fragrance is considered superior to those picked in other seasons. Tieguanyin leaves are not only picked by hand but also with special care and consideration.

 

(Interview)

Tea Grower

01:10 Each tip has to have three leaves to be considered standard. The tea made with these will be full of flavor.

 

(Voiceover)

01:28 Fresh tea leaves are separated according to whether they were picked in the morning, noon or evening. Those picked at noon are the very best. After the leaves are brought to the tea-making workshop, Chen Yuxian's staff immediately prepare them for sunning.

 

(Interview)

Chen Yuxian, Tea-making expert

01:47 "The main purpose of sunning is to soften the leaves. This also causes the polyphenols to undergo chemical changes, which brings out the distinctive taste of the tea. Proper tieguanyin tea can only be made after sunning. If it is made during rainy days, there will be no taste."

 

(Voiceover)

02:24 After the freshly picked leaves have had their moisture reduced by being out in the sun, they are ready to be processed indoors. The next step is also essential in determining the famous quality of tieguanyin.

 

(Interview)

Chen Yuxian, Tea-making expert

02:42 "This process is called shaking. The sun-withered leaves are allowed to cool, then put into the cages to be shaken."

 

(Voiceover)

02:52 The leaves are put into a bamboo cage and shaken at a constant speed to bruise their edges and release the varied flavors.

 

03:16 Chen Yuxian has been a master tea-maker through years of practice, and his leaves are endowed with the special taste of tieguanyin through his skills and tireless patience. After being placed in an air conditioned room at a constant temperature, the leaves lose more moisture. The polyphenols in the leaves oxidize slowly, which results in a series of chemical changes that form the special characteristics of tieguanyin.

 

04:00 The next day, the leaves go through the complicated processes of pan frying, rolling, baking and roasting before they become the finished product.

 

04:15 Chen Yuxian has put a lot of effort into this batch of autumn tea. How will the newly made tieguanyin taste? We'll only know when we brew it.

 

04:27 Tieguanyin's flavor profile lies somewhere between green and black tea. It's a semi-fermented tea and has a unique flavor and fragrance. After brewing, the fragrance of orchids can fill a room for a long time. It's said that tieguanyin retains its flavor even after being brewed seven times.

 

04:52 There's a whole art to brewing a cup of tieguanyin. Chen Yuxian is not only an expert in tea making, but also in this all-important final stage.

 

05:04 First clean the tea set with boiling water. Then put the tea leaves into the gaiwan - or tea bowl. Pour hot water into the gaiwan from a height. Scrape the foam off gently with the lid. After brewing for one to two minutes, pour the tea into smaller tea tasting cups. Enjoy the bouquet first then continue to smell it while taking a taste. The most important thing is to enjoy drinking in the unique lingering charm of tieguanyin.

 

05:46 Tea is an important part of Quanzhou people's lives. Not only is it enjoyed at home but also in the widespread tea culture. Traditional tea houses are dotted throughout the streets and alleys and are always lively with guests. A cup of fragrant tea can bridge the distance between people in a casual get together or business negotiation. It also brings out the traditional charm of the Quanzhou people.