Oolong Tea
Teas which are allowed to undergo 10% to 80% fermentation are known as semi-fermented teas or Oolong (also spelled “Wulong”). Oolong tea stands out both in Chinese and world tea culture. They are also named turquoise teas (qing cha). What makes them so special is that they preserve the pure aroma and floral fragrance of the green tea, but in the meantime possess the rich and vibrant taste of the red teas.
The birthplace of oolong teas is the Wu Yi Shan Mountains in the north of Fujian province. There exists an abundance of amazing legends surrounding China which magically describe all things and events ever happened in the Empire. The origin of oolongs is no exception.
Legend has it that ages ago, not far from the Mount Qingyuan temple (the Mountain of Pure Springs), an old man named Uncle Niu lived in an isolated hut. Together with his son, they gathered herbs on the mountain cliffs. One day he noticed that the eggs laid by his chicken started to disappear. Hiding nearby, he noticed a huge black snake sneaking inside the chicken nest and eating the eggs. Uncle Niu decided to give the snake a lesson and replaced the egg with a stone hoping that it would kill the serpent. However, the next day the snake appeared again. Then Uncle Niu decided to replace the egg again and follow the snake. He was stunned by what he saw. The snake swallowed the stone and slithered to the tea bush growing in a crevice nearby. She ate a few leaves from the bush and they healed her. After the snake was gone Uncle Niu collected the leaves from the bush and used them to make a tea which had magical healing power. In China snakes were usually called small dragons, so he decided to name the bush Wu Long - Black Dragon.
A distinctive feature of semi-fermented teas is a green leaf with red edging. When brewed the green and red colors of the tea leaves start gleaming in a beautiful way, gracefully accentuating the hues of each other.
The main stages in the crafting of this type of tea are:
shai qing – sun-withering (wilting) of fresh leaves,
liang qing - ventilation and drying of leaves,
yao qing - tossing the leaves,
sha qing – killing the green,
rou nian – rolling,
gan zao – final drying.
These teas can be further classified into three categories based on their levels of fermentation:
- Light (10% - 20%): Pouchong, also known as Baozhong. These teas are full of aroma, clarity, and have a very light golden color.
- Medium (20% - 50%): Tie Guan Yin, Dong Ding Oolong. These teas have a light green-brown color, a full flavor, and sweet taste and aftertaste.
- Heavy (50% - 80%): Dong Fang Mei Ren (Oriental Beauty Oolong Tea), Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe Oolong Tea). These teas have red-orange color and fruity aroma and taste.
All varieties of semi-fermented teas have their own benefits. Depending on the terroir and the subspecies of the bush from which the leaf is plucked, each of them is exceptional in its kind possessing its own unique character. The four major areas for the oolong production are the north of Fujian Province (Wuyi Mountain), the south of Fujian Province, Guangdong Province, and Taiwan.
It takes a good deal of time to prepare oolong tea, as the best way to make it is Gong Fu Cha. Gong Fu Cha is a kind of Chinese tea ceremony involving the ritualized preparation and presentation of tea. The use of special tea utensils and the observance of rules of the tea ceremony allow the Oolong to open up and reveal its splendor and intriguing complexity of flavors and aromas satisfying all of the senses.