Atlas of Chinese White Tea
The past decade can be called the "golden decade" for the development of white tea. White tea has become popular, unsurprisingly so—prices have soared, and discussions have repeatedly stirred the tea community:
"200,000 RMB per jin for Baihao Yinzhen? White tea is actually this valuable!"
"White tea prices have increased tenfold over the past decade and are still rising!"
"Even with price hikes, it sells well! In 2021, domestic sales of white tea increased by 14%, the highest growth rate."
By 2022, white tea prices continued to rise without a doubt... Why is it becoming increasingly popular?
Its high aesthetic appeal—"needle-like shape, densely covered with white pekoe, and silver-white color"
is one of the secrets to Baihao Yinzhen's brilliance.
When white tea first emerged, people's initial impression was that it was primarily an export-oriented tea. Now, after more than a decade of frequent breakthroughs, white tea has made a remarkable comeback as a "rising star in domestic sales." Its fresh and sweet flavor profile appeals to tea drinkers across regions, and it has become the "introductory tea" choice for many young tea enthusiasts.
Those new to white tea often ask this classic question. Today, we will explore white tea from four aspects—"origin and history," "production process," "quality characteristics," and "brewing and storage methods"—to understand and appreciate the charm of Chinese white tea.
The best white tea liquor is clear and bright.
When it comes to major tea-producing provinces in China, Fujian is always mentioned. What kind of paradise is Fujian? Facing the sea with spring blossoms; mountains standing tall, filled with the fragrance of tea. As a major oolong tea province, Fujian excels in both Minnan and Minbei oolong teas, with Wuyi Rock Tea and Anxi Tieguanyin renowned worldwide. Zhengshan Xiaozhong from Tongmuguan, Wuyi Mountain, is the origin of black tea globally. The origins of Chinese white tea also trace back to this land.
Over two hundred years ago, the name Fuding was first engraved at the foot of the Taimu (mǔ) Mountain along the southern coast of China. At that time, the small town of Fuding was inconspicuous. It wasn’t until over two hundred years later that it gained worldwide fame because of a leaf—a leaf named "Fuding White Tea."
Regarding the origin of Fuding white tea, a local legend has been passed down: Four thousand years ago, on Fuding’s Taimu Mountain, there lived a woman named Lan Gu, who made a living by growing tea and was known for her kindness. She used the tea she harvested as a medicinal remedy, helping many people. This Lan Gu is whom the locals refer to as "Grandmother Taimu," and the tea here is known as "ancient white tea."
However, legends are just legends, but the fate of white tea is indeed closely tied to Taimu Mountain. Towering by the East Sea, Taimu Mountain is surrounded by water on three sides, with mountains and sea intertwined. The layered peaks block moisture from the sea, creating Fuding’s unique "mountain-sea climate." In Fuding’s rugged mountains, the weathering of soil and rocks is relatively high, forming acidic red-yellow soil. Coupled with its location in a subtropical monsoon climate zone, it enjoys ample sunlight and rainfall, with perennial mist and clouds... It is these superior climatic and geographical conditions that make it an ideal place for tea tree growth.
Making it a paradise for tea trees.
Entering the "ancestral home of white tea," Taimu Mountain, and climbing high to gaze into the distance, one encounters majestic views of mountains and sea at every turn, accompanied by the fragrance of tea at every step.
The original "mother plant" of Fuding white tea—the ancient tea tree "Lvxueya" (Green Snow Bud)—grows atop Hongxue Cave on Taimu Mountain. It is also regarded as an important maternal source for white tea research. Over the centuries, the "Lvxueya" ancient tea tree has propagated generations of high-quality tea trees.
Among them is today’s Fuding Da Bai Cha (Fuding Large White Tea) variety, known for its "plump buds and prominent pekoe." Due to its excellent quality, Fuding Da Bai Cha is not only widely planted in Fuding but has also been introduced as a premium variety to major tea regions, becoming the most widely promoted variety nationwide. It can be said that it provided the superior material foundation for the birth and development of Chinese white tea.
The centuries-old "Lvxueya" ancient tea tree is the "progenitor" of Fuding white tea.
According to records, white tea was first created in the first year of the Qing Jiaqing era (1796). Fuding tea farmers used local Cai Cha (sexual population variety) robust buds as raw material to create Baihao Yinzhen. It wasn’t until 1857 that the first Fuding Da Bai Cha was successfully selected and propagated in Bailiu Village, Diantou Town. The Fuding Da Bai Cha, with its plump buds and leaves, exceptionally abundant pekoe, and rich inner substances, endowed Baihao Yinzhen with its numerous pure white pekoe and fresh, mellow liquor.
From then on, Fuding White Tea officially shone on the "international stage". In the 1910 Chinese tea exports, the richly fragrant Baihao Yinzhen (Silver Needle White Tea) gained unparalleled popularity and became world-famous. The acclaim from the world greatly stimulated the development of Chinese white tea.
Fuding has typical low hilly features, suitable for reclaiming tea gardens.
It also exhibits significant maritime climate characteristics with ample sunlight.
This contributes to the sweet and mellow quality of Fuding White Tea.
Nowadays, white tea production areas are almost throughout Fuding, with Panxi, Diantou, Guanyang, and Bailin becoming its important production regions.
The Fuding white tea industry has gradually entered a stable development stage and over the past century has become an important part of Fujian's tea exports. In recent years, the value of white tea has suddenly "soared" domestically. Every spring tea season, the spring tea market on Dongxi Street in Diantou Town is bustling with crowds, almost all tea farmers and merchants coming for white tea.
The streets are packed with people busy for white tea.
White tea is so popular, and Zhenghe County, more than two hundred kilometers away, is also a "treasure land for tea production" with famous tea varieties. The white tea produced here is also among the best in Chinese white tea.
Located in the southeast of the Wuyi Mountains, Zhenghe also has an excellent environment for growing and making white tea. The entire area has simultaneous rain and heat, towering mountains, an average altitude of about 800 meters, significant elevation differences and large temperature variations between morning and evening. It is mainly acidic soil such as red soil and red-yellow soil, and the high mountains are often cloudy and misty, making it a paradise for tea trees.
Zhenghe has towering mountains and lingering clouds and mist.
The tea here has a unique high-mountain charm, with a strong taste and often floral notes.
Baihao Yinzhen made from Zhenghe Dabai tea, known for its thick flesh and strong buds with abundant pekoe, has characteristics such as plump buds, delicious taste, and rich aroma, enough to compete with Fuding Baihao Yinzhen. Together, Fuding white tea and Zhenghe white tea become the main force of Chinese white tea, spreading their fragrance far and wide.
Subsequently, with the continuous discovery of tea tree varieties suitable for making white tea, such as Fuding Dahaо, Fu'an Dabai tea, and Jianyang Shuixian, white tea flourished everywhere in Fujian's tea garden paradise: different grades of white tea such as White Peony, Gongmei, and Shoumei were successively introduced in Jianyang, Fujian, and the Chinese white tea family grew increasingly larger.
Some may be unfamiliar with Jianyang white tea, but when it comes to Jianyang Shuixian, it is a famous standout in northern Fujian tea! Shuixian tea, with its thick stems, fleshy leaves, and natural "orchid fragrance," also has the "genes" to make excellent white tea. Jianyang Shuixian white, made from the tender buds and leaves of Shuixian tea, has officially joined the Chinese white tea team.
Jianyang is not only the hometown of Shuixian tea
but also the place of origin for White Peony, Gongmei, and Shoumei.
In today's Chinese white tea landscape, Fujian white tea is not alone; the homeland of Chinese tea—Yunnan—also emits the "fragrance of white tea."
Along the Lancang River in the tropical rainforest climate zone, there are tea mountains intertwined with dense forests, crisscrossed valleys, shrouded in clouds and mist, and abundant ancient trees, which have also nurtured world-famous Dianhong and Pu'er tea. Facing these two "older brothers" with their established reputations, Yunnan white tea is not inferior at all.
The banks of the Lancang River grow the world's largest number of wild tea trees.
Not only does it produce Pu'er tea, but Yunnan white tea from here is also famous far and wide.
Thus, a leaf of tea embarks on its journey from the deep forests and rural areas of Fuding, Zhenghe, and Jianyang, making its way to tea regions in eastern and northern Fujian such as Fu'an, Zherong, Shouning, Songxi, and Jian'ou, and even extending to tea-producing areas in Yunnan, Guizhou, Jiangxi, and Sichuan, ultimately arriving at the tea tables of countless households.
Today, white tea is flourishing across the country. As its place of origin, Fujian still maintains its "big brother" status—firmly accounting for 73.6% of China's white tea production (data from the Fujian Provincial Bureau of Statistics, 2019).
When it comes to output and reputation, who would agree or disagree with the saying: "The world’s white tea is in China, and China’s white tea is in Fujian"?
Minimalism with only two steps in processing
A fresh tea leaf can be turned into a refreshing green tea through three steps: fixation, rolling, and drying. Alternatively, it can become a sweet and mellow black tea through four steps: withering, rolling, fermentation, and drying. For more complex processing, it can undergo fixation, rolling, pile-fermentation, drying, and aging to transform into a rich, smooth, and sweet dark tea.
If it is to be made into white tea, generally speaking, only two simple steps are required: withering and drying.
Fresh white tea leaves, bathed in spring sunlight, form the foundation of white tea’s refreshing and sweet flavor.
Among China’s six major tea categories, white tea is the simplest to produce and the closest to nature. It is neither pan-fired nor rolled, with withering as its core process. During processing, it relies heavily on the participation of sunlight and wind, with minimal human intervention. This preserves its rich, original intrinsic substances, resulting in a natural, fresh, and sweet taste that offers tea drinkers a unique sensory experience.
The production process of white tea is known as the minimalism of the six major tea categories, but in reality, the details are extremely meticulous.
The harvesting of white tea has strict timing requirements. It is generally picked around the Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day), when the spring tea leaves, having absorbed the spring sunlight, begin to emit a delicate fragrance. To ensure the smooth progress of the crucial withering process, harvesting must be done on sunny days, with north wind days being ideal. The dry air from the north is more conducive to controlling the moisture content of the tea leaves, making it easier to produce high-quality white tea.
Withering, the "soul" of white tea processing, requires even greater caution. During withering, the tea leaves release their grassy scent, enhance their aroma, and develop a sweet, mellow "tea fragrance," which is key to determining the quality of the finished white tea.
Therefore, it is common to see tea masters during the withering process of white tea remaining highly vigilant, closely monitoring changes in the withering environment. They precisely calculate the time while observing the water loss, color changes, and dryness of the tea leaves, making adjustments as needed to ensure every leaf reaches its optimal withering state.
Fresh white tea leaves are quietly enjoying their "sunbath."
Withering takes 48 to 72 hours to complete.
Different withering methods can lock in the natural flavor of tea leaves under various production conditions, ensuring quality for different types of white tea.
White tea primarily sun-withered carries the taste of sunlight, with a focus on fresh and mellow flavors. White tea mainly naturally withered indoors has a tender, downy aroma and an enticingly sweet taste. There is also the compound withering method, which combines sun-withering and indoor withering, often used for White Peony, Gongmei, and Shoumei teas harvested around the Grain Rain season. White tea produced this way has a rich and aromatic liquor with a distinct character.
Placing fresh white tea leaves indoors for natural withering is also a common method.
After withering comes drying. Traditional white tea drying uses baking baskets, but with technological advancements, drying machines are now also employed to save labor.
Basket baking is the traditional drying method for white tea, often used for indoor natural withering and compound withering. However, traditional drying methods can no longer meet the demands of mass production. Modern white tea production mostly uses drying machines to bake the tea.
Nevertheless, it is important to understand that whether using baking baskets or drying machines, as long as the white tea drying standards are met, it is a good method and can produce high-quality white tea.
Basket drying is the traditional method for drying white tea.
Nowadays, large-scale white tea production more commonly uses drying machines.
Today, different regions follow the basic processing techniques of white tea. Under the general white tea production process, variations in raw materials and detailed methods result in clearly graded and easily distinguishable categories. Common types of white tea include Baihao Yinzhen, Baimudan, Gongmei, and Shoumei.
Baihao Yinzhen, Baimudan, Gongmei, Shoumei
White tea, with its clean and sweet taste, is suitable for all ages and popular across regions, making it easy to get started. But for beginners, how can one choose the most suitable type of white tea from these categories? Below, we compare them.
Baihao Yinzhen is the earliest type of white tea, considered the "first generation." Its raw materials mostly come from Fuding Da Bai, Zhenghe Da Bai, Fuding Da Hao, and Fu'an Da Bai tea varieties. A small amount is also made from local Cai tea. It is very "picky" in raw material selection, requiring plump, bud-only leaves with abundant trichomes (hao), resulting in relatively low yield. It is suitable for experienced tea drinkers with refined tastes—though those with deep pockets need not hesitate.
Baihao Yinzhen must be made from single buds that are plump and rich in trichomes.
It has a distinct hao aroma and a clean, sweet fragrance.
Often described as "hao aroma with honey undertones."
Baimudan is named for its flower-like appearance—buds and leaves connected, with two leaves embracing the core bud.
Baimudan originated in Jianyang Shuiji and became more widespread in Fuding and Zhenghe. It can be classified into "Xiao Bai," "Da Bai," and "Shuixian Bai." Tea made from Cai tea buds and leaves is called "Xiao Bai," distinguishing it from "Da Bai" made from Zhenghe Da Bai or Fuding Da Bai varieties. There is also "Shuixian Bai," made from buds and leaves of the Narcissus tea tree.
All three types of Baimudan require tender buds with one leaf just unfolding or two leaves just unfolding to ensure plump buds and a fresh, delicate hao aroma. It is a high-end choice for daily white tea drinking.
Baihao Yinzhen, Baimudan, Gongmei, Shoumei
Traditional Gongmei is made from small-leaf Cai tea, with small leaves and buds. However, Gongmei made from high-grade Cai tea varieties retains a clean sweetness and floral aroma, making it quite distinctive. Nowadays, some Gongmei is also produced by picking one bud with two or three leaves after the production of Baihao Yinzhen and Baimudan, resulting in a tea with both hao aroma and fresh flavor.
Shoumei originated alongside Baihao Yinzhen. Initially, Shoumei was made from leaves selected during the "sprouting" stage of Baihao Yinzhen. Today, it is also made from Da Bai or Cai tea leaves, producing an orange-yellow or deep yellow liquor with a mellow, refreshing taste and a pure, fresh aroma.
It is worth mentioning that older autumn leaves can also be used as part of the raw material for Shoumei, resulting in so-called "Autumn Shoumei," which has a stronger and richer flavor. Shoumei now has the highest production volume on the market and is mostly pressed into cake form. Like Gongmei, it is suitable for both brewing and boiling, making it an excellent choice for beginners to experience the freshness of white tea.
Aged Shoumei pressed into cakes can be brewed or boiled, offering a lasting tea aroma.
Many friends also ask: What makes a white tea good? First, look at the shape and color of the tea leaves. Baihao Yinzhen should have plump, tender buds with abundant, white, and glossy trichomes. Baimudan should have connected buds and leaves, with a plump bud core and visible white trichomes, and grey-green brewed leaves. Gongmei and Shoumei should have tender buds and leaves with raised leaf surfaces, green with a grey tint.
Next, observe the liquor color. Good white tea must have a clear and bright liquor, with light yellow, clear, and luminous being the best.
Then taste the flavor. White tea is known for its "hao aroma, tender fragrance, freshness, and sweet taste." For beginners, distinguishing the various flavors of white tea might be challenging, but there is a simple criterion: remember a pure sweetness.
It is one of the standards for identifying good white tea.
"Mellow sweetness" is the basic taste profile of white tea. During the withering process, white tea loses moisture while increasing cell concentration. Various enzymes in the tea leaves promote the hydrolysis of internal substances, increasing solubles and transforming the tea’s aroma, thereby enhancing its richness. By the end of the withering stage, the accumulation of monosaccharides and polysaccharides in the tea leaves contributes to the sweet and pleasant taste of white tea.
To further appreciate the color, aroma, taste, and appearance of white tea, why not boil a pot of hot water and brew or steep several different types of white tea? Use the tip of your tongue to savor them carefully and discover more of white tea’s charm.
How to unlock the sweet flavor of white tea?
White tea "ages well." Compared to younger white tea, the older it gets, the more infusions it can withstand. Aged white tea has a rich, deep liquor and a robust flavor, making it highly sought after by tea enthusiasts. Some high-quality aged white teas are even regarded as "white gold." In the aged tea market, eye-catching slogans like "High-price回收回收回收回收老白茶" are everywhere, making it hard for tea lovers who enjoy storing tea to resist.
The transition of white tea from new to aged requires proper long-term storage, during which its flavor also changes. Over years of storage, the internal components of the tea leaves slowly transform: the aroma gradually evolves, the liquor turns progressively darker, and the taste becomes smoother and more mellow.
As a lightly fermented tea, white tea has a long golden period for drinking.
It can be enjoyed fresh or aged.
Thus, some may ask, "I just acquired a good white tea and plan to store it for decades. How should I preserve it?" The answer: As long as four essential conditions are met—airtight moisture prevention, avoidance of high temperatures, protection from light, and isolation from odors—storing white tea properly is assured.
The purpose of selecting and storing good tea is to enjoy a cup of excellent white tea. White tea can be brewed or boiled, and different methods yield different flavors in the liquor, which requires unlocking the correct brewing and boiling techniques.
Relatively tender white teas like Baihao Yinzhen and White Peony are best brewed.
Sturdier teas such as Gongmei and Shoumei can be either brewed or boiled.
One tea leaf, a thousand flavors. Some exclusively love the freshness of green tea, others are captivated by the sweet richness of black tea, and some are enamored with the robust taste of dark tea. There are also those who, after tasting the sweetness of white tea, cannot forget it.
Chinese white tea originates from the Taimu Mountains and has spread across the country’s magnificent landscapes. It is both young and ancient, continuously bringing joy as sweet as nature itself, worthy of careful appreciation.
By the way, let’s ask: Where does your favorite white tea come from? Feel free to leave a comment and discuss!
The taste of nature is hidden in white tea.
Edited by He Ruqing, Shi Mei
"China Tea Classics" 2011 Edition
"Chinese White Tea" 2006 Edition
This article is original content from [Authentic Tea Journey].