Fuding White Tea (福鼎白茶)

Fuding City (福鼎市) in Fujian Province is one of the most notable locations for white tea. In 2004, the Chinese government declared Fuding a protected region due to it being the geographical location of origin of white tea. It has since been awarded many titles from various organizations, for example, the Ministry of Forestry named Fuding the “Hometown of White Tea in China” in 2006; and in 2013 the Chinese Tea Association called it “China’s Most Beautiful Ecological Tea Township.” Fuding is located on the northern coast of Fujian province at the junction where Fujian meets Zhejiang Province. 

The Name “Shoumei” (陈年老白茶寿眉)

“Shoumei'' is a category of white tea. It is named "Shoumei'' because it looks like the eyebrows of a long-lived old man, who Chinese refer to as “shou xing” (寿星), meaning literally, “longevity star.” Shoumei contains a mixture of leaves and buds and also may contain more old leaves and broken leaves with a smaller proportion of tips than Bai Mu Dan white tea. In the dialect of Fuding (福鼎), Fujian, Shoumei is also called "Cu Cha Po” (粗茶婆), which literally means “rough tea mother-in-law.” And it is also known as "ration tea” (口粮茶). Before the tea farmers go to work in the mountains, they will brew some Shoumei tea and put some in a pot to carry with them to quench their thirst and offer relief from the heat. Therefore, it is also a daily-drinker tea for the tea farmers.

Aged White Tea “Lao Bai Cha” (老白茶)

White tea can be aged similar to puer tea, in which case it will continue to oxidize in storage for up to ten or twenty years (or even longer). The taste of an aged white tea will develop over time and become more complex, mellow, and sweet. 

Like puer, some aged white teas can increase in value, sometimes substantially. In 2011, an auction was held in Shanghai at the Yuyuan International Tea Culture and Art Festival (豫园国际茶文化艺术节) and a cake of Fuding aged white tea (375 g) that was 20 years old was sold for 188,000 yuan (approximately $27K).

Aged white tea is treasured because the annual output of this type of tea is very low, high quality white teas come from pristine alpine environments, and although the processing has few steps and is relatively simple, it takes a high level of expertise to get it right. 

Shoumei Production Areas

Shoumei is the most produced variety of Chinese white tea, accounting for over 50% of total white tea production. The main producing areas of this tea are in Fujian Province (with a small amount of production in Taiwan), including Jianyang, Fuding, Zhenghe, and Songxi counties. The production areas have rolling hills, mild climate and abundant rainfall all year round (taking Fuding as an example, the annual temperature is 65.3°F, and the annual rainfall is 1663 in). Mountain soils are dominated by red and yellow soils. Most of the producing areas are mainly planted with the Fuding Da Bai Cha (福鼎大白茶), Zhenghe Da Bai Cha (政和大白茶), and Shuixian cultivars.

Types of Shoumei Tea Products

In earlier times, Shoumei was made from the secondary fresh leaves of white tea after "pulling needles” (抽针), i.e. removing many of the needle-like tips; the production method of Gongmei (贡眉) white tea was similar. In modern times, Shoumei can refer to white tea products made from the various white tea cultivars, the Shuixian cultivar, or group-planted tea tree varieties for which white tea processing technology is used.

Shou Mei Product Categories            

Quality level: Shoumei can be classified into two tiers: first-level Shoumei or second-level Shoumei.

Shape of the end product: there is loose Shoumei and pressed Shoumei. The most common form is pressed Shoumei, called “Shoumei cakes.” Other forms include brick and round bead-shaped products.

Year: there is young Shoumei and old Shoumei. It is generally believed that only Shoumei that has been stored for more than three years can be called “old” Shoumei.

Leaf type: there is green leaf Shoumei and red leaf Shoumei.

Cultivar: the various cultivars that are used for Shoumei are another way to create sub-categories, for example: Xiao Bai Cha Shoumei (小白茶寿眉), Da Bai Cha Shoumei (大白茶寿眉), and Shuixian Bai Shou Mei (水仙白寿眉). Xiao Bai Cha Shoumei is made from the fresh leaves of the local group species (群体种), called "vegetable tea” 菜茶 or "earth tea” 土茶. Da Bai Cha Shoumei is made from the fresh leaves of big white tea varieties such as Fuding Da Bai Cha (福鼎大白茶), Fuding Da Hao Cha (福鼎大毫茶), Zhenghe Da Bai Cha (政和大白茶), Fuan Da Bai Cha (福安大白茶), etc.; Shuixian Bai Shoumei is made from the fresh leaves of the Shuixian cultivar tea tree.

The Taste of Different Shoumei

Young Shou Mei - Younger Shoumei has an aroma that is fragrant, pleasant, and fresh. High-altitude Shoumei has the fresh air of the mountains still in its scent.

Old (Aged) Shou Mei - Old Shoumei will have more of an aged, nectar fragrance that is medicinal, and even contains fruity, woody, “waxy,” jujube date, and many other complex fragrance notes that will develop over time. Old Shoumei will take on a quality that is more restrained and reserved like a wise elder who is calm due to having already experienced the vicissitudes of life. Storing and aging tea can lead to many surprises and lots of fun.  

Shoumei is said to possess a quality known as "spring water and autumn fragrance"(春水秋香), which is also a characteristic often attributed to Tie Guanyin Oolong tea. 

Spring water 春水: After a winter of recuperation spring arrives. The tea polyphenols, amino acids, and vitamins in the tea leaves are more abundantly stored, so the resulting tea soup is fuller and more delicate. 

Autumn fragrance 秋香: After the scorching heat of summer, tea trees enter the best growth period before and after the White Dew (traditional seasonal point), winds coming in from the north offer a new effect. 

The Difference Between Shoumei and Gongmei (寿眉与贡眉的区别） 

"Gongmei" and "Shoumei" are very similar in appearance, causing many people to confuse them. Some additional discussion regarding the differences may be helpful. 

The Difference in Taste

Gongmei has a richer taste, with melon and fruity aroma and is sweeter. Shoumei is rich and mellow, with a floral aroma, some sweetness, and more resistance to foaming. As it becomes more aged, Shoumei will have the aroma of jujube and medicine; while Gongmei will have the unique aroma of vegetable tea (Caicha 菜茶) such as honey rhyme and rice incense. Both have their own characteristics.

Cultivar Difference

Gongmei is sometimes also called Shoumei, both of which are made from the buds and leaves of the traditional mixed tea cultivar (“Cai Cha” Tea Tree - literally “vegetable tea tree” (菜茶茶树)) in the area. This kind of hairy tea made from tea buds is called "Xiao Bai” (小白) to distinguish it from the "Da Bai” (大白) hairy tea that is made from either Fuding Da Bai Cha (福鼎大白茶) or Zhenghe Da Bai Cha (政和大白茶) cultivar tea tree buds. 

In the past, the tea buds of Cai Cha were used to make “Baihao Yinzhen” aka Silver Needle and other varieties, but later, "Da Bai" was used to make Baihao Yinzhen and White peony, while "Xiao Bai" was used to make Gongmei and Shoumei. According to the ancient county annals of Jianyang, Gongmei was originally called "Baihao Tea (白毫茶)" or "Shoumei White Tea” (寿眉白茶), and the name Gongmei was due to the fact that it was purchased for the court of the Qing Dynasty as a tribute tea (“gong” 贡 means “tribute”). Another name for "Xiao Bai" (Cai Cha) is "Nankeng White” (南坑白). Therefore, the former Shoumei and Gongmei are actually the same kind of tea, but of a different grade of quality.

Difference in Appearance

Shoumei looks like swept-up fallen leaves. Compared with Gongmei, it is not very good-looking. The color of dry tea is mainly gray-green, and the leaf strands are slightly curled. After brewing, it has an amber soup color. The shape of Gongmei leaves is thin and small, like eyebrows, and the taste is sweet and mellow, with a special fragrance. Shoumei is therefore considered the lowest quality below Gongmei, and Bai Mu Dan the highest quality of the three. 

Origins of White Tea 

“Bai cha” (白茶) literally means “white tea”. Bai cha is one of the six traditional Chinese tea types in China and is a lightly oxidized tea with minimal processing. The finished tea is composed mostly of buds which are covered with white hairs and give the appearance of glistening silver and white snow – the tea is therefore called white tea or “bai cha” (白茶) in Chinese.

Records of “bai cha” go back over 800 years, and the details concerning its origin are debated. Some people think that bai cha originated in the Northern Song (北宋) Dynasty in China. The sources for this view are "Daguan Tea Theory"(大观茶论) and "Dongxi Tea Test Record” (东溪试茶录). It is recorded in these books that, "White Leaf Tea" (bai ye cha 白叶茶) ranks first among the seven tea tree varieties in Jian'an. Other experts contest that white tea has only existed since the Ming (明) or Qing (清) dynasties. Scholars favoring this view base their claim on analysis of historical tea making methods associated with white tea in addition to historical records.

In modern times, according to the article "Discussion on the Origin of White Tea" (关于白茶起源时期的商榷) published by Mr. Yang Wenhui (杨文辉) from Hunan Agricultural College (湖南农学院), it was proposed that white tea appeared earlier than green tea. When the Chinese first discovered the medicinal value of tea, in order to preserve it for future use, the fresh and tender tea buds were dried or roasted. This style of minimal processing was likely used earliest.

White Tea throughout the Chinese Dynasties

Tang Dynasty - Reference to “bai cha” (白茶) first appeared in Lu Yu’s (陆羽) "Tea Classic” (茶经) in the Tang Dynasty, which records: "There is a mountain of white tea three hundred miles east of Yongjia County (永嘉县)." Professor Chen Yun (陈橼) pointed out in "General History of Tea'' (茶叶通史): "Three hundred miles east of Yongjia County would be in the sea, so this was a mistake and meant to be three hundred miles to the south. Three hundred miles to the south is Fuding, Fujian Province (福建福鼎) (the jurisdiction of Changxi County(长溪) in the Tang Dynasty), which is the birthplace of white tea." It can be seen that Changxi County (Fuding, Fujian) has cultivated various "white tea" varieties since the Tang Dynasty.

Song Dynasty - Song Huizong 宋徽宗 (Zhao Ji 赵佶) devoted himself to white tea in the section of "Daguan Tea Theory” (大观茶论). Recorded in this book we find: “白茶，自为一种，与常茶不同。其条敷阐，其叶莹薄，林崖之间，偶然生出，虽非人力所可致.” This translates to: “White tea is its own type, different from regular tea. The lustrous and thin leaves give it a unique expression. It was born out of the places between the cliffs of mountain forests. It was not a product of human beings.” The royal tea garden in the Song Dynasty was located in Beiyuan, Jian'an County (建安县) (now Jianou County(建瓯县)) of Fujian Province.

Ming Dynasty - In the Ming Dynasty, writer Tian Yiheng’s (田艺衡) "Boiled Spring Water Shorts'' (煮泉小品) said: “茶者，以火作者为次，生晒者为上，亦近自然，且断烟火气耳.” This means that because white tea is a raw form of tea, it is not processed and twisted let alone roasted. This minimal processing makes white tea something that is closer to nature. It is full of natural aroma and refreshing. The section, “且断烟火气耳'' suggests that white tea is more in line with a life of mountain-dwelling and meditation as opposed to the hustle and bustle (“烟火气” literally “smoke and fire”) of daily life in the city. 

Qing Dynasty - In the early years of Qing Dynasty’s Jiaqing 嘉庆 period (1769) white tea was made by picking the buds from tea plants and making “silver needles.” In the 1880s, Fuding Da Bai Cha (福鼎大白茶), a cultivar native to Taimu Mountain in Fujian, was used to make Baihao Silver Needle (白毫银针). Da Bai Cha was discovered in Zhenghe County around 1880. Silver Needle white tea made from Da Bai Cha became more prominent by 1889, and White Peony (白牡丹) emerged later in 1922.

Modern - Since the 1950s, white tea has been commonly produced and purchased from tea farmers and is an important part of Fujian Province's foreign trade exports. Due to the location and climate, the amount of white tea produced is very low. In 1963, Bailin Tea Factory (白琳茶厂) in Fuding started using hot-air withering tank technology to produce white tea which helped to boost production quantity.

Varieties of White Tea

There are four main varieties of white tea: Bai Hao Silver Needle, White Peony, Gong mei (Tribute Eyebrow), and Shou mei (Longevity Eyebrow).

Bai Hao Silver Needle 白毫银针

Bai Hao Silver Needle “Bai Hao Yin Zhen” (白毫银针) is made from the single buds of the Da Bai Cha or Shuixian tea cultivars. Made with a single bud as raw material, the finished product looks like silver needles, hence the name. The tea is covered with thick white hair, and the tea soup is light yellow in color with a fresh, sweet taste. Many consider this the best white tea. The main producing areas are Fuding 福鼎 (North Road Silver Needle 北路银针), Zherong (柘荣), Zhenghe (政和) (South Road Silver Needle 南路银针), Songxi (松溪), and Jianyang (建阳) in Fujian Province.

Bai Mu Dan 白牡丹

White Peony “Bai Mu Dan” (白牡丹) is made by picking one bud and one/two leaves from the new shoots of either a “Big White” (Da Bai cultivar) or Shuixian cultivar tea tree. The green leaves have silver-white cores and are shaped like flowers, hence the name. The main production areas are Nanping City, Zhenghe County, Songxi County, Jianyang City, Fuding City, and Ningde City in Fujian Province.

Gong Mei 贡眉

Tribute Eyebrow “Gong mei” (贡眉) is a white tea made from one bud and two or three leaves. Gong mei tea has a distinct core, the leaves are slightly fat and tender, the buds and leaves are connected with branches, the leaves are slightly curled, and the color is gray-green or dark green. Gong mei has more buds than Shou mei, and its tenderness is relatively higher than that of Shou mei, as it is generally harvested younger. Due to the fact that it is covered with white fur that resembles the eyebrows of a “shou xing” (寿星) - in Chinese culture a person who is celebrated for their longevity, it was called "Shou mei." In the Qing Dynasty, the superior "Shou mei" teas were renamed to "Gong mei White Tea” (贡眉白茶), which became Tribute tea (“gong” 贡 means “tribute”) offered as a gift to the court, in honor of the Chinese Emperor.

Shou Mei 寿眉

Longevity Eyebrow “Shou mei” (寿眉) is generally made of one bud and three or four leaves, or even just thick old leaves without tea buds. It is the highest-yielding category of white tea. The taste of Shou mei is initially rough and considered subpar, so it is aged. After long-term storage, Shou mei has a mellow and sweet taste and a distinct jujube fragrance. Due to the complex mixture of mature leaves and buds, it is rich in minerals and polyphenols. The high polyphenol content in Shou mei and other white teas has been shown to have beneficial antioxidant effects, can reduce and improve blood sugar and blood lipids, and can also reduce the secretion of various inflammatory factors.

The Production Process of White Tea

The production process of white tea is the most minimal keeping the tea leaves closest to their natural state.

1. Picking 采摘

White tea is picked according to the temperature, and it is necessary to pick the tea leaves early, pick the most tender ones, pick them frequently, and choose the cleanest tea leaves. The leaves of the buds need to be formed into flowers, of uniform size, and the stalks should be short. Picking is done lightly. Finally, the leaves and buds are placed in bamboo baskets for storage and transportation.

2. Withering 萎凋

After picking, the fresh leaves of the tea are promptly spread out on bamboo trays with uniform thickness. After spreading, according to the climatic conditions and fresh leaf grade, it is determined whether to use sun drying, indoor withering, double withering, or heated withering. When the tea leaves are 70% or 80% dry they can be sieved.

3. Drying 烘干

White tea leaves are generally subjected to a light roast which further dries the leaves. Initial drying: temperature 212-248℉, time: 10 minutes; cooling: 15 minutes.  Re-baking: temperature 176-194℉, then low-temperature long drying at about 158℉.

4. Storage 存储

The moisture content of dry tea should be controlled to be around 5%. White tea can be placed in the refrigerator at a temperature of 33.8-41℉. Once the tea leaves are taken out of refrigeration they should be packed within three hours. White tea can also be aged in which case it is kept out of sunlight and away from extremes in temperature and humidity.