The Origin Of Tie Luo Han (铁罗汉) 

Tie Luo Han is one of the “Four Famous Ming Cong Teas of the Wuyi Mountains” (武夷山四大名枞), along with Da Hong Pao (大红袍), Bai Ji Guan (白鸡冠), and Shui Jin Gui (水金龟). Tie Luo Han is considered to be the oldest of the four. It is said to have originated in the forty-sixth year of Qian Long (乾隆) in the Qing Dynasty (1782 AD). 

Several stories exist about the origin of the tea and its name Tie Luo Han “Iron Arhat.” The first involves a merchant named Shi Dacheng (施大成) in Huian County, Southern Fujian, who opened a shop called Shi ji Quan Tea Shop (施集泉茶店). Tie Luo Han was his most famous tea. During that time in the 19th century there were two major epidemics in the area and there were reports of patients who seemed to be cured by consuming the Tie Luo Han tea. It was therefore given a name associated with the Buddhist Bodhisattva ideal of saving the people. 

Another origin story is more mythical and tells of a time when the Queen Mother of the West ((西王母) (the mother goddess in Chinese religion and mythology) held a banquet and invited five hundred arhats to come and celebrate. One arhat who tended tea trees was particularly drunk and stumbled, breaking a branch off of his tea plant which fell into Huiyan Pit (慧苑坑). Later a farmer found it and brought it home. The arhat visited the farmer in a dream and told him to plant the tea branch and it would grow into a great tea plant that would have medicinal properties that could cure disease. 

A third legend involves a burley monk at the Huiyuan Temple (慧苑寺) in the Wuyi Mountains. The villagers called the monk the “Iron Arhat” because of his appearance. He specialized in picking tea leaves and making tea, and everyone liked his tea. He one day found a tea plant in the crevice of a bee's nest pit and so he took it back to grow it. It’s branches were thick and grayish-yellow, the buds and leaves were fluffy and soft as cotton, and it exuded an attractive fragrance. Everyone loved the tea and so named it after the “Iron Arhat” monk. 

Historical References To Tie Luo Han

Zhou Lianggong (周亮工) was a famous Qing Dynasty poet, calligrapher, essayist, and art historian. In his "Fujian Iron Arhat Song” (闽铁罗汉曲) he praised Tie Luo Han’s appearance, fragrance and taste and called it “top grade.” His song also commented on what is a common practice of mixing various batches of Tie Luo Han that have been selected and roasted in different ways. He also commented on the fact that it is best to let the tea sit for some time before drinking it to let the roast mellow out. He said, “when it is too new the roast has not subsided” (火气未除莫接唇) and that after letting it rest for a year it will bring three times the price! 

In the “Ya Tang Collection,” Taiwanese historian Lian Heng also noted that the fresh tea is clear and “boneless” referring to the “rock bones” (岩骨) (related to the famous Wuyi Tea “yan yun” characteristic - see below), while the aged tea is thick and less fragrant. So mixing fresh and aged results in a suitable end product. 

Wuyi Mountain Region

The Wuyi Mountains are located at the junction of Jiangxi and Northwest Fujian provinces in China. The region has a mild climate with an average temperature of 18-18.5°C, a long frost-free period, high humidity, and abundant rainfall. The mountains are shrouded in mist and fog all year round. 

The most famous production area is the Zhengyan Mountain area (正岩茶区) which is located within the Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area (武夷山旅游风景区内). Since ancient times, the best tea of Wuyi has been said to come from the Zhengyan region. Particularly, the Zhengyan tea coming from the “Three Pits and Two streams” (三坑两涧) region is said to be the highest quality tea and includes tea from many high-altitude locations. The “Three Pits” are Hui Yuan Keng (慧苑坑), Nui Lan Keng (牛栏坑), Da Keng Kou (大坑口) while the “Two Streams” are Liu Xiang Jian (流香涧), and Wu Yuan Jian (悟源涧). The soil in the Zhengyan area contains a lot of sand and gravel creating soil with high permeability. The soil has high potassium and manganese content and moderate acidity.  Here the daily temperature variation is small and the area is protected from cold winter winds. 

Teas that are produced in the Bi Shi Yan (碧石岩), Ma Tou Yan (马头岩), Shi Zi Kou (狮子口), and Jiu Qu Xi (九曲溪) areas are usually known as Ban Yan Cha (半岩茶), literally meaning “half rock tea.” The tea from the Ban Yan region is lower altitude and not as sought-after as the Zhengyan tea. The soil in the Ban Yan region has low potassium content, high aluminum content, and high acidity. 

Yan Yun 嚴韵

A signature feature of Wuyi Rock Tea is Yan Yun (嚴韵) which is often translated as “rock rhyme” or “mountain rhythm,” but perhaps is best understood as the essence of the tea. Often associated with the tea’s taste, it might be best thought of in a classical Chinese sense as the tea drinker’s experience of the tea as a sort of resonance with the mountains from which it came. Therefore it is more related to terroir than to characteristics resulting from processing or the tea variety itself, although of course one cannot be separated from the joint influence of all of these factors. 

The origin of the term comes from a poem written in the eighteenth century by Emperor Qianlong (乾隆) called “Brewing Tea on a Winter Night” (冬夜烹茶). It is said that the gravely, sandy soil in Wuyi gives the tea a “rock bone flower fragrance” (骨花香岩). The “rock bones” (岩骨) are one of the main characteristics associated with yan yun - a feeling of the rock/mountain “cha qi” (茶氣), or tea energy, deep in your bones. Tea masters recognize the other main characteristics of yan yun as: 

• Xiang (香) “fragrance”: a clean and pure fragrance that is not sharp or too heavy, sometimes reminiscent of orchids. 

• Qing (清) “clear, pure”: the taste is refreshing and smooth, the tea liquor has a bright and clear color.

• Gan (甘) “sweet”: the tea has a mellow sweet taste which is delicious with a sweet aftertaste, it is not overly bitter. 

• Huo (活) “lively”: the tea is vibrant and offers a unique feeling and tea drinking experience. 

Ming Cong vs Pin Zhong

Wuyi tea can be divided into two categories: Ming Cong (名枞) and Pin Zhong (品种). The Ming Cong teas are traditional cultivars that have long histories and usually have some sort of legend or story associated with their name. Popular Ming Cong teas from Wuyi Mountain are Rou Gui (肉桂), Qi Dan (奇丹), Bei Dou (北斗), Shui Xian (水仙), Tie Lou Han (铁罗汉), Shui Jin Gui (水金龟), Ban Tian Yao (半天腰), and Bai Ji Guan (白鸡冠). Ming Cong teas have a strong cha qi (茶氣) or “tea energy,” and more body than Pin Zhong teas. They are usually baked to a medium or high degree. 

Pin Zhong (品种) teas are varieties that were imported from other regions and/or hybridized in the 90s. Popular Pin Zhong teas include Huang Guan Yin (黄观音), Huang Mei Gui (黄玫瑰), Jin Mu Dan (金牡丹), Fo Shou (佛手), and Bai Rui Xiang (白瑞香), to name a few. Pin Zhong teas have various unique aromas and are usually roasted light or medium to preserve the aroma. 

Tie Luo Han Production Location 

In a large area north of Zhang Tang Jian (章棠涧) in the Wuyi Mountain Nature Preserve there are the well-known Mi Tuo Yan (弥陀岩) “Amitabha Rock” and Fo Guo Yan (佛国岩) “Buddha Rock,” which are not far from the Shui Lian Dong (水帘洞) “Water Curtain Cave.” Mi Tuo Yan has a delicate appearance compared to near-by rocks and resembles a small Buddha statue sitting cross-legged on a futon. The surrounding area is relatively flat and it is also very close to Tianxin Yancha Village (天心岩村).

The areas surrounding Mi Tuo Yan and Fo Guo Yan are lower in altitude, and the pits are not as deep as in Zhengyan, but the environment and microclimate are also outstanding. The tea garden is relatively open, with sufficient light, and the soil is similar to Zhengyan, mainly acidic red and yellow soil, suitable for the growth of tea trees.

Nowadays, most of the Wuyi Rock Tea Tie Luo Han is artificially planted, and there are two main production areas: The Ming Yan production area (名岩) and the Dan Yan (丹岩) production area. Although it is extremely difficult to grow Tie Luo Han, the tea farmers take advantage of the characteristics of the Wuyi Mountains with many cliffs and plant it in the rock recesses, rock crevices, stone crevices, and even masonry stone banks, which are known as the "potted" Iron Arhat Gardens.

Wuyi Rock Tea Production Process

1. Selective Picking 开面采摘

Wuyi tea is best picked by experienced tea farmers. When picking, it is best to choose “one-tip three-leaf” (一芽三叶) or “one-tip four-leaf” (一芽四叶), rather than picking “one-tip two-leaf” (一芽两叶), because the latter leaves are too tender and easily break which would affect the resulting tea quality. Small-leaf varieties (小叶种) and medium-leaf (中叶种) varieties are the best for picking, whereas large-leaf varieties (大叶种) are considered inferior and generally avoided by tea growers.

2. Sun Fixation 晒青

Tea picking work is usually completed around 11:30 in the morning. After the picking, the tea leaves are transported in bamboo baskets to the tea factory to be withered in the sun (日光萎凋). This means that the tea leaves, after being picked, are usually set out in the sun to oxidize and reduce in water content. After the water partly evaporates using sun withering, the leaves will give off a nice scent. Usually set in the sun around 1 pm, if the sun is strong, the tea only needs to be left out to dry until 6-7 pm. Afterward, they can be spread out on bamboo sieves to cool down for 20- 30 minutes.

3. Laying and Tossing 做青/摇青

This step refers to the alternating processes of laying (or setting) and tossing.

Laying - the tea leaves are first put into a bamboo barrel machine and are heated with either bamboo or fruitwood charcoal to reduce the leaf moisture by about 10% making the leaves softer and the branches/stems less likely to fall off. The heating needs to be adjusted according to the freshness of the tea leaves. Generally, this step is complete after around 8-10 hours. After heating, the lid is open to let it stand so the tea can oxidize and cool down. This needs to be repeated two to three times before starting to toss.

Tossing - after heating and letting it stand to oxidize, the basket lid is closed and the baskets are rotated. Tossing allows the tea leaves to oxidize evenly. In the process of turning, the color of the edge of the tea leaves becomes red, and the color in the middle remains unchanged.

4. Stir Fixation 炒青

Continue to stir fry the leaves to reduce the moisture by another 20%. The temperature is around 176-232°F, and this step continues for about 7-10 minutes.

5. Rolling 揉捻

After stirring the tea leaves are rolled. The rolling gives the tea leaves their unique finished appearance. This process takes about 3-7 minutes.

6. Primary Roasting 初培

After the tea leaves are rolled into strands, they are spread out evenly. This process takes about 5-10 minutes.

7. Screening 筛分

The tea leaves are then screened, and the bad yellow flakes, branches, and stems will be removed, leaving only the good parts.

8. Re-Roasting 复培

The tea leaves are left to sit for about 15 days to remove harshness before they are re-roasted. The subsequent roastings are said to make the yan yun quality of the tea thicker. The various degrees of roasting can be divided into low fire, medium fire, and high fire. Low fire has the lightest flavor, medium fire is moderate, and high fire is the heaviest. Most people choose to drink tea that has been roasted at medium fire.