Origin
Baokang Songzhen is a type of linear green tea, produced in the Baonan Dianya Town and the Babei Huangbao area in Baokang County, Xiangyang.
Historical Background
There are records dating back to the Tang Dynasty, and it had gained a reputation during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty.
In the Tang Dynasty, Peiji's “Tea Narration” listed ten tribute teas, with Baokang being one of them.
The “Xiangyang Local Customs Record” by Fan Zhiming of the Northern Song Dynasty states: “In the mountains of Baokang, tea used to be produced, known as Baokang Pine Needle tea, which was highly valued by the people of Tang. It has been mentioned in literature. Nowadays, people do not plant it much. There are only about a thousand plants in Dianya and Xiema, and the soil there is quite similar to that of this garden. The tea produced here amounts to no more than one or two dozen liang per year, and the locals call it Winter Jasmine tea, which is extremely sweet and fragrant, incomparable to grassy teas from other places. The characteristics of the tea gardens are also similar, but the locals do not cultivate it much.”
In the Ming Dynasty, Huang Yizheng's annotated “Things in Dark Blue Pearls” lists 99 current tea names and 101 ancient manufacturing tea names, among which the Pine Needle tea from Baokang and the Winter Jasmine tea from Dianya belong to the ancient manufacturing tea names.
Picking and Processing
Baokang Songzhen originated in Dianya, named so due to its location south of Wudao Gorge. The climate here is mild, with abundant rainfall, and the mountains are often shrouded in mist, which disperses like light gauze over the tea fields when blown by the breeze.
The fresh leaves of Baokang Songzhen are usually harvested around five to six days before and after the Qingming Festival, and the requirement is for a bud and one leaf.
The traditional processing technique includes seven steps: steaming, fanning to dry moisture, initial roasting, rolling, second roasting, shaping and polishing, and sorting. It belongs to the category of needle-shaped steamed green tea.
Steaming: This uses high-temperature steam to deactivate enzyme activity and prevent the oxidation of polyphenols, forming the unique green color of the tea leaves, Infusion, and infused leaves. Requirements include high temperature, thin spreading, short duration, and rapid processing.
Fanning to Dry Moisture: This rapidly reduces leaf temperature and is an important measure for creating the distinctive aroma of Songzhen tea.
Initial Roasting (also called drying moisture): This involves placing the leaves dried by fanning on a baking oven at around 120°C, requiring further evaporation of moisture and achieving a glossy green color, slightly yellow veins and stems with “chicken skin wrinkles,” visible white down on the buds, and a condition where the leaves are neither sticky nor clump together when held, referred to as “dispersed.”
Rolling: This tightly rolls the tea into strips, laying the foundation for the tight, fine, round, straight, and shiny shape of Songzhen tea. However, the degree of rolling is lighter compared to other types of tea, with cell destruction reaching around 45%.
Second Roasting: This continues the evaporation of moisture and initially shapes the tea leaves, laying the groundwork for the shaping and polishing process.
Shaping and Polishing (also known as rolling and polishing): This is the key step in forming the tight, fine, round, straight, and smooth shape of Songzhen tea. The entire process is divided into two stages and completed using five techniques.
Sorting: This selects out yellow leaves, stems, seeds, and non-tea foreign objects according to the grade specifications of Songzhen tea, followed by grading, packaging, and storage.
Quality Characteristics
Baokang Songzhen is a famous and high-quality green tea in Hubei Province.
The quality characteristics are: tight, round, smooth, straight, and hairy appearance; dark green and lustrous color; tender, clear, and bright green infusion; refreshing aroma; sweet and mellow taste; and tender, bright, and even green infused leaves.
Source: Network Materials