White Tea

Overview

White tea is a traditional Chinese tea category that undergoes minimal processing, primarily consisting of withering and drying steps. It is characterized by its silvery-white appearance, delicate flavor profile, and natural sweetness. As one of the six major categories of Chinese tea, white tea has gained international recognition for its unique characteristics and potential health benefits. The name "white tea" derives from the fine white hairs (trichomes) that cover the unopened buds of the tea plant, giving the processed tea its distinctive appearance.

History

The history of white tea dates back to ancient China. Historical records indicate that during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 CE), a young man named Yin Zhen presented homemade "tea" to the renowned Confucian scholar Xu Shen. When Yin Zhen chewed the tea leaves under the eaves of Xu Shen's residence, the entire manor became filled with a rich tea aroma. Impressed by the tea's appearance—white leaf bases resembling silver needles falling into the pot, clear green liquor, and fresh yet mellow flavor with a subtle bitterness—Xu Shen was inspired to include annotations about "tea" in his work Shuowen Jiezi, using characters like "槚" (jiǎ), "茗" (míng), and "蔎" (shè) to describe tea's color, aroma, and taste.

The earliest written mention of white tea appears in Lu Yu's The Classic of Tea (Cha Jing) from the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), which states: "Three hundred li east of Yongjia County, there is White Tea Mountain." Professor Chen Chuan, in his General History of Tea, suggested that this location was likely a reference to what is now Fuding County in Fujian Province (then part of Changxi County), which he considered the birthplace of white tea.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE), Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) devoted a special section to white tea in his Daguan Cha Lun (Treatise on Tea), written between 1107-1110 CE. He described white tea as a unique variety distinct from common teas, noting its elegant appearance and difficult production process. The imperial tea gardens of the Song Dynasty were located in Beiyuan, Jian'an Prefecture (modern-day Jian'ou County, Fujian), where wild white tea grew naturally.

Commercial production of white tea began in the early Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty (1796 CE), using local tea varieties as raw material. During the Xianfeng and Tongzhi reigns (1851-1874), people in Tieshan Township, Zhenghe County, began cultivating the large white tea variety. In 1889, they successfully produced silver needle white tea using this variety, which was exported the following year. White Peony tea was first created in Shuiji Town, Jianyang County, with production beginning in Zhenghe County in 1922 for export to Hong Kong, commanding prices twice that of regular black and green teas.

Key Information

Cultural Significance

White tea has held a special place in Chinese culture for centuries, valued for its rarity, delicate flavor, and perceived health benefits. In traditional Chinese medicine, white tea is considered to have cooling properties and is believed to help reduce fever, clear lung heat, and promote liver health. Its production methods, which preserve the natural state of the tea leaves, align with traditional Chinese aesthetic principles of harmony with nature.

The Song Dynasty emperor's praise of white tea in Daguan Cha Lun elevated its status as a premium tea variety. During the Qing Dynasty, white tea became an important commodity in the tea trade, particularly in the export market. The development of new varieties like New Process White Tea in 1968, created to meet market demands in Hong Kong and Macau, demonstrates white tea's adaptability to changing consumer preferences while maintaining traditional production values.

Modern Status

Today, white tea is produced primarily in Fujian Province, particularly in Fuding and Zhenghe counties, as well as in Yunnan Province. It has gained international recognition and is exported to various countries, including Europe, Southeast Asia, and Japan. Modern production techniques have been developed to address challenges in traditional processing, while still preserving the fundamental characteristics that make white tea unique.

Contemporary white tea production employs three main withering methods: natural indoor withering, heated withering, and composite withering (alternating between natural and sunlight exposure). These methods are selected based on climatic conditions to ensure optimal quality. The "aging" or "curing" process (堆养), where tea is allowed to rest after withering, has been better understood through modern research, allowing producers to enhance the tea's flavor profile while maintaining stability.

White tea is categorized into four main types based on the harvesting standards and tea varieties used:
1. Silver Needle (Baihao Yinzhen): Made from single buds, it is considered the highest grade of white tea.
2. White Peony (Bai Mudan): Made from one bud with one or two leaves.
3. Gong Mei: Made from the buds and leaves of the small-leaf tea variety (菜茶).
4. Shou Mei: Made from the remaining leaves after Silver Needle production.

Additionally, New Process White Tea (Xin Gongyi Bai Cha), developed in 1968, incorporates a light rolling step after withering to create a semi-rolled appearance and a stronger flavor profile.

References

1. Chen, C. (1988). General History of Tea. China Agriculture Press.

2. National Standard of the People's Republic of China. (2017). White Tea (GB/T 22291-2017). Standards Press of China.

3. Yang, W. (2002). A Discussion on the Origin Period of White Tea. Journal of Tea Science, 22(1), 1-6.

4. Hu, J. (2015). Chemical Components and Biological Activities of White Tea. Food Chemistry, 142, 16-21.

5. Zhang, Y., et al. (2019). Traditional Processing and Chemical Composition of White Tea. Food Research International, 116, 1145-1155.