Location, Cultivation, Processing
The geographic conditions in Zheng He could not be better for the cultivation of first-rate teas. This natural region is bordered by mountainous landscapes and rivers, and is far removed from any major metropoles. The elevation of roughly 800-1,000m is also even a touch higher than in Fuding. Copious rainfall as well as slightly reduced direct sunlight contribute positively to the flourishing of the tea plants, which grow rather slowly, but therefore also have the time to absorb plentiful amounts of minerals from the soil. The tea of these plants is as a result both nutritious as well as particularly intense in taste.
The tea farm for this tea is located not far from the town of Sonxi and is protected from the wind by the Wu Yi Mountains. Sonxi has a tradition of tea dating back over 1,000 years, and the local culture is intertwined with the cultivation and consumption of tea. This tea farm operates without the use of pesticides or artificial fertiliser. To loosen as well as naturally fertilise the soil, a neighbouring herd of cattle is regularly led through the tea fields.
The hand-selected silver needles for this tea are exclusively sourced from the first harvest of the year, which typically begins at the end of March or early April. Due to the unpredictable weather and the intermittent rain, the tea leaves are withered in a so-called mixed withering process (Fùshì wēidiāo 複式萎凋), whereby the leaves are, in constant alternation, brought inside and then outside again. Typically the buds and leaves are kept indoors the first night and exposed to the fresh air the following day. The tea is laid out on bamboo withering trays stacked up over one another to prevent too much exposure to direct sunlight and to promote uniform withering. This process can last several days until the desired degree of maturation is reached. In the last stage, residual moisture is removed via gentle oven roasting.
