Fengqing Red Tea凤庆红茶

Classification and Origin

Yunnan red tea dianhong (滇红, Diānhóng); by production method, it belongs to gongfu red tea (工夫红茶, gōngfū hóngchá).

cultivar/style/regional category.

gongfu red tea is regulated by the national standard GB/T 13738.2; Fengqing dianhong also holds the status of a geographical indication product.

Origin: Fengqing County, Lincang Prefecture, Yunnan Province (云南省, Yúnnán shěng), PRC.

Type: red (fully oxidized) tea — 红茶 (hóngchá).

Facts

the first production of red tea in these parts was established by Feng Shaoqiu (冯绍裘) in 1938–1939, back in the times of Shunning County.

in the locality of Xiangzhuqing (香竹箐, Xiāngzhúqìng) of Xiaowan Township (小湾镇, Xiǎowān zhèn) in Fengqing County grows a cultivated tea tree whose age is estimated at around 3200 years — one of the oldest known tea trees of this type.

already in the first years of its existence, dianhong received high ratings on the London market and served as an important currency-earning export item.

滇红 literally means "red [tea from] Dian," where 滇 is the old abbreviated name of Yunnan.

the golden ring of the infusion (金圈) is traditionally considered a sign of a bright red tea rich in theaflavins.

History and Culture

1938–1939, when tea technologist Feng Shaoqiu (冯绍裘, Féng Shàoqiú) arrived in Yunnan and established red tea production in what was then Shunning County (顺宁, Shùnníng) — present-day Fengqing.

the tea was initially called yunhong (云红, Yúnhóng), then the name dianhong (滇红) was settled upon, where 滇 (Diān) is the abbreviated designation for Yunnan.

Fengqing Tea Factory (凤庆茶厂), established in 1939; later — Fengqing "Dianhong" Group.

Botany and Raw Material

Camellia sinensis var. assamica — the large-leaf (Assam) variety of the tea plant.

one bud or a bud with one tender leaf from early harvest; the abundance of fine hairs (毫, háo) on the buds yields the characteristic golden color.

Cultivar: Yunnan large-leaf (云南大叶种, Yúnnán dàyèzhǒng), specifically Fengqing large-leaf (凤庆大叶种, Fèngqìng dàyèzhǒng) — a regional improved cultivar.

Terroir

Climate: subtropical monsoon, combining low latitude and significant altitudes; average annual temperature around 16–17 °C, annual precipitation around 1300 mm.

Fengqing County is located approximately between 24°13′–25°02′ north latitude and 99°31′–100°13′ east longitude.

the county's relief ranges from about 900 m to over 3000 m; tea gardens are concentrated mainly in the range of 1500–2100 m.

mountain slopes in the Lancang River basin, red and lateritic soils, frequent fogs.

Production

by hand, in early spring; for the "golden spiral," mainly buds and flushes with one tender leaf are selected.

withering of the leaf to lose part of its moisture and increase elasticity.

initiation of oxidative processes and shaping; for the "golden snail," the leaf is hand-twisted into tight spirals.

the key stage of full oxidation, forming the red color of the infusion and the honey-malt profile.

halting oxidation and fixing the shape and aroma.

Organoleptic Profile

tightly twisted spirals of golden-brown tone, abundantly covered with golden down (金毫, jīn háo).

transparent, bright orange-red, with a golden ring along the rim of the cup (金圈, jīn quān) — a sign of high theaflavin content.

honeyed and malty, with notes of baked sweet potato, dried fruits, sometimes light floral nuances.

copper-red, even, soft to the touch.

Taste: full, sweetish, enveloping, with a soft aftertaste; with quality raw material, almost without sharp astringency.

Chemical Composition

Alkaloids: caffeine (咖啡碱, kāfēijiǎn), which is usually more abundant in the Assam variety than in the small-leaf variety.

Amino Acids: contribute to sweetness and smoothness.

theaflavins (茶黄素, cháhuángsù), thearubigins (茶红素, cháhóngsù), and theabrownins (茶褐素, cháhèsù) — responsible for the color, brightness, and "body" of the beverage.

alcohol and terpene components that form the honey-fruit bouquet.

Polyphenols: their proportion is high in large-leaf raw material, which enhances the density of the infusion.

Health Notes

as a fully oxidized tea, dianhong is considered "warm" according to traditional Chinese concepts and is gentler on the stomach than green tea.

it is often drunk after rich or fatty meals.

due to polyphenols and their oxidation products.

caffeine provides a stimulating effect.

Brewing

soft, temperature around 85–95 °C; for delicate bud material with abundant down, it is sensible to stay closer to 90 °C to avoid excess astringency.

approximately 4–5 g per 100–120 ml.

a short rinse of 3–5 seconds, optional.

the first infusions are held for 5–10 seconds, then the time is gradually increased; a quality "golden spiral" can withstand 6–10 or more short infusions.

Teaware: gaiwan (盖碗, gàiwǎn) or a small teapot made of porcelain or clay.

Storage

Container: airtight, light-proof, free of extraneous odors.

Shelf Life: red tea reveals itself best within the first 1–2 years after production; in general, it is consumed within 2–3 years.

cool, dry, no strong aromas nearby.

Price and Authenticity

very wide — from inexpensive ordinary dianhong to markedly more expensive teas of hand shaping from selected early raw material or from old trees.

the proportion of buds and golden down, early spring harvest, hand rolling, origin of raw material.