![Oolong tea leaf](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Oolong_tea_leaf.jpg)
Oolong (, ; (''wūlóngchá'', "dark dragon" tea)) is a traditional semi-oxidized Chinese tea (''
Camellia sinensis
''Camellia sinensis'' is a species of evergreen shrub or small tree in the flowering plant family Theaceae. Its leaves and leaf buds are used to produce the popular beverage, tea. Common names include tea plant, tea shrub, and tea tree (not to ...
)'' produced through a process including withering the plant under strong sun and
oxidation
Redox (reduction–oxidation, , ) is a type of chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of substrate change. Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state, while reduction is the gain of electrons or a d ...
before curling and twisting.
[Zhongguo Chajing pp. 222–234, 271–282, 419–412, chief editor: Chen Zhongmao, publisher: Shanghai Wenhua Chubanshe (Shanghai Cultural Publishers) 1991.] Most oolong teas, especially those of fine quality, involve unique tea plant
cultivar
A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...
s that are exclusively used for particular varieties. The degree of oxidation, which varies according to the chosen duration of time before firing, can range from 8 to 85%, depending on the variety and production style. Oolong is especially popular in south China and among ethnic Chinese in Southeast Asia as is the
Fujian
Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capi ...
preparation process known as the
Gongfu tea ceremony
The gongfu tea ceremony or kung fu tea ceremony ( or ), is a type of Chinese tea ceremony, involving the ritual preparation and presentation of tea. It is probably based on the tea preparation approaches originated in Fujian and the Chaoshan area ...
.
Different styles of oolong tea can vary widely in flavor. They can be sweet and fruity with honey aromas, or woody and thick with roasted aromas, or green and fresh with complex aromas, all depending on the horticulture and style of production.
Several types of oolong tea, including those produced in the
Wuyi Mountains
The Wuyi Mountains or Wuyishan (; formerly known as Bohea Hills in early Western documents) are a mountain range located in the prefecture of Nanping, in northern Fujian province near the border with Jiangxi province, China. The highest peak in ...
of northern
Fujian
Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capi ...
, such as ''
Da Hong Pao
Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe, 大紅袍) is a Wuyi rock tea grown in the Wuyi Mountains of Fujian Province, China. Da Hong Pao has a unique orchid fragrance and a long-lasting sweet aftertaste. Dry Da Hong Pao has a shape like tightly knotted rope ...
'', are among the most famous Chinese teas. Different varieties of oolong are
processed differently, but the leaves are usually formed into one of two distinct styles. Some are rolled into long curly leaves, while others are 'wrap-curled' into small beads, each with a tail. The former style is the more traditional.
The Chinese term ''wulong'' (oolong) was first used to describe a tea in the 1857 text ''Miscellaneous Notes on
Fujian
Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capi ...
'' by Shi Hongbao. In Chinese, oolong teas are also known as () or "dark green teas". The term "blue tea" (french: link=no, thé bleu) in French is synonymous with the term oolong. Oolong teas share some characteristics with both green and black teas - they have light flavour notes but are often more complex in taste than green teas, but not as strong as black teas.
The manufacture of oolong tea involves repeating stages to achieve the desired amount of bruising and browning of leaves. Withering, rolling, shaping, and firing are similar to
black tea
Black tea, also translated to red tea in various East Asian languages, is a type of tea that is more oxidized than oolong, yellow, white and green teas. Black tea is generally stronger in flavour than other teas. All five types are made from ...
, but much more attention to timing and temperature is necessary. Oolong tea is popular for its high medicinal value and long-lasting aroma. Highly efficient kneading and forming equipment can improve the production efficiency of oolong tea, especially adding the heavy pressing and holding process to the traditional kneading process, which can keep the tea leaves in a tight curved shape after the completion of kneading and ensure the quality of tea.
Possible origins
The exact origin of the term is impossible to state with certainty. There are three widely espoused explanations of the origin of the Chinese name.
[Richard Goodness] According to the "tribute tea" theory, oolong tea came directly from Dragon-Phoenix Tea Cake tribute tea. The term oolong tea replaced the old term when loose tea came into fashion. Since it was dark, long, and curly, it was called Black Dragon tea.
A tale tells of a man named Wu Liang (later corrupted to Wu Long, or Oolong) who discovered oolong tea by accident when he was distracted by a deer after a hard day's tea-picking, and by the time he remembered to return to the tea it had already started to oxidize.
[Fergus Ray-Murray, , oolong.co.uk]
Varieties
Fujian
Tea production in
Fujian
Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capi ...
is concentrated in two regions: the
Wuyi Mountains
The Wuyi Mountains or Wuyishan (; formerly known as Bohea Hills in early Western documents) are a mountain range located in the prefecture of Nanping, in northern Fujian province near the border with Jiangxi province, China. The highest peak in ...
and
Anxi County
() is a County (People's Republic of China), county of the prefecture-level city of Quanzhou, in southern Fujian province, People's Republic of China. It lies adjacent to and directly north of Xiamen.
Anxi is well known for a number of varietie ...
. Both are major historical centers of oolong tea production in China.
Wuyi Mountains
![Tieguanyin2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Tieguanyin2.jpg)
The most famous and expensive oolong teas are made here, and the production is still usually accredited as being organic. Some of the better known cliff teas are:
*
Da Hong Pao
Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe, 大紅袍) is a Wuyi rock tea grown in the Wuyi Mountains of Fujian Province, China. Da Hong Pao has a unique orchid fragrance and a long-lasting sweet aftertaste. Dry Da Hong Pao has a shape like tightly knotted rope ...
("Big Red Robe"): a highly prized tea and a
Si Da Ming Cong tea
Si Da Ming Cong () is a collective term referring to four famous Wuyi oolong tea
Oolong (, ; (''wūlóngchá'', "dark dragon" tea)) is a traditional semi-oxidized Chinese tea (''Camellia sinensis)'' produced through a process including with ...
. This tea is also one of the two oolong varieties classed as
Chinese famous teas.
*
Shui Jin Gui
Shui Jin Gui is a Wuyi oolong tea from Mount Wuyi, Fujian, China. Its name literally means 'golden water turtle'. The tea produces a bright green color when steeped and is much greener than most other Wuyi oolong teas. It is one of the ''Si Da M ...
("Golden Water Turtle"): a Si Da Ming Cong tea.
*
Tieluohan
Tieluohan or Tie Luo Han (; pronounced ) is one of the Four Great Oolongs and a light Wuyi tea. Tieluohan is the cultivar responsible for one of the four best known ''Yán chá'', "rock teas" grown on cliffs in the Wuyi Mountains in northern Fu ...
("Iron Arhat"): a Si Da Ming Cong tea.
*
Bai Jiguan
Bai Ji Guan or Bai Jiguan (; pronounced ) is a very light ''Si Da Ming Cong'' tea, a well-known oolong tea of Wuyi, in Fujian, China.
Legend has it that the name of this tea (which translates to 'white rooster' or more literally 'white cocksco ...
("White Cockscomb"): a Si Da Ming Cong tea. A light tea with light, yellowish leaves.
*
Rougui ("Cassia"): a dark tea with a
spicy
Pungency () refers to the taste of food commonly referred to as spiciness, hotness or heat, found in foods such as chili peppers. Highly pungent tastes may be experienced as unpleasant. The term piquancy () is sometimes applied to foods with a l ...
aroma.
*
Shui Xian
Shui Xian ( traditional/simplified Chinese: 水仙, pinyin: shuǐxiān) is a cultivar of ''Camellia sinensis'' as well as an oolong tea traditionally from the Wuyi Mountains in Fujian, China. The infused color is a deep amber which is character ...
("Narcissus"): a very dark tea. Much of it is grown elsewhere in Fujian.
Anxi
*
Tieguanyin
''Tieguanyin'' (; Standard Chinese pronunciation ) is a variety of Chinese oolong tea that originated in the 19th century in Anxi in Fujian province. Tieguanyin produced in different areas of Anxi have different gastronomic characteristics.
N ...
("Iron Goddess of Mercy"): one of the
Ten Famous Chinese Teas.
*
Huangjin Gui
Huangjin Gui (; pronounced ) is a premium variety of China, Chinese oolong, oolong tea traditionally from Anxi County, Anxi in Fujian, Fujian province. Named after the yellow golden color of its budding leaves and its unique flowery aroma, it is ...
("Golden Cassia" or "Golden Osmanthus"): similar to Tieguanyin, with a very fragrant flavor.
Guangdong
![Mi Lan Xiang Oolong Tea cropped](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Mi_Lan_Xiang_Oolong_Tea_cropped.jpg)
; Single Bush ''Dancong'' (
单 枞) ("Phoenix oolong")
:A family of strip-style oolong teas from Guangdong Province. Dancong teas are noted for their ability to naturally imitate the flavors and fragrances of various flowers and fruits, such as orange blossom, orchid, grapefruit, almond, ginger flower, etc.
The term ''dancong'' originally meant phoenix teas all picked from one tree. In recent times though it has become a generic term for all Phoenix Mountain oolongs. True dancongs are still produced, but are not common outside China.
Taiwan
Tea cultivation in Taiwan began in the 18th century. Since then, many of the teas which are grown in Fujian province have also been grown in Taiwan.
[, Issue 1 www.the-art-of-tea.com] Since the 1970s, the tea industry in Taiwan has expanded at a rapid rate, in line with the rest of the economy. Due to high domestic demand and a strong tea culture, most Taiwanese tea is bought and consumed in Taiwan.
As the weather in Taiwan is highly variable, tea quality may differ from season to season. Although the island is not particularly large, it is geographically varied, with high, steep mountains rising abruptly from low-lying coastal plains. The different weather patterns, temperatures, altitudes, and soil ultimately result in differences in appearance, aroma, and flavour of the tea grown in Taiwan. In some mountainous areas, teas have been cultivated at ever higher elevations to produce a unique sweet taste that fetches a premium price.
[
* Dongding ("Frozen Summit" or "Ice Peak"): Named after the mountain in ]Nantou County
Nantou County (; Hokkien POJ: ''Lâm-tâu-koān''; Hakka PFS: ''Nàm-thèu-yen'') is the second largest county of Taiwan by area, located in the central part of the country. It is also the only non-coastal county in Taiwan. Its name derives fro ...
, Central Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
, where it is grown. This is a tightly rolled tea with a light, distinctive fragrance.
* Dongfang Meiren ("Oriental Beauty"): This type of tea exhibits very potent aromatics because of increased levels of terpenes. This is due to the processing of the leaf as well as the tea plants being attacked by the Jassid or Leaf Hopper before picking. The tea is picked in summer at lower elevations because this is the environment most likely to attract these types of insects.
* Alishan oolong: Grown in the Alishan area of Chiayi County
Chiayi County (Mandarin pinyin: ''jiā yì xiàn''; Hokkien POJ: ''Ka-gī-koān'') is a county in southwestern Taiwan surrounding but not including Chiayi City. It is the sixth largest county in Taiwan.
Name
The former Chinese placename was ...
, this tea has large rolled leaves that have a purple-green appearance when dry. It is grown at an elevation of 1,000 to 1,400 metres. There is only a short period during the growing season when the sun is strong, which results in a sweeter and less astringent brew. It produces golden yellow tea with a unique fruity aroma.
* Lishan ( 梨 山) oolong: Grown near Lishan mountain in the north-central region of Taiwan, this tea is very similar in appearance to Alishan teas. It is grown at an elevation above 1,600 metres, with Dayuling
Dayuling (, el. 2565 m), formerly Hehuan Pass (), is a mountain pass in Taiwan transversing the Central Mountain Range between Hehuanshan and Mt. Bilu (畢祿山), within Taroko National Park. Administratively, it is located in Xiulin, Hua ...
, and Fushou being the well known regions and teas along Lishan.
* Baozhong: the least oxidized of the oolong teas from Taiwan, with unrolled leaves of a light green to brown color. Originally grown in Fujian, it is now also widely cultivated and produced in Pinglin Township
Pinglin District (a.k.a. Ping-Lin, ) is a rural district of southeastern New Taipei, Taiwan. It is the third-largest district of New Taipei City and it is located in the mountainous area bordering Yilan County.
Overview
Pinglin is part of the ...
near Taipei
Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the n ...
.
* Ruan Zhi: a light variety of oolong tea. The tea is also known as Qingxin and as # 17. It originates from Anxi in Fujian province.
*Jin Xuan
Jin Xuan (died 209), courtesy name Yuanji, was an official and minor warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China.
Life
Jin Xuan was a descendant of Jin Midi and was from Jingzhao Commandery (京兆郡; around present-day Xi ...
: a variety of oolong tea developed in 1980. The tea is also known as "Milk Oolong" (''Nai Xiang'') because of its creamy, smooth, and easy taste. Traditional milk oolong tea does not contain milk. It originates from Taiwan.
*Black Oolong: may refer to a dark roasted oolong. This will have a roasted flavor similar to dark roast coffee.
* High-mountain or gaoshan: refers to several varieties of oolong tea grown in the mountains of central Taiwan. Includes varieties such as Alishan, Wu She, Li Shan and Yu Shan.
*Tieguanyin
''Tieguanyin'' (; Standard Chinese pronunciation ) is a variety of Chinese oolong tea that originated in the 19th century in Anxi in Fujian province. Tieguanyin produced in different areas of Anxi have different gastronomic characteristics.
N ...
: Muzha Tea Co. brought the tea from Anxi County and developed Taiwan's own variation of the popular tea on the hills of Muzha area near Taipei. While the techniques they used were similar to Anxi tieguanyin, the tastes have evolved during over a century of development.
Other varieties
* Darjeeling
Darjeeling (, , ) is a town and municipality in the northernmost region of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, it has an average elevation of . To the west of Darjeeling lies the easternmost province of Nepal, ...
oolong: Darjeeling tea
Darjeeling tea is a tea made from ''Camellia sinensis var. sinensis'' that is grown and processed in Darjeeling or Kalimpong Districts in West Bengal, India. Since 2004, the term ''Darjeeling tea'' has been a registered geographical indication ...
made according to Chinese methods.
* Assam
Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
smoked oolong: Assam's tea made according to Chinese methods, and smoked over open fire.
* Vietnamese
Vietnamese may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia
** A citizen of Vietnam. See Demographics of Vietnam.
* Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam
** Overse ...
oolong.
* Apart from varieties based on origin of cultivation, new age specialty tea companies have started offering infused oolong teas.
Preparation
Recommended brewing techniques for oolong tea vary widely. One common method is to use a small steeping vessel, such as a gaiwan
A (; ) or () is a Chinese lidded bowl without a handle, used for the infusion of tea leaves and the consumption of tea. It was invented during the Ming dynasty. It consists of a bowl, a lid, and a saucer.
History
Prior to the Ming dynasty (1 ...
or Yixing clay teapot
Yixing clay teapots (), also called Zisha teapot (), are made from Yixing clay. This traditional style commonly used to brew tea originated in China, dating back to the 15th century, and are made from clay produced near Yixing in the eastern ...
, with a higher than usual leaf to water ratio. Such vessels are used in the gongfu method of tea preparation, which involves multiple short steepings.
For a single infusion, 1-to-5-minute steepings are recommended, depending on personal preference. Recommended water temperature ranges from .[
]
Caffeine
Oolong contains caffeine, although the caffeine
Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine class. It is mainly used recreationally as a cognitive enhancer, increasing alertness and attentional performance. Caffeine acts by blocking binding of adenosine t ...
content in tea will vary based on terroir
(, ; from ''terre'', "land") is a French term used to describe the environmental factors that affect a crop's phenotype, including unique environment contexts, farming practices and a crop's specific growth habitat. Collectively, these conte ...
, when the leaf is plucked, and the production processes.
Teaghrelins
Some semi-oxidized oolong teas contain acylated flavonoid
Flavonoids (or bioflavonoids; from the Latin word ''flavus'', meaning yellow, their color in nature) are a class of polyphenolic secondary metabolites found in plants, and thus commonly consumed in the diets of humans.
Chemically, flavonoids ...
tetraglycosides, named teaghrelins due to their ability to bind to ghrelin
Ghrelin (; or lenomorelin, INN) is a hormone produced by enteroendocrine cells of the gastrointestinal tract, especially the stomach, and is often called a "hunger hormone" because it increases the drive to eat. Blood levels of ghrelin are highe ...
receptors. Teaghrelins were isolated from Chin-shin oolong tea and Shy‐jih‐chuen oolong tea and recently from other oolong tea varieties.
See also
*Chinese tea culture
Chinese tea culture (simplified Chinese: 中国茶文化; traditional Chinese: 中國茶文化) (''zhōngguó chá wénhuà'', 'Chinese tea culture') includes all facets of tea, both physical and spiritual, that significantly influenced Chinese cu ...
*List of Chinese teas
This is a list of Chinese teas. Chinese tea is a beverage made from the leaves of tea plants (''Camellia sinensis'') and – depending on the type of tea – typically 60–100 °C hot water. Tea leaves are processed using traditional Chi ...
*Teochew cuisine
Chaoshan cuisine, also known as Chiuchow cuisine, Chaozhou cuisine or Teo-swa cuisine, originated from the Chaoshan region in the eastern part of China's Guangdong Province, which includes the cities of Chaozhou, Shantou and Jieyang. Chaos ...
References
Further reading
*
*
{{Teas , state = collapsed
Chinese tea
Chinese words and phrases