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Yanyu · Sanliang · Changjiu
Wuyi Rock Bone in Every Cup of Old-Bush Shui Xian
Learn About Wuyi Rock Tea
—— T H E T E R R O I R
Origin: Rooted in San Keng Liang Jian（the “Three Pits and Two Gorges,” the core production area of Wuyi rock tea）
A tea’s character begins with where it grows. Long Jiu comes from the core Wuyi rock tea area — the small valleys of San Keng Liang Jian, where springs run through the gorges, cliffs filter the sun, and roots grip the rock.
Nestled between valleys in the core Wuyi area, sheltered by cliffs and cooled by springs. A unique microclimate, combined with the weathered sandstone soil of the Danxia landform, lets the leaves slowly build full, solid nutrients. This is where the “rock bone and floral aroma” come from — released layer by layer once brewed, with a finish that does not fade.
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—— T H E C R A F T
Craft: Charcoal-Roasted, Tradition Kept
Good leaves still need a maker who knows when to stop. Chen Ansheng, with forty years in Wuyi rock tea, oversees every stage — from withering to the final roast.
—— T H E G I F T B O X
Gift · Oriental Aesthetics Within a Small Box
Chinese red base paired with silver-grey for layered visuals. Carved bronze patterns carry ancient oriental charm. Gilded “Houdao” at the center, striking and elegant.Diagonal embossed texture creates a warm tactile feel, decorated with stamp-style labels. Restrained and noble, perfect for business gifting.
Sun withering alternates with indoor withering. Two rounds of withering are done to move moisture precisely through the leaf. The finished strips are tightly twisted, even, and not easily broken.
Three stages of charcoal roasting, each building on the last: the first opens the fire path, the second lifts the aroma, the third sets the soul of the tea. Heat is controlled to the finest degree — not dry, not floaty, warm and pure. Forty years of experience land on exactly the right roast.
—— T H E T A S T I N G N O T E
A Long, Lasting Finish
Chang Jiu is the long, lingering finish that stays after the tea goes down. The mountains and waters of San Keng Liang Jian gave it rock bone. Decades of old bush gave it gentle depth. The maker’s discipline gave it a life worth returning to. Soft in the mouth, sweet in the water, an aftertaste that goes on and on.
Dry leaf: Thick, twisted; greenish-brown with golden sheen; old-bush floral note.
Liquor: Bright orange-yellow.
Aroma: Woody, glutinous; cooling.
Taste: Sweet, with old-bush floral. Infused leaf: Thick and bright, with a red edge.
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How to Made Wuyi Rock Tea
1Plucking
The plucking standard for rock tea is to pick one bud and three or four leaves when the buds and leaves are relatively mature, which is around April to May every year. They are not picked on rainy days or when there is dew. Due to the high humidity in Wuyi Mountain and the average annual temperature of around 18℃, the tea leaves are very tender even when they are mature and can be broken with a light lift.
2Withering
Sun drying must be done on sunny days, so that the tea leaves can release a small amount of moisture in a short time. If the tea leaves cannot be dried in the sun, they will be placed in a withering building for heated withering.
3Tumbling
The most important stage of rock tea production is to make the leaves collide and rub against each other through repeated shaking, which gradually damages the edges of the leaves. The leaves are then gradually oxidized to produce a green background with red edges, exuding a natural floral and fruity aroma, forming the unique floral and fruity aroma of oolong tea. The whole process takes 6-12 hours.
4Fixation
Fixation (kill-green): high heat rapidly deactivates the active enzymes in the tea leaves, locking in the color, aroma, and flavor developed during the fine manipulation stage and promptly halting the fermentation process.
5Rolling
Rolling and twisting are the main factors that shape the appearance of Wuyi Rock Tea and affect the tea production rate. In addition to making the tea strips tight, it can also increase the concentration of the tea soup.
6Roasting
The roasting process is carried out in a closed bamboo cage in a roasting room. The roasting temperature must be well controlled, and the water must be removed quickly and promptly. After the refining process such as sorting, it needs to be roasted several times. The meticulous handling of the roasting process requires the experience of the tea making master. It often takes more than half a year to complete the production.
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Why does Wuyi Rock Tea need to be roasted?
The characteristics of rock tea production and processing are seasonal production and year-round sales. The raw tea made from fresh leaves is not resistant to storage and must be roasted in the refining stage. During the roasting process, the long-term thermal action causes the transformation of substances. These substances not only directly participate in the formation of fragrance, but also further mature and purify the fragrance, making the various flavors of various rock tea varieties tend to be clear, elegant, and high. The taste tends to be rich and strong. The quality of rock tea is stable and resistant to storage.
Niulankeng (Bullpen)
The more important reason why Niulankeng is so valuable is its output. Surrounded by mountains on both sides, it forms a natural V shape. The pit bottom + cliff tea garden is only about 0.0467 km² , among which cinnamon variety is the most, but the annual output is only about 1,500 kilograms.
Shuiliandong(Water Curtain Cave)
The largest cave in Wuyi Mountain has two springs falling from the top of the cave all year round, forming a waterfall as high as 80 meters. The water vapor drifts around, nourishing the surrounding vegetation and forming a unique and moist valley environment. Therefore, the tea has a unique flavor, as fresh and refined as a fairy.
Jiulongke(Nine Dragons' Lair)
The mountain is long and narrow, with cliffs on both sides, winding and undulating, shaped like a nine-dragon nest, warm and humid, with high shade, forming a very typical mountain microclimate. The tea made is soft, elegant, refreshing and sweet.
Liuxiangjian(Aroma Flowing)
It is a cool gorge that can accommodate only one person. It was originally a nameless stream, but in the past it was called Daoshuikeng because it was connected to the stream of Daoshuikeng. When the Ming Dynasty poet Xu Bo visited this place, he renamed it Liuxiangjian. It is the origin of the famous bush "Buzhichun".
Sanyangfeng(Three peaks)
Sanyang Peak is the highest peak in Wuyi Mountain Scenic Area, with an altitude of 717.7 meters. The climate is cooler at higher altitudes, with clouds and fog in the morning and evening, and high humidity. The bitter ingredients such as "catechins" contained in tea are reduced, so the taste is thick and sweet.
Matouyan(horse's head)
The valley of Matouyan is steep and the rocky hill is open. The sunshine is moderate and abundant in summer, which makes the photosynthesis of tea trees stronger, increasing the content of aromatic substances and catechins in the new shoots, so the tea has a strong aroma and astringency.
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Common Tea Tree Varieties of Wuyi Rock Tea
Da Hong Pao
There are six tea trees on the cliff of Jiulongke with the words "Dahongpao" engraved on them. They are three tea varieties: Qidan, Beidou, and Queshe. This is the mother tree Da Hong Pao. It is no longer picked and sold.Later, the people of Wuyi Mountain adopted agricultural technology to breed and cultivate Da Hong Pao tea trees, and have bred enough to supply the market.But as for the common commodity called "Da Hong Pao", it is the product of the numerous tea varieties in Wuyi Mountain. After the fresh leaves are picked and made into tea, they are piled according to their quality conditions and scientifically and rationally blended into a product called Da Hong Pao. Therefore, the fragrance is rich and the taste is varied.
Shui Xian | Rou Gui
As the saying goes, "Nothing is more fragrant than Rougui, and nothing is more mellow than narcissus." In addition to the influence of the mountain field, the tea tree species will also affect the taste of the tea soup. Wuyi cinnamon is a shrub tea tree species, and the plant height is generally 1.5m. The aroma is sharp and the cinnamon aroma is obvious. The best ones have a milky taste. Wuyi narcissus is a small tree tea tree species, which is taller and has a unique orchid fragrance, mellow and fresh. In addition, there are hundreds of varieties with different styles in Wuyi Mountain, but because of the small output, although some are sold separately on the market, most of them are used as blending raw materials for Da Hong Pao, and are blended into Da Hong Pao products and sold on the market.
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WUYI MOUNTAIN
The Zhengyan tea production area is approximately 72 square kilometers, so the tea produced is scarce and expensive.
