Cheyunshan Maojian

Cheyunshan Maojian

　　　　    Cheyun Maojian is a traditional famous Chinese tea, produced in Cheyun Mountain in the northern part of Suizhou City. The tea from Cheyun Mountain has a long history. As early as the 32nd year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty, the tea plant was introduced from Lu'an and cultivated locally. Through meticulous processing by skilled tea farmers, the tea is crafted into a premium Maojian variety with tight, slender, round, and straight leaves, visible tips, high fragrance, mellow taste, sweet and cool aftertaste that promotes saliva production, along with tender green color and clear, bright leafy liquor. In 1915, it was exhibited at the Panama International Exposition. Regular consumption of this tea can promote blood circulation, relieve fatigue, cut through greasiness, help with diuresis and digestion, refresh the mind, sober up, and detoxify. It also offers certain therapeutic effects for high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis. After the liberation, this tea was recognized as one of China’s famous teas and was included in the book "China's Famous Teas" published by Zhejiang People's Publishing House.

The picking of Cheyunshan Maojian is strictly controlled, and its processing is highly refined. Fresh leaves must be picked evenly, cleanly, and tenderly. The processing and pan-firing are divided into the “raw pan” and the “ripe pan.” In the raw pan, a broom handle is used to evenly stir the leaves until they become soft. Then, the leaves are rotated clockwise into small clusters. The stirring starts heavy and then becomes lighter, while shaking the leaves continuously until they begin to extrude. They are then moved to the ripe pan for strip shaping until the surface of the leaves no longer clumps together. The leaves are then hand-sorted by holding them with four fingers together and the thumb apart, allowing the tea leaves to lightly glide along the pan wall, turning over in the palm, and finally being released from between the thumb and fingers. The goal is to ensure even handling and full expansion. When the leaves reach about 70–80% dryness, they are taken off the pan for drying, which involves three rounds of baking. After the first and second baking, the tea is left to rest briefly until it achieves a jade-green color with visible tips. The third baking aims to enhance the aroma and ensure the tea is thoroughly dried. The tea-making techniques of Cheyunshan have been featured in the book "Tea Manufacturing Science," published by the Agricultural Press in August 1981, and used as a textbook for Fujian’s specialized tea programs.

(Suizhou)