Phoenix Dancong Tea

Phoenix Dancong Tea

Phoenix Dancong Tea is a geographical indication protected product.

Phoenix Dancong Tea is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　Produced in Wudong Mountain, Fenghuang Town, Chao'an District, Chaozhou City. The finished tea leaves are tightly rolled and robust, yielding a golden-yellow, clear liquor with a distinctive natural floral aroma. It has a mellow taste, a sweet and fresh aftertaste at the throat, and is highly resistant to brewing. After drinking, the lingering fragrance in the cup leaves a lasting impression, truly embodying an aroma that "lingers around the nose for three days without ceasing," making it a fine tea that combines the perfect elements of "heaven, earth, and people." (Chaozhou)

　　Belongs to the oolong tea category. The finished tea features robust, evenly straight leaves with a yellowish-brown, glossy color and hints of cinnabar red dots. When brewed, it emits a lofty and long-lasting fragrance with a unique natural orchid-like aroma, a rich, fresh, and mellow taste, a soothing throat feel, and a sweet aftertaste. The tea liquor is clear and bright yellow, with leaf bottoms featuring crimson edges and yellowish-green centers—often described as "green leaves edged with red." It boasts a distinctive mountainous charm, with an aromatic presence during brewing, high resistance to multiple infusions, and a satisfying aftertaste. This tea has a production and sales history of approximately 900 years.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Phoenix Dancong, a type of oolong tea, is produced in the Wudong (pronounced "dóng") Mountain tea region of Fenghuang Town, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province. This area borders the East China Sea, enjoys a warm climate with abundant rainfall, and the tea trees grow in mountainous regions at elevations above 1,000 meters. Perennially shrouded in mist, the air is humid with significant day-night temperature variations. The average annual temperature exceeds 22°C, with annual precipitation of around 1,800 mm. The soil is fertile and deep, rich in organic matter and various trace elements, which are conducive to the growth of tea trees and the formation of tea polyphenols and aromatic compounds.

　　Distinctive Qualities

　　The plants are tall with an open canopy, medium branching density, slightly ascending leaves that are narrow and elongated, shaped like long ovals or lancets. The leaves are dark green, slightly raised on the surface, with undulating edges, flat blades, and gradually tapering tips. The leaf texture is thick yet somewhat brittle. The buds and young leaves are pale green with sparse down. The weight of 100 buds and three leaves is 113 grams. The peak flowering period is in late October, but the plant is not fruit-bearing. Characteristics: Moderate vitality of buds and leaves, with the three-leaf stage occurring in mid-April. Yield is moderate, typically producing over 100 kg of dry tea per mu. Particularly suitable for making high-aroma oolong teas. The finished tea has a rich and long-lasting natural ginger flower fragrance, a rich and refreshing taste, a distinct "special character" reminiscent of ginger flowers, a smooth aftertaste, and exceptional resistance to brewing. Drinking it leaves a fragrant sensation on the palate and teeth. By year's end, the tea undergoes a "spring return" where its aroma intensifies, becoming even more fragrant. It has been awarded the title of Famous Tea of Guangdong Province multiple times. It exhibits strong resistance to cold and drought, with moderate cutting propagation capability.

　　Cultural Anecdotes

　　Phoenix Dancong, a name of great renown, is a strip-style oolong tea. Produced in the Phoenix Mountain area of Chao'an, Guangdong, it has a long history with the cultivation of Narcissus tea trees and tea production dating back over 900 years. The Song Dynasty’s *Chronicles of Chaozhou Prefecture* records: "Fengshan’s famous tea awaits Shaotea, also known as tribute tea." There are still over 3,000 ancient tea trees aged between 300–400 years, many with unique characteristics. Among them, several old Dancong tea trees are particularly ancient. The largest, named "Large Leaf Fragrance," stands 5.4 meters tall with a crown diameter of 7.3 meters, five branches averaging 34 cm in thickness, and is estimated to be over 600 years old. The Phoenix Mountain area borders the East China Sea, with the tea-growing region located at the foothills of Wudong Mountain at elevations of over 1,400 meters, reaching up to 1,498 meters. It has a maritime climate with an average annual temperature of 17°C, maximum temperatures of 35°C, minimum temperatures of -2°C, a short frost period, and annual rainfall of 1,900 mm. The soil is mostly dark sandy loam or yellow soil, deep and rich in organic matter, with a pH of 4.5–6. The tea region is often covered in mist, with large day-night temperature differences—a natural environment conducive to the growth of tea trees and the formation of tea polyphenols and aromatic substances. Tea farmers in the Phoenix Mountains possess extensive expertise in selecting and cultivating tea varieties. The tea used to make Phoenix Dancong is selected from superior individual plants within the Phoenix Narcissus population. In ancient times, each superior plant had its own name, and they were harvested and processed individually, all yielding high-quality tea—but with a complex and varied naming system. In 1950, it was officially unified under the name "Phoenix Dancong" (a name also found in historical records).

　　The geographical indication protection area for Phoenix Dancong (or Dancong) Tea includes the following 30 towns and tea-producing areas under the jurisdiction of Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province: Fenghuang Town, Tiepu Town, Wenci Town, Linxi Town, Guantang Town, Dengtang Town, Chifeng Town, Guihu Town, Guxiang Town, Fengtang Town, Wanfeng Forest Farm in Chao'an District; Fubin Town, Qiandong Town, Zhangxi Town, Fushan Town, Tangxi Town, Sanrao Town, Lianrao Town, Xinxu Town, Xinfeng Town, Raoyang Town, Shangrao Town, Jianrao Town, Gaotang Town, Xintang Town, Dongshan Town in Raoping County; Yixi Town in the urban area of Xiangqiao District and the tea-growing area of Qiaodong Subdistrict; as well as Yunbu Caolanwu and HuaiShanGang tea areas in the Fengxi District.