On Jun Shan Yin Zhen Yellow Tea…in Two Parts

Jun Shan Yin Zhen, not to be confused with the white tea Bai Hao Yen Zhen (Silver Needle), is considered one of the famous Chinese teas found on a list known as Zhong Guo Shi Da Ming Cha 中国十大名茶 due to its having been a tribute tea at one point.

There are four types of yellow tea, however, only three now remain:

Jun Shan Yin Zhen;
Meng Ding Huang Ya;
Mo Gan Huang Ya; and
Huo Shan Huang Ya (lost to history).

Yellow tea is often a go-to for those who would like the nutritive value of a green tea but is milder on their stomachs. This is largely attributed to the manner in which it is made. Yellow tea is lightly oxidized and undergoes a different process than the category of green tea, as Zhuping describes in the video. As a consequence, yellow tea is also thought to have a longer shelf life than green tea which can go a bit bitter as it ages. Jun Shan Yin Zhen specifically requires 72 hours of controlled oxidation in order to make it. Jun Shan Yin Zhen and Meng Ding Huang Ya are the two remaining types of yellow tea that still utilize traditional techniques of production by hand.

There is some confusion surrounding Jun Shan Yin Zhen since there are 4 types on the market and a considerable amount of yellow tea peddled on the market is actually green tea. Three of these types have been cultivated from different bushes that generate a more floral fragrance and their leaves are regarded to be more aesthetically pleasing. Tea buds coming from these other bushes tend to be fatter as opposed to the local bushes to Jun Shan located near Dong Ting Lake. These bushes, known as Qun Ti Zhong, are more or less a grouping or historical community of bushes.

The video is divided into two parts, so please continue watching Part II in order to view the video cast to completion.