The old tea plantation in Chaozhou contains patches of unpruned tea plants and nearly 20,000 large tea trees because pruning was never part of the traditional cultivation practice, and the tea trees were left to grow freely with tea buds left intact to protect the trees. There old tea plants are living evidence to the tea production history of Chaozhou as well as an excellent resource and foundation for species cultivation.
During Tongzhi and Guangxu reigns of the Qing Dynasty （1875-1908）， tea farmers selected the superior varieties and cultivated them after long-term careful practice. The world Dancong, literally meaning single stem, also suggests that all the tea leaves are picked from a single tea plant and then processed and sold. Because it is originated in Fenghuang Mountains of Chaozhou, it is historically known as Fenghuang Dancong Tea.
Fenghuang Dancong Tea is a variety of Oolong Tea. The tea leaves are tightly twisted stripes in lustrous grayish brown color. The liquor is in golden brown color and has a natural floral aroma that contains the refreshing fragrance of green tea and the mellow taste of black tea. It gives an impressive, sweet and refreshing finish. Fenghuang Dancong Tea is famed for its fresh and pleasant aroma.（Courtesy of the IP Protection Department of CNIPA）
（Editor Jiang Shuo）
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