Fifth White Tea Competition starts in Fujian

The Fifth Fuding White Tea Competition was held on June 11 in Diantou Town, Fuding City of east China's Fujian Province, which has become a brand of the local specialty.

White tea is reputed as one of the six major types of tea in China and its processing is rather simpler as compared with the other varieties. Tender buds and sprouts are plucked in early spring, and then withered and dried to preserve their delicate and sweet flavor.

The plantation of white tea in Fuding dates 1,000 years back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). In the late 18th century, tea growers in the city created Yinzhen or Silver Needle, a distinguished variety of white tea. It was around that time the white tea was exported to Southeast Asia and Europe.

Since 2018, Diantou Town has held the white tea competition every year, which has become a shining name card to promote Fuding White Tea.

At the competition, the judges carefully checked the samples of the three categories of tea, namely, Baihaoyinzhen or Baekho Silver Needle, White Peony, and first class Sau-Mei Tea, evaluating them from their appearance, color and aroma.

The outstanding products of each category will win gold, silver, bronze and quality awards respectively.

"More than 390 tea samples took part in the competition this time, making up the largest participation and the most complete variety in the history of event," said Ye Fangyang, a judge of the Fifth Fuding White Tea Competition.

Diantou is a small town renowned for its white tea, and is the original place of the cultivation of Fuding White Tea and Fuding Dahao Tea. More than 90 percent of the town's population are engaged in the tea industry and they have set up over 3,000 business outlets in large and medium-sized cities across China.