1. Withering: Under normal climatic conditions, fresh leaves dilute water, so that the leaf quality is gradually weakened, the leaf area is reduced, the leaf color changes from bright green to dark green, and the grass gas is gradually distributed, giving off a fragrance.
2. Inactivation: After high temperature, the activity of enzymes in fresh leaves was destroyed, which stopped the enzymatic oxidation of tea polyphenols, the main chemical component in leaves. After high temperature, some water is removed, the leaves become soft and easy to knead, and some grass gas is removed, which smells very fragrant.
3. Kneading: reduce the area of tea leaves by kneading, roll them into strips or circles, and shape the appearance of tea leaves. At the same time, the kneading force destroys the leaf cells, and the squeezed tea juice adheres to the surface of the leaf, which is convenient for brewing.
4. Cyanization: By combining shaking (sieving or bumping) with cooling, leaves rotate and bounce, collide with each other, cells at the leaf edge are destroyed, polyphenols are oxidized under the action of enzymes, and the leaf edge appears reddish brown, leading to a mild fermentation or semi-fermentation process.
5. Stuffy: During the process of yellow tea stewing, the wet blank stewing time is relatively short, and the content changes little. The color of leaves is mainly green, yellow or golden yellow, and Qing Xiang tastes sweet and pure.
6. Drying: it is the last process of making all kinds of tea, with the purpose of releasing moisture and tightening tea strips. Even if the tea leaves are dry enough for easy storage, they also have the function of shaping the appearance.