Meng Ding Huang Xiao Cha

A good yellow tea, processed as Mao Feng or Maojian. Huang Xiao Cha means Small Yellow Tea and refers to the better quality of the later harvest, while Huang Da Cha (Big Yellow Tea) would be the cheapest quality. The plucking material for this Mengding Huangxiaocha comes from the same tea garden as the Meng Ding Huang Ya and is processed like the latter in the classic way as yellow tea, i.e. through traditional Menhuang - "humid/sticky yellowing", lasting at least 96 hours. The leaves are packed for about 24 hours at a time and fermented at high humidity and about 40°C, with more heat added in between depending on the condition and changes that have taken place. This whole process is difficult to control (the tea can suffocate and thus break) and very labour-intensive. Finally, the tea was roasted or dried three times over charcoal.

Mengding is probably the oldest tea-growing area that is not wild, i.e. planted by humans.