Zhenghe Da Bai

Zhenghe Da Bai ("Big White of Zhenghe") is the Camellia sinensis var. sinensis cultivar of Zhenghe County in northern Fujian, discovered around 1880. The cultivar's leaves are larger than Fuding Da Bai Hao and contain higher polyphenol levels — the chemical basis of the thicker mouthfeel and bolder flavour that distinguishes Zhenghe-style white teas (Bai Hao Yin Zhen, Bai Mu Dan) from their Fuding equivalents. Traditional Zhenghe processing favours indoor withering and shaded drying followed by low-temperature baking, with longer pile-up oxidation than Fuding's lighter-touch method.