STORY: Vlog: The making of Pu'er tea | Sunny's Spotlight
DATELINE: Sept. 21, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:07
LOCATION: KUNMING, China
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Jingmai Mountain
2. STANDUP 1 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
3. various of the Jingmai Mountain
4. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): YE XIANG, Local tea farmer
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
7. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): YE XIANG, Local tea farmer
8. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
9. SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): YE XIANG, Local tea farmer
10. SOUNDBITE 7 (English):SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
11. SOUNDBITE 8 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
12. various of the making of Pu'er tea
13. STANDUP 2 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
14. various of people and landscape at the Jingmai Mountain

STORYLINE:
STANDUP 1 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"Hello, from the world's first tea culture UNESCO heritage site, the old tea forests of Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er, China.
Pu'er is an iconic tea city in Yunnan Province, known for its time-honored tea variety, Pu'er tea.
Today, I'm wearing a traditional costume of a local ethnic group, and also trying to be a "qualified" local person -- immersing myself in the culture by acquiring a crucial skill: the making of Pu'er tea."

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"Here we are. Find my "master" today. Okay, my "master" is coming."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): YE XIANG, Local tea farmer
"I've just picked some tea leaves from a plantation in the mountain."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"Wow, you've just picked them this morning?"

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): YE XIANG, Local tea farmer
"Look, the dews are still on them."

SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"So fresh. Are these the materials we'll use to make tea today?"

SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): YE XIANG, Local tea farmer
"Yes, we are going to experience a process called "shaqing" (enzyme kill)."

SOUNDBITE 7 (English):SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"She started making tea since 15 years old."

SOUNDBITE 8 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"Now the pot has reached the highest temperature. It's over 270 ℃."

Enzyme kill
To use high temperature to kill leaf cells, so that the aromatic substances of the tea can be well brought out

Rubbing
After enzyme kill, tea leaves are first spread out to cool down and then get rubbed

Drying
To remove most of the moisture in the leaves by sun and wind

STANDUP 2 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"This technique has been passed on for thousands of years. Today machines have emerged to replace manual labor, but the locals still retain the old handmade method.
I feel this is a way both for preserving tradition and for nurturing an intimate link that people maintain with the tea.
That's pretty much it for my Jingmai Day. Stay tuned for more."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Kunming, China.
(XHTV)