How Jasmine Tea Gets Its Scent in Fuzhou

A cup of Fuzhou jasmine tea may smell of flowers while showing no petals. Its documented scenting process, called xunzhi (窨制), pairs a prepared green-tea base with fresh jasmine blossoms. The flowers release fragrance during contact with the tea; after scenting, the flowers are removed.

What happens between flower and leaf?

The national heritage record describes spring tea preparation followed by work with summer flowers. Makers combine tea and jasmine, monitor heat and moisture, open and turn the pile when needed, then separate flower from tea. Drying removes excess moisture while trying to retain the scent. Some Fuzhou teas repeat the scenting cycle, but the number of rounds depends on the material and intended tea.

This is a particular Fuzhou tradition, not a definition of every scented tea. It also helps explain why the six basic tea categories describe the underlying tea-leaf processing, while jasmine scenting is a further step.