Chacodex

Song Zhong Dan Cong

Song Dynasty Variety - one of the oldest Dan Cong cultivars, descended from trees planted during the Song Dynasty nearly 900 years ago.

Type
Oolong Tea
Origin
China · Guangdong
Oxidation
heavy
Caffeine
medium
Brew temp
95–100°C
Brew time
1–2 min
Flavor notes
pine, honey, complex

History

Song Zhong (宋种, Song Dynasty Variety) is the most historically significant Dan Cong cultivar - its name refers directly to the Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE), when these tea trees were first planted on Phoenix Mountain. Some of the surviving Song Zhong mother trees are estimated to be 700–900 years old, making them among the oldest cultivated tea trees in the world. The most famous is the 'Song Zhong Mother Tree' (宋种母树) near the peak of Wudong Mountain, which still produces a tiny harvest each spring that sells for extraordinary prices. Song Zhong represents the original, ancestral character of Dan Cong before modern fragrance-type breeding diversified the category. Its flavor is considered the purest expression of Fenghuang Mountain terroir.

Processing

The same core Dan Cong process - solar withering, repeated shaking, pan-firing, rolling, and charcoal roasting - but with particular care given the age and rarity of the trees. Song Zhong leaves are typically processed with a medium-heavy roast that emphasizes the tea's deep, complex, honey-mineral character over any single dominant fragrance. The processing is conservative, letting the ancient terroir speak rather than pushing for aromatic intensity.

Tasting Notes

Appearance

Long, dark, tightly twisted leaves - slightly thicker and more robust than newer cultivar Dan Congs. The liquor is a deep, luminous amber-gold with reddish highlights.

Aroma

Complex and layered - honey, aged wood, dried longan, and a subtle resinous quality. Less overtly floral than Mi Lan Xiang or Ya Shi Xiang, Song Zhong's aroma has a depth and gravitas that reflects its ancient roots. A faint plum-like sweetness emerges as the tea cools.

Taste

Deep, honeyed, and mineral-driven - dried longan, pine honey, and aged wood on the palate, with a profound mineral backbone and an extraordinarily long hui gan (returning sweetness). The mouthfeel is thick and oily. Song Zhong's complexity is quiet rather than explosive - it rewards patient, contemplative drinking over many steeps.

Brewing Guide

Western Style

  • Leaf: 4g per 200ml
  • Water: 100°C (212°F)
  • Time: 2–3 minutes
  • Infusions: 5–7 infusions

Gongfu Style

  • Leaf: 8g per 100ml
  • Water: 100°C (212°F)
  • Time: 5s first, +5s each subsequent
  • Infusions: 10–18 infusions

Step-by-step

  1. Full boiling water. 100°C - Song Zhong demands maximum heat to open its deep, layered complexity. Tip: This tea benefits from the hottest water you can provide.
  2. Preheat thoroughly. Fill gaiwan and cups with boiling water, wait 30 seconds, discard. Repeat if possible. Tip: Ancient tree Dan Cong needs a blazing hot vessel - don't skip this step.
  3. Patient flash steeps. Start at 5 seconds. Song Zhong reveals itself slowly - the first 2 steeps are an introduction, not the main event. Tip: The magic happens from steep 4 onward, where the ancient tree character emerges.
  4. Push to the limit. Old-tree Song Zhong can yield 15–20+ infusions. The late steeps reveal a pure, mineral sweetness impossible in younger trees. Tip: The last few steeps of great Song Zhong are among the finest experiences in all of tea.

Health Benefits

  • Ancient tree material is exceptionally rich in polyphenols and minerals
  • Deep root systems draw trace minerals from ancient mountain soil
  • Moderate caffeine with high theanine for balanced energy
  • Traditional medicinal tea in Chaozhou culture
  • Rich in antioxidant theaflavins from heavy oxidation

Food Pairings

  • Chaozhou braised goose
  • Dried longan and lychee
  • Aged cheeses
  • Dark chocolate
  • Roasted nuts

Buying Guide

What to look for

  • Deep, honeyed-woody aroma from dry leaf
  • Thick, robust twisted leaves
  • Wudong Mountain or high-elevation Fenghuang origin
  • Spring harvest

Quality indicators

  • Old-tree (lao cong) material - ideally 100+ years
  • Single-bush harvest
  • Charcoal-roasted
  • Deep amber-gold liquor with extraordinary clarity

Price range: $40–80 for standard old-tree, $100–200 for premium single-bush, $500+ for mother-tree descendant material

Storage: Airtight container, cool and dark. Song Zhong ages beautifully - properly stored, it can improve for 3–5+ years as the roast integrates and complexity deepens.

Fun Facts

  • The oldest Song Zhong mother tree on Wudong Mountain is estimated to be nearly 900 years old and still produces tea annually.
  • Song Zhong is considered the 'ancestor' of all modern Dan Cong fragrance types - many were bred from Song Zhong stock.
  • A single year's harvest from a famous Song Zhong mother tree can sell for over $50,000 at auction.
  • Unlike most Dan Congs which are named for their aroma, Song Zhong is named for its historical period - its character is too complex to reduce to a single fragrance.
  • Chaozhou tea culture considers drinking Song Zhong a form of connection to nearly a millennium of unbroken tea tradition.

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