On Taosim has long focused on crafting Fu tea (茯茶) using quality raw leaves from southern China. The Silk Road Black Pearl is an interesting expression of that approach — Yunnan raw Pu-erh material from Lincang, sent to Jingyang in Shaanxi province for the traditional Jin Hua (golden flower) fermentation process, bringing two distinct tea cultures together in a single tea.
"Silk Road" references Xi'an's historical identity as the starting point of the ancient Silk Road. "Black Pearl" is simply a straightforward description of what this tea looks like — tightly hand-rolled dragon pearls, dark and round, each one genuinely resembling a small black pearl.
Origin & Material
| Tea Region |
Bai Ying Shan, Yunnan Lincang |
| Harvest |
Spring 2024 Blended Material |
| Jin Hua Processing Location |
Jingyang, Shaanxi |
| Storage |
Dry warehouse, Xi'an |
Bai Ying Shan (White Eagle Mountain, 白莺山) sits in Yun County, Lincang, along the middle reaches of the Lancang River. It's a tea area known for a relatively diverse range of tea tree varieties. This tea is a blend of several cultivars from the area, including:
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Er Ga Zi (二嘎子): A wild hybrid transitional variety. Known for its smooth, soft liquor, naturally high sweetness, and low bitterness or astringency.
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Mengku Da Ye Zhong (勐库大叶种): The classic large-leaf Mengku variety.
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Mengku Xiao Ye Zhong (勐库小叶种): A smaller-leaf counterpart from the same area.
Bai Ying Shan is not a hyped or speculative single-origin mountain. The material cost is honest, and so is the price. This tea is designed to be a reliable, everyday Pu-erh — something you can drink without second thoughts.
How It's Made
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Light Wet Piling (Wo Dui): The raw Pu-erh leaves are moistened to a damp level, then lightly piled for approximately 10 hours of mild fermentation.
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Steaming & Rolling: The leaves are steamed until soft, then hand-rolled into individual dragon pearl shapes.
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Jin Hua Fermentation & Drying: The pearls are placed in a climate-controlled fermentation room, where temperature and humidity are carefully managed over approximately 28 days to allow the Jin Hua (冠突散囊菌, Eurotium cristatum) to naturally develop.
One thing worth noting: no external inoculants of any kind were used in this process — no flour, grain, or any other commonly used additives. The golden flower culture develops entirely through natural environmental control. We consider this an important mark of production integrity for any Fu tea.
Because of the dragon pearl shape, the Jin Hua grows primarily inside the pearl, not on the surface. The outside of each pearl will appear dark and smooth. Once you break a pearl open, you'll be able to see the golden flower colonies inside. Compared to Fu bricks or cakes, the Jin Hua visibility in pearl-shaped tea is inherently more limited — this is simply a result of the form, and is completely normal.
Appearance
- Dragon pearl (long zhu) shape, dark and round
- Approximately 7g per pearl
- Tightly rolled with hints of silver tips visible
- Jin Hua visible on the interior when broken open
Taste & Aroma
Although the source material is from the 2024 spring harvest, the combination of light wet piling and 28 days of Jin Hua fermentation has meaningfully transformed the character of the tea. This does not drink like a typical young raw Pu-erh. The fresh, sharp, and sometimes astringent quality you'd expect from a 2024 sheng is largely gone. In its place is something noticeably smoother and rounder — it drinks older than its age suggests.
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Aroma: Clean and refreshing, with sweet and floral notes, alongside the distinctive earthy, mushroom-like character typical of Fu tea
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Taste: Smooth and mellow, naturally sweet, low bitterness and astringency, with a pleasant lingering finish
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Liquor Color: Bright yellow
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Leaf Base: Fine and tender, soft with a resilient texture
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Steeps: Approximately 10 steeps
Specifications & Packaging
| Net Weight |
200g per tin |
| Per Pearl |
Approximately 7g |
| Pearls per Tin |
Approximately 28 |
| Outer Packaging |
Iron tin |
| Inner Packaging |
Sealed plastic bag + individual foil wrap per pearl |
Brewing Guide
Brew this tea the same way you would brew any raw Pu-erh (sheng Pu-erh).
Basic Parameters:
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Water temperature: 100°C (fully boiling)
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Ratio: 1 pearl (approx. 7g) per 100–150ml gaiwan or teapot
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Pour style: Pour and pour out immediately — do not let the tea sit in the water
Step-by-Step:
| Stage |
Notes |
| First 1–2 steeps |
The pearl hasn't fully opened yet. Extend your steep time to 30–50 seconds to allow the leaves to loosen and unfurl. |
| Once the pearl has opened |
Switch to immediate pour-off — no steeping. Boiling water in, straight back out. |
| Later steeps (7+) |
As the flavor gradually lightens, you can extend the steep time by 10–20 seconds to draw out the remaining taste. |
If you're brewing in a mug or an infuser cup, we'd suggest using less leaf or reducing the steeping time to avoid over-concentration.
Storage at Home
No special conditions are needed. Just follow these basic guidelines:
- Place the pearls back in the iron tin and seal the inner plastic bag
- Keep in a cool, dark location away from direct light
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Keep dry — avoid humid environments and moisture exposure
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Keep away from strong odors — tea readily absorbs surrounding smells, so keep it away from spices, soaps, cooking fumes, or anything with a strong scent
Pearls still in their individual foil wrapping can simply stay in the tin as-is. No refrigeration needed.
All information above reflects the actual product as accurately as we can describe it. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.
