110 DESCRIPTION OF 



roasting consists of Leang Ching, To Ching, and 

 Oc Ching. 



The process of Leang Ching is literally that of 

 cooling the leaves, or keeping the leaves cool to 

 prevent or check fermentation. For this purpose 

 they are placed either in shady situations in the 

 open air, exposed to the wind, or in open buildings 

 which admit a draft through them. Easterly winds 

 are said to be unfavourable to this process. Tall 

 stands (Kia Czu), about six feet high, consisting of 

 many stages, are employed to receive the different 

 bamboo trays (Po Ky), in which the leaves are 

 placed in quantities agreeably to their qualities, and 

 the care intended to be bestowed on their manipu- 

 lation. The finest description of Yen or Padre 

 Souchong teas are thinly strewed over the trays ; 

 but inferior kinds of Yen and Puon Shan teas are 

 placed five or six inches thick. In this state they 

 are kept, until they begin to emit a slight degree 

 of fragrance, when they are sifted, to rid them of 

 any sand or dirt which may adhere to them, pre- 

 paratory to the operation of To Ching. 



To Ching signifies the tossing about the leaves 

 with the hands.* The manner in which I have 



* In composition the Chinese frequently add another word 

 to the word To, which appears to be referable to some modifi- 

 cation of this part of the process. Some use To Pa, the tossing 

 and patting of the leaves ; others To Tuon, the tossing and collect- 

 ing them into a heap or parcel ; others To Nao, the tossing and 

 rubbing them : and again, To Lung, which means simply tossing, or 



