Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong also referred as smoked tea is unique to it's distinct smoky flavor as the leaves are smoke-dried over pinewood fires instead of the natural drying process. It is the ancestors of red tea in history.

It is said that during the Qing dynasty, an army camped in a tea factory. When the tea workers returned, they realized that it is causing delay into processing the tea to the market if they were to dry the tea in the normal process. So, the quick witted workers dried the teas over the pinewood fires to speed up the process, thus, creating this unique smokey flavor tea.