Rolling

揉捻

Mechanical pressure twists and shapes the leaves, breaking cell walls to release essential oils and enzymes while forming the tea's final shape. Rolling can be light (preserving whole-leaf structure) or heavy (creating tightly rolled balls or twisted strips). The pressure and duration determine how much cellular juice is released onto the leaf surface, influencing the tea's strength and infusion speed. Orthodox rolling preserves leaf integrity; CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) maximizes surface area for strong, quick-brewing tea bags.