Excerpt from The Tealover's Companion: A Guide to Teas throughout the World by Jane Pettigrew & Bruce Richardson
"Green teas are generally described as 'unoxidized' or 'unfermented' teas and no chemical change occurs during their manufacture. Processing differs from country to country but the basic manufacture involves withering, to allow some of the water content to evaporate, or steaming, to de-enzyme the leaf. To wither the leaves, as soon as they are brought to the factory they are spread out on cool cement floors or rattan sacking in open sunshine or warm rooms for one or two hours, depending on the ambient temperature. Then comes a series of rollings and firings. In China, the leaf is alternately rolled by hand and fired, giving each tea its own characteristic shape. The best quality, most highly prized teas are all hand-made and the skills involved are passed on from one generation to the next."
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