Dancong: Ya Shi Xiang (Duck Shit)
Ya Shi Xiang (duck shit fragrance) is a named dancong aroma type from the Phoenix mountains and has become one of the most recognized styles of Wudong-area oolong, largely because the name travels. The name's origin is disputed, with one common account being that the farmer who developed it gave it a derogatory name to discourage competitors from stealing cuttings; what is not disputed is that at Wudong altitude from old trees, the cup delivers a complex mineral-floral character with stone fruit and a slightly mineral-green edge that resists simple categorization.
Quality ya shi xiang shows a clean roast, a pronounced mineral quality underneath the floral-aromatic character and substantial persistence across multiple infusions. The profile has been described as a combination of orchid-like floral, green herb and mineral notes that together create a distinctive impression greater than any of its parts. Leaf from lowland or heavily blended sources will show the aromatic type superficially in the first infusion and fade rapidly; Wudong old-tree material maintains character across 8-10 or more steeps.
Ya Shi Xiang is specifically associated with the Wudong mountain zone, the highest-altitude area in the Phoenix production region. Tree age is the primary quality differentiator: material from trees 50-200 or more years old shows greater depth and persistence than plantation-grown young trees of the same cultivar lineage. Most commercial ya shi xiang on the international market is not from Wudong and not from old trees; it comes from lower-elevation Phoenix mountain gardens and is priced accordingly. Both are honest products if labeled accurately.
Gongfu: 6-8 g per 100 ml, 95-100°C, 20-30 seconds first steep; dancong releases powerfully and short steeps are not optional. A small Chaozhou clay pot is traditional and considered to round the roast edges; a porcelain gaiwan is more neutral. Expect 8-12 infusions from Wudong-grade leaf, fewer from commercial blend. Western: 3 g per 200 ml, 95°C, 90 seconds to 2 minutes; longer and it becomes sharp.
Commercial ya shi xiang from lower-elevation Phoenix mountain runs €15-35 (about $16-38) per 100 g. Named Wudong single-cultivar material from traceable sources starts at €50-100 (about $54-108) per 100 g, and old-tree premium lots go considerably higher.
Prices reviewed June 2026
Ya shi xiang is charcoal-roasted and benefits from 1-3 months of rest after each roasting cycle before the flavors integrate fully. Annual re-roasting by the producer is common practice for aged material.
Dancong: Mi Lan Xiang (Honey Orchid)
The approachable sibling aroma type; honey-orchid where ya shi xiang is mineral-floral, and generally gentler across all roast levels.
Phoenix Dancong
The parent style page covering the full xiang type system and the Wudong elevation and tree-age quality ladder.
Dancong: Song Zhong
Another high-prestige Wudong dancong lineage associated with the Song cultivar; less widely available but a useful reference point for the style's upper ceiling.
The name ya shi xiang illustrates a recurring pattern in Chinese tea naming: commercially valuable cultivars or processing techniques were deliberately obscured with unappealing names to discourage copying. Several other dancong xiang types have similar backstories, and the naming convention within the Phoenix community often reflects practical commercial competition within a small geographic area rather than any sensory description.