At a glance
Chuanhong Gongfu is a Sichuan black-tea style strongly associated with Yibin. This entry keeps the original fine-strand, sweet-fragrance profile. It is a processed tea style, not one compulsory cultivar or a guarantee that every current product follows an unchanged ancient tribute recipe.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 川红工夫茶 |
| Tea family | Black tea |
| Associated origin | Yibin, Sichuan, in this regional profile |
| Leaf form | Fine, tightly worked strands with visible golden hairs |
Taste and appearance
The inherited table describes tight fine strands, visible golden hairs, dark lustrous dry leaf and bright orange-red to red liquor. The fragrance is fresh and sweet, with an orange-sugar comparison in the higher tier, while the cup is full, mellow and brisk. Orange, floral and fruit notes are sensory comparisons, not proof of added citrus or flowers; check ingredients on a flavoured product.
The original liquor photograph is withheld because identical pixels were assigned to another tea name. Its named identity could not be confirmed; the original file is preserved.
The cover is the original dry-leaf illustration. These images are not TeaPlain tasting samples or proof of origin, grade, age, authenticity or image rights clearance.
Grade characteristics
This preserves the earlier Chinese edition’s sensory comparison. It is not a complete verified current standard table and does not grade your packet. Plant material, growing area, processing and grade are separate details. Decorative star rankings are omitted.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to compare the grades.
| Feature | Extra grade | Grade 1 | Grade 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry-leaf shape | Fine, tight, round, straight strands with golden hairs | Fine, tight, fairly substantial strands with golden hairs | Fairly tight strands with some golden hairs |
| Dry-leaf colour | Lustrous black | Lustrous dark leaf | Dark, fairly lustrous |
| Liquor | Orange-red and bright | Orange-red, fairly bright | Red and bright |
| Aroma | Clean and fresh with orange-sugar notes | Sweet, reasonably lasting | A little sweet fragrance |
| Taste | Full, mellow and brisk with orange-sugar notes | Full, mellow and brisk | Mellow, reasonably brisk |
| Infused leaves | Fresh red, bright, thick and soft | Fairly thick and soft, evenly red | Fairly soft, reasonably even red |
The orange-sugar description is retained as sensory language. These tiers do not establish ingredients, one cultivar, a present brand ladder or a current universal standard.
Names and origin
The retained locality is Yibin in Sichuan. Public heritage-oriented reporting connects the modern named tea with twentieth-century development; identified modern sellers also source Chuanhong from Yibin but may use different plant material and additional processing steps. The old youngest-in-China and world-taste-benchmark slogans are not objective rankings. Earlier regional tea traditions do not mean every modern lot is an unchanged ancient tribute tea.
Everyday benefits
Brewed without added sugar, this is an ordinary tea drink that can be an alternative to sweetened drinks and contribute to fluid intake. It contains caffeine. These everyday properties do not establish that this named tea treats disease, lowers blood sugar or improves sleep. No TeaPlain clinical or brewing test is claimed here.
Who may enjoy this tea
Consider it if you want a full, sweet-fragrant Sichuan black tea. Compare a small packet by its actual flavour rather than a claim that it is always the youngest, best or medically warming tea.
When to take care
- Caffeine sensitivity or sleep problems: consider your total intake and timing if tea affects your sleep. A pale infusion is not a caffeine-free claim.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding or medicines: ask a clinician or pharmacist about your actual product, caffeine intake and relevant medicine instructions.
- Iron supplements: follow the medicine’s instructions about separating tea from the dose. Do not use tea as treatment for anaemia.
These are product and individual considerations, not a blanket ban based on traditional “hot” or “cold” labels, age, sex or a constitution category.
How to brew
Original prose: short gaiwan infusions
The earlier Chinese prose gives a white porcelain gaiwan, 1:20 tea-to-water ratio, 95–100°C / 203–212°F water and a 5-second pour after adding water. It does not specify a tea dose. The example below makes the ratio explicit; its amounts are an editorial illustration of the prose, not measurements inferred from the separate graphic.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Tea | 5 g loose Chuanhong Gongfu as an editorial example |
| Actual water | 100 mL / about 3.4 US fl oz, measured; 5 g at 1:20 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe porcelain gaiwan with room for the measured water and leaves |
| Water temperature | 95–100°C / 203–212°F |
| First infusion | 5 seconds, then decant completely; account for filling and pouring time |
| Leaves | Kept separate from the liquid after each pour |
Use your packet’s complete directions first. These inherited methods and editorial examples are awaiting hands-on testing. The earlier five-to-seven-infusion statement is not a guarantee of equal-strength cups. The prose does not specify a leaf rinse; any rinse shown in the separate image is not added silently to this version and is not a validated disinfection step. Let the drink cool enough to sip.
Read the original illustration separately
The original image labels a 200 mL glass or porcelain vessel but pictures pouring and decanting teaware. It gives 3 g, 90°C / 194°F water and a 10-second wait before separating the leaves and liquid. The 200 mL is a vessel label, not measured actual water. This is distinct from the prose’s 1:20, 95–100°C and 5 seconds. Preheating is shown; no leaf rinse is specified. A mountain spring is not automatically potable.
For ordinary teaware options, see brew without a gaiwan. Keep each complete method together instead of selecting temperature, dose and time from different preparations.
Adjust your cup
| What you notice | One change to try |
|---|---|
| Too strong, bitter or drying | Separate the liquid from the leaves; shorten contact time or use less tea next time |
| Weak or watery | Keep the measured water fixed and try a longer infusion before changing the leaf dose |
| Later infusions become stronger | Check whether liquid was left sitting with the leaves |
| Different from a flavour description | Compare the actual product and method; a description is not a promise for every cup |
Change one variable at a time. For a fuller sequence, see fix a disappointing first cup.
How to buy
Ask for the maker, Yibin or other stated growing locality, plant material, harvest and ingredients. Naturally described orange-sugar or floral notes are not the same as an ingredient list. A modern scented product needs its own description; this page does not certify that every product is unscented or handmade.
See buy your first Chinese tea for packet comparisons.
China price reference
Undated figures retained from the Chinese edition, in Chinese yuan (CNY). No original brand, batch, harvest or quotation date was recorded. These are not verified current retail quotes, a market average or manufacturer-suggested retail prices.
| Chinese-edition tier | CNY per 500 g (one jin) | Equivalent CNY per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Extra grade | 800 | 160 |
| Grade 1 | 580 | 116 |
| Grade 2 | 350 | 70 |
Per 100 g is an arithmetic conversion, not a quoted packet. Do not infer a missing sensory or price tier. Compare actual growing area, style, harvest, roast, weight and channel. A currency conversion does not make a UK or US retail offer comparable to a China historical figure.
How to store
Original storage method
The earlier entry uses a sealed foil or kraft-paper pouch inside a closed, dry container such as a tin, kept cool, dry and away from light and smells. Its casual tea-table or bookshelf example assumes those conditions: use a suitable cupboard if a shelf is sunny or near steam. Reseal the inner pouch after taking tea. Plain paper without a moisture-resistant lining is not equivalent to a sealed foil pouch.
Its historical targets were below 25°C / 77°F and below 50% relative humidity, with a 24-month general shelf-life reference. These are legacy figures, not a freshly verified expiry date or a remaining-life prediction for an opened packet. The actual product label, seal and storage conditions take precedence. The earlier ordinary-storage method does not require refrigeration; follow any different instruction for your own product.
In a UK or US kitchen
Keep the packet away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam, direct sun and spice containers. A decorative outer tin does not replace the inner seal. Keep a small daily portion separate if that helps resealing the main supply. Do not assume a long shelf life from the tea’s dark colour. For opened-packet handling, read storing an opened packet.
Origin, processing and history
The inherited map shows picking, withering, rolling, oxidation and drying. It is a simplified outline, not the complete refining, sorting or aroma-finishing sequence of every product. Twentieth-century named-product development is kept separate from older Sichuan tea traditions. The original absolute claim that natural withering, manual rolling and charcoal baking are unchanged requirements for all Chuanhong is not adopted.
Common questions
Must Chuanhong always use one cultivar and one unchanged process?
No. Modern identified products can differ in cultivar and processing while using the regional Chuanhong name. This guide preserves the earlier Yibin profile and separate original recipes. Read the actual maker’s description rather than treating a regional name as one factory specification.
Can I move one number from this recipe into a different vessel?
Keep leaf form, measured dose and actual water, temperature, timing and separation together. Nominal capacity or a fill fraction is not a measured ratio.
Compare Keemun Gongfu, or browse the black tea overview.
Editorial notes and updates
Updated 16 October 2026. Valid original descriptions, sensory comparisons, prose and image methods, storage handling, China price figures and usable pictures are retained with their scope. Doubtful medical, ranking and exact historical claims are revised or omitted. Current full grade clauses and historical prices are not certified. Original Chinese-labelled graphics have English reading notes; no TeaPlain tasting or brewing test is claimed. Internal research and image audits record the decisions.