At a glance
Laozhu Dafang is the flat green tea associated with Shexian in Anhui. Bamboo-leaf and iron-colour descriptions refer to its shape and appearance, not bamboo ingredients or proof that the tea is old. The word lao in its place-linked name is not an ageing certificate.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 老竹大方 |
| Tea family | Green tea |
| Associated origin | Shexian, Huangshan, Anhui; Laozhupu / Sanyangkeng / Jinchuan association |
| Leaf form | Broad, flat, straight green leaves |
Taste and appearance
The inherited table describes flat straight leaves with a broad substantial form, yellow-green or deeper-green tones and chestnut-like aroma. Clear slightly yellow or yellow-green liquor accompanies strong mellow or full mellow taste. The old oily-dark colour comparison is a description, not evidence of added oil or a black-tea process.
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 | Flat, straight and even | Flat, even, slender and smooth | Flat and straight, some broader leaves and pieces |
| Dry-leaf colour | Yellow-green or deep green like bamboo leaves, oily-dark appearance | Slight yellow cast | Slightly deeper green |
| Liquor | Clear, slightly yellow | Yellow-green and bright | Yellow-green and bright |
| Aroma | High and long, roasted-chestnut-like | High and long, chestnut-like | High and clean |
| Taste | Strong, mellow and pleasant | Full, mellow and pleasant | Full and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Yellow-green, even and tender, substantial shoots | Fairly tender and even, substantial shoot sets | Green and bright shoot sets, some individual leaves |
These inherited sensory columns are retained as earlier comparisons, not a complete verified current standard or a certificate for the pictured tea.
Names and origin
The earlier Qingliang Peak area association names Laozhupu, Sanyangkeng and Jinchuan in Shexian. An original author’s interview-based regional tea history independently identifies Shexian Laozhu Dafang, while an official authorised-user list records the separate Dafang Tea product context and named makers. These are not a complete current growing-boundary or grade standard. Older monk-origin and first-flat-tea stories are not newly authenticated, and the flat form does not make it West Lake Longjing.
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
It may suit someone exploring Laozhu Dafang through its described form and flavour. Start with a small traceable packet and its complete directions rather than a health or ranking promise.
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: heat-safe glass
The earlier method uses a heat-safe glass, 1:50 tea-to-water ratio and 85–90°C / 185–194°F water. It says to refill when about one-third of the liquid remains, and describes roughly three infusions/refills. It supplies no first steeping time. Keep the retained illustration’s method separate below.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Tea | 3 g Laozhu Dafang as an editorial arithmetic example |
| Actual water | 150 mL / about 5.1 US fl oz, measured water; 3 g at 1:50 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe glass with room for the leaves and actual water |
| Water temperature | 85–90°C / 185–194°F |
| First drinking infusion | No first steeping time recorded in the prose; follow a complete packet method |
| Refill | At about one-third liquid remaining; refilling is different from a full fresh measured batch |
These inherited directions and explicit ratio examples are awaiting hands-on testing. Nominal vessel capacity and a drawn fill fraction do not measure actual water. Three repeat cups is not a guarantee of equal strength. If leaves remain in the glass, extraction continues; transfer or strain if the cup becomes too strong. Let the drink cool enough to sip.
Read the original illustration separately
The original gaiwan graphic specifies 5 g, 85°C / 185°F water poured along the wall rather than directly into the centre of the leaves, and 1:50. This implies 250 mL actual water by arithmetic; choose a vessel that can safely hold that measured water and leaves, not a small gaiwan assumed to match it. Decant drinking infusions at 15 seconds, 20 seconds and 30 seconds, for roughly three infusions. It supplies no nominal vessel capacity, fill fraction or separate tea rinse. These timings belong to this complete method, not the prose’s 3 g glass example.
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
Check growing source, maker, harvest, ingredients and any claimed mark authorisation. A translated name, inherited image or sensory comparison does not authenticate a packet.
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 | 350 | 70 |
| Grade 1 | 200 | 40 |
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 original method places green tea in a closed foil pouch, gently removes excess air, then puts the pouch inside a lidded iron or tin container upright for refrigerated storage, protected from light, moisture and smells. Check that a paper pouch is actually lined and moisture resistant; plain paper alone is not an airtight moisture barrier.
Its general reference was 12 months, with storage below 10°C / 50°F and below 50% relative humidity. It also described a cool, shaded room-temperature option for tea expected to be finished within two months. These are inherited conditions, not a verified expiry or a remaining-life prediction for an opened packet. Follow the actual maker’s label, package and specified conditions first.
In a UK or US kitchen
If following a product’s cold-storage directions, keep the pack sealed against fridge moisture and food smells, and let it warm while still sealed before opening. Keep a working portion away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam, sunlight and spices; reseal after use. Do not apply a refrigerator recipe to another tea automatically. See storing an opened packet for handling.
The original green-tea handling note keeps a separate one-to-two-week working portion to avoid repeatedly warming and opening the bulk cold pack. Portion in dry conditions and seal each pack.
Origin, processing and history
The retained map labels picking, heat fixing, rolling, rough forming (zuo pi), final shaping and pan finishing (hui guo). This simplified flat-green route is inherited, not a certified first-ever source of all flat teas. The earlier picking account uses one bud with two or three leaves as a general description, not an all-grade current mandate. Documentary product naming and a traditional origin story do not certify every maker, garden or batch.
Common questions
Does Laozhu Dafang contain bamboo or mean aged Longjing?
No such conclusion follows. This is the Shexian flat-green entry: bamboo is a shape comparison and lao is part of the name. Ask for actual harvest, ingredients and growing source rather than inferring age or Longjing origin.
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 Longjing, or browse the green 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.