At a glance
Shiting Green is the historical pan-worked green tea associated with Lianhuafeng in Nanan, Fujian. Its silvery-grey green leaves and orchid-like fragrance are the inherited focus. Plain Shiting Green and herbal products made using tea from the area are separate products.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 南安石亭绿 |
| Tea family | Green tea |
| Associated origin | Lianhuafeng, Taoyuan, Fengzhou, Nanan, Quanzhou, Fujian |
| Leaf form | Tight, substantial green strands with silvery-grey tones |
Taste and appearance
The earlier comparison describes tight, substantial leaves, silvery-grey green colour and clear green liquor. Rich orchid-like fragrance accompanies a mellow brisk cup and returning sweetness. The historical three-fragrance expression is a flavour description, not a list of flowers or nuts necessarily added to the tea.
The original liquor and infused-leaf 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 | Substantial and tight | Substantial and tight | Substantial, fairly tight |
| Dry-leaf colour | Silvery-grey with green | Silvery-grey with green | Silvery-grey, fairly green |
| Liquor | Clear green | Green | Green |
| Aroma | Rich, orchid-like fragrance | Rich, orchid-like fragrance | Fairly rich, orchid-like fragrance |
| Taste | Mellow and brisk, returning sweetness and a moist mouthfeel | Fairly mellow and brisk | Fairly mellow and brisk |
| Infused leaves | Bright tender green, lively-looking | Tender green and even | Tender green |
The old Extra/Grade 1/Grade 2 sensory comparison is retained as an editorial reference. It is not a complete verified current grade standard and cannot grade an individual packet.
Names and origin
The old origin sentence uses Nanan County; this is retained as historical wording rather than a current county designation. The municipal library’s Nanan tea-history record connects Shiting Green with Fengzhou and Lianhuafeng and describes its pan-worked process. A 2024 original germplasm study uses material from the local Shiting resource collection and finds variation among accessions. It does not make all current Shiting packets one identical clone. The pavilion tradition remains historical context; an exact founding year is not newly certified here.
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 Nanan Shiting Green Tea through its described flavour and leaf form. Try a traceable small packet and a complete preparation rather than a health promise or historical ranking.
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 Nanan Shiting Green Tea 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 graphic uses a heat-safe glass, 3 g, 85°C / 185°F and 1:50, implying 150 mL actual water by arithmetic. Start with water to one-third of the glass, gently swirl, fill to seven-tenths and leave 2–3 minutes. Refill when about one-third remains; roughly three infusions are described. No vessel capacity or tea-rinse step is supplied. Drawn fill fractions are not independent water measurements.
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 plain tea versus a blend, maker, growing source, harvest and processing. Orchid-like fragrance does not itself prove added orchid flowers or one uniform tea-plant clone. Ask for the actual ingredients.
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 | 450 | 90 |
| Grade 1 | 360 | 72 |
| Grade 2 | 230 | 46 |
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 original graphic labels picking, withering, heat fixing, first rolling, repeat pan working, repeat rolling, final pan working and drying thoroughly. The municipal historical account describes a light spreading/withering stage followed by pan fixing, alternating rolling and pan working, then finishing dry. That early withering label alone is not proof of an oolong oxidation sequence. The archive also contains old medical and date assertions that are not adopted as health guidance or independently verified chronology.
Common questions
Is plain Shiting Green the same as every Lianhuafeng herbal tea product?
No. This entry concerns the plain green tea. Some regional products combine tea with other ingredients; their formula, directions and claims do not transfer automatically to a plain Shiting Green packet. Read its ingredient label.
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 Gulao Tea, 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.