At a glance
Nanjing Yuhua is a needle-shaped green tea from Nanjing in Jiangsu. Its modern development began in 1958 and the named tea was successfully produced in 1959. The pine-needle form belongs to its craft and commemorative history; Rain Flower is a translated name, not a promise of added flowers.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 南京雨花茶 |
| Tea family | Green tea |
| Associated origin | Nanjing, Jiangsu |
| Leaf form | Tight, fine, round, straight pine-needle-like leaves |
Taste and appearance
The inherited profile summarises the form as tight, straight, green and even. Fine round needles may show pale hairs; the cup is described as tender green, clear and bright, with a clean fragrance and a fresh, mellow taste. The two lower sensory tiers allow flatter strands and a less pronounced fragrance. These are descriptions rather than a TeaPlain test or a rule that floating leaves prove a fake.
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 | Fine, tight, round, straight needles, pointed tips and visible white hairs | Needle-like, tight and straight, a few flat strands, even and clean | Needle-like, tight and straight with flat strands, even and clean |
| Dry-leaf colour | Lustrous green | Green, reasonably lustrous | Green |
| Liquor | Tender green and bright | Green and bright | Green and bright |
| Aroma | Clean, high and lasting | Clean | Faint clean aroma |
| Taste | Fresh, mellow and brisk | Fresh and mellow | Moderately fresh and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Tender, tender-green and bright | Tender, green and bright | Tender, green and bright |
The old three-tier sensory comparison is preserved. The Three Needles wording refers to named needle-shaped teas, not three mandatory current grades or a shared steamed process.
Names and origin
The original account starts with the Zhongshan Mausoleum and Yuhuatai scenic areas, then names Qixia, Pukou, Jiangning, Jiangpu, Liuhe, Lishui and Gaochun. Jiangpu is retained here as historical area wording, not presented as a separate current district or an up-to-date authorisation list. Work began in 1958; the municipal history account records the successful pine-needle tea on 20 April 1959. The form was chosen in remembrance of revolutionary martyrs. The name refers to that local history, not a flower-scenting ingredient.
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 for a clean, fresh green tea with a fine needle form. It is a tea for flavour and local craft interest, not a remedy for blood pressure, smoking or screen exposure.
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 Nanjing Yuhua 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 drawing gives 3 g, 1:50 and 85°C / 185°F water: the ratio calculates to 150 mL actual water. It warms the glass, adds tea, first fills to one-third, gently swirls, then tops up to four-fifths and waits 2–3 minutes. Refill when one-third remains. The drawing states no vessel capacity; four-fifths of an unknown glass is not a measured 150 mL dose.
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 the actual growing area, maker and harvest rather than relying on a translated Rain Flower name. The retained Three Needles comparison with Enshi Yulu and Anhua Songzhen is an appearance grouping, not proof that they share the same fixing technique. A tea’s sinking behaviour alone does not establish authenticity.
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 | 500 | 100 |
| Grade 1 | 350 | 70 |
| Grade 2 | 250 | 50 |
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 simplified map shows picking, heating, rolling, shaping, drying and sorting. The municipal craft account describes heated fixing and the detailed hand work behind the needle shape. Development began in 1958 and the successful named tea followed in 1959. The local memory and martyrs’ commemoration belong to this modern tea story; they do not establish a single current factory or prove the origin of every retail packet.
Common questions
Was Nanjing Yuhua created in 1958 or 1959?
These can refer to different stages. The development project began in 1958; the municipal history account dates the successful named pine-needle tea to 1959. This guide distinguishes the project from the finished tea instead of treating the years as interchangeable.
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 Enshi Yulu, 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.