At a glance
Qianliang, also called Huajuan, is an Anhua dark tea traditionally pressed into a long cylinder. The size name is not a quality grade, and cut portions are more practical for a first purchase.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 千两茶（花卷茶） |
| Tea family | Dark tea |
| Associated origin | Anhua, Yiyang, Hunan |
| Leaf form | Cylindrical compressed tea and portions cut from it |
Taste and appearance
The inherited comparison describes black-brown compressed tea, orange-yellow or orange-red liquor and a full, mellow body that may be sweet. It mentions pine-smoke, fermentation-associated or aged aromas. Those are possible descriptions, not proof of a cylinder’s age or storage quality.
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 (old table) | Grade 1 (old table) | Grade 2 (old table) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape | Cylindrical and tightly pressed | Cylindrical and tightly pressed | Cylindrical and tightly pressed |
| Dry colour | Black-brown | Black-brown | Black-brown |
| Liquor | Orange-yellow or orange-red | Orange-yellow or orange-red | Orange-red |
| Aroma | Clean; possible pine-smoke, fermentation or aged note | Possible pine-smoke, fermentation or aged note | Possible pine-smoke or fermentation note |
| Taste | Full, mellow and sweet | Full and mellow, fairly sweet | Full and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Deep brown, tender/even and whole in old comparison | Deep brown, fairly tender/even and fairly whole | Deep brown, fairly whole |
The old Extra / Grade 1 / Grade 2 headings are retained only to identify the inherited comparison; they are not official Qianliang grades. The reviewed 2021 regional text explicitly has no grade division. It describes golden flowering as present in some tea, not mandatory in every cylinder. The old claim that every comparison must have golden flowers is therefore removed. Neither colour nor flowering proves age or safety.
Names and origin
The name refers to a traditional old-weight specification, not one thousand modern Chinese liang. The earlier full-cylinder example is about 36.25 kg, 1.5–1.65 m long and roughly 0.2 m across; this is not the size of every product sold under the wider Huajuan family. Smaller sizes and cut portions also occur. Qianliang / Huajuan and patterned Hua brick are distinct forms despite the shared hua syllable.
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 this tea if you enjoy mellow compressed dark tea and comparing cut portions. This describes flavour and preparation, not a medical suitability category. Buy a small, clearly identified drinking portion first.
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: gaiwan or Yixing teapot
The earlier prose uses a white porcelain gaiwan or Yixing teapot, 1:20 tea-to-water ratio and 100°C / 212°F water. It includes rinsing/moistening the leaves, then describes a drinking infusion of 10 seconds after adding water. The prose gives no rinse duration. Its claim of ten or more infusions is retained as a description of the original method, not a guarantee for your packet.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Tea | 5 g as an editorial arithmetic example |
| Actual water | 100 mL / about 3.4 US fl oz; measured water at 1:20 |
| Vessel | Porcelain gaiwan or Yixing teapot with room for the leaves and actual water |
| Water temperature | 100°C / 212°F at pouring; let the drink cool before sipping |
| Rinse | Included in the prose, with no duration specified; discard it |
| First drinking infusion | 10 seconds after adding water, then decant fully |
These inherited directions and arithmetic examples are awaiting hands-on testing. A nominal vessel capacity or drawn fill fraction does not measure actual water. Keep this prose recipe separate from the illustration below, which may use a different ratio or timing. For a tightly pressed brick, use an appropriate tool carefully, pointing it away from your hands and body; weigh the separated portion rather than judging by brick size.
Read the original illustration separately
Illustration method: approximately 5 g, 100°C / 212°F water, a 5–7-second infusion, then separate the liquor from the leaves and serve from a sharing pitcher. It gives no measured actual water, vessel capacity or ratio, and does not label a separate rinse. Do not insert the prose’s rinse or 100 mL arithmetic example into this graphic and call it the same method.
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 a small portion with producer, original cylinder/lot identification, manufacture and packing dates, storage history and complete brewing instructions. Pay for a traceable product rather than cylinder size or speculative ageing value.
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 label (old price list) | 500 | 100 |
| Grade 1 label (old price list) | 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 earlier Chinese edition describes long-term storage under suitable conditions: below 25°C / 77°F and below 70% relative humidity, away from sunlight, moisture and smells. These inherited limits are not an instruction to raise humidity, a measured condition in your home or a guarantee that every packet will improve with age. Follow the actual product label and packaging conditions first.
It describes paper bags, clean bamboo baskets or ceramic containers for loose tea, and clean, odour-free cardboard boxes for small baskets, bricks and cakes. Keep a protective enclosure with suitable air circulation around the storage area; do not leave tea exposed to kitchen air. Keep different products and strong aromas separate. A paper wrapper is not a waterproof barrier.
In a UK or US home
Choose a clean, dry cupboard away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam, spices, heaters, direct sun and damp basement walls. Handle tea with clean, dry tools and keep an opened portion protected between uses. Do not automatically transfer green tea’s refrigerator method to dark tea. Long-term ageing conditions depend on the product and package; do not recreate a factory’s humid fermentation room at home.
Long storage does not guarantee better flavour or freedom from spoilage. Do not brew tea that appears spoiled; if its condition is uncertain, stop using it and ask the maker or seller. A short rinse is a brewing step, not a safety inspection. See storing an opened packet.
Origin, processing and history
The original process map shows prepared dark tea, sorting, picking out unwanted material, blending, steaming, basket filling, pressing and sun drying. The reviewed Anhua definition and independent heritage description support the cylindrical pressing tradition. The short map omits some tying, cooling and handling steps. Factory drying or night exposure is not an instruction to leave finished tea damp at home. Exact historical firsts, world-best rankings and therapeutic claims are not adopted. For ordinary household use, a seller-cut portion avoids handling an entire heavy cylinder.
Common questions
Is the largest Qianliang cylinder the highest grade?
No. Size and quality are different. The reviewed Anhua Qianliang text does not divide the product into grades. A large cylinder or a thousand-liang name does not automatically make tea better than a small cut portion.
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 Hua Brick Tea, or browse the dark 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.