At a glance
Shifeng Longjing is a West Lake Longjing origin reference associated with Lion Peak in Hangzhou. It is not a universal highest grade or a guarantee that every packet using the word Shifeng grew there. Check growing source and maker separately.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 狮峰龙井 |
| Tea family | Green tea |
| Associated origin | Shifeng/Lion Peak context within West Lake, Hangzhou, Zhejiang |
| Leaf form | Flat, smooth, straight green leaves with fine shoot sets |
Taste and appearance
The earlier tiers describe flat smooth straight leaves, finer pointed ends in the top tier, tender-green lustre and clear bright green liquor. Clean lasting fragrance accompanies fresh mellow sweetness or a brisk pleasant cup. These characteristics alone cannot authenticate a named hillside or prove that all pre-Qingming tea is superior.
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 | Flat, smooth, lustrous, straight and pointed | Flat, smooth, lustrous and straight | Flat, straight, fairly smooth |
| Dry-leaf colour | Tender green, fresh and lustrous | Tender green, fairly fresh and lustrous | Green and lustrous |
| Liquor | Tender green, bright and clear | Tender green and bright | Green and bright |
| Aroma | Clean and lasting | Clean, lifted, fairly lasting | Clean fragrance |
| Taste | Fresh, mellow, sweet and brisk | Fresh, mellow and pleasant | Fairly fresh |
| Infused leaves | Fine tender bud-and-leaf sets, even, tender green and bright | Tender green and bright | Fairly fine tender shoot sets, green and bright |
The inherited sensory comparison is an earlier editorial table, not a complete verified current standard. Product name, growing source, plant material, harvest and grade are separate details.
Names and origin
Reviewed heritage material places Shifeng among the named West Lake growing locations. The original also mentions Longjing village, Qipan Mountain and Shang Tianzhu, but this entry does not turn that loose historical list into an exact verified Shifeng boundary. Claims that Shifeng is the largest production area or automatically the best of all Longjing are omitted. Mingqian and Yuqian are harvest-season descriptions, distinct from origin, cultivar and a complete grade specification.
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 Shifeng Longjing through its described flavour and leaf form. Compare a traceable small packet and complete brewing method rather than relying on a famous name or a health 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 Shifeng Longjing 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
Warm the empty glass with hot water, rotate it to heat evenly and empty it before adding about 3 g dry tea. Add hot water just to cover the leaves and gently swirl; this is not a stated rinse-and-discard step. Then pour 85°C / 185°F water slowly along the wall to two-thirds of the glass. Watch the leaves open and drink. The graphic supplies no actual water volume, tea-to-water ratio, glass capacity, first waiting time or refill instruction. Keep these omissions separate from the old 1:50 prose above.
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 traceable growing source, maker, harvest and relevant mark information. Compare the actual lot. The inherited price rows mix harvest timing, handwork and grade, so they are not a clean grade ladder or current market survey.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Partly handmade premium first picking | 18,500 | 3700 |
| Partly handmade pre-Qingming Extra grade | 12,550 | 2510 |
| Pre-Qingming Extra grade | 6,600 | 1320 |
| Pre-Guyu Grade 2 | 3,800 | 760 |
| Pre-Guyu Grade 3 | 1,700 | 340 |
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.
These five inherited rows mix handwork, first picking, pre-Qingming or pre-Guyu timing and named grades. They are not directly comparable grade-only prices. Pre-Guyu translates the old rain-before harvest term; no crop year or current market quote is established.
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 map shows picking, spreading, heat fixing or qingguo pan working, moisture redistribution, finishing pan working, screening, further working of the longer leaf fraction, regrouping and ash-assisted storage. Ash storage is a historical moisture-control description, not an instruction to mix ash into tea or a recommendation to place loose tea near uncontained powder. The map is not a packet-specific factory record.
Common questions
Does Shifeng automatically mean the highest grade of Longjing?
No. Shifeng is an origin reference here. Actual quality depends on the particular material, making, harvest and storage; a location name or pre-Qingming label does not grade or authenticate a packet.
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.