At a glance
Wuyi Shuixian is a Wuyi rock oolong named after the Shuixian tea-plant variety. The translation Narcissus is a tea name here, not an instruction to add flowers. The Wuyi qualifier helps distinguish this style from other teas using Shuixian material.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 武夷水仙 |
| Tea family | Oolong tea; Wuyi rock tea or yancha |
| Associated origin | Wuyishan, Fujian; the old entry names Tianxin village |
| Leaf form | Substantial twisted strip-shaped leaves |
Taste and appearance
The Chinese entry emphasises a full, mellow cup and orchid-like aroma, using the local saying that praises Shuixian for body and Rougui for fragrance. Treat the saying as a flavour comparison, not an objective ranking or a promise for every roast. The table describes amber to orange-yellow liquor.
The original liquor and infused-leaf pictures are withheld because identical images were assigned to other tea names. Their named identity could not be established; the files are preserved.
The cover above is the original dry-leaf illustration. Inherited images are not TeaPlain tasting samples or proof of age, origin, grade, 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. A tea-plant name, growing site, roast and product grade are different 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, tight and even, folded/twisted leaf tips | Substantial, tight, even and twisted | Twisted strips, reasonably even |
| Dry-leaf colour | Dark brown and oily-lustrous | Dark brown, fairly lustrous | Dark brown |
| Liquor | Amber and clear | Orange-yellow and bright | Orange-yellow, fairly bright |
| Aroma | Rich, with a clean orchid-like note | Rich, some orchid-like note | Reasonably rich, a slight orchid-like note |
| Taste | Strong and mellow, sweet and brisk | Full and mellow, some returning sweetness | Full and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Thick, soft, yellow and bright, green leaves with red edges | Thick, soft and fairly bright, green leaves with red edges | Reasonably thick, soft and bright |
The orchid-like comparison is a sensory description. Neither red edges nor a thick leaf independently verifies a Wuyi growing site, bush age or official grade.
Names and origin
The earlier entry names Tianxin rock-tea village in Wuyishan. That is a locality example rather than the source of every Shuixian packet. Its older phrase about two northern-Fujian oolong varieties is not an exhaustive modern cultivar count. Read growing area, cultivar and processing style separately; this page covers Wuyi rock oolong.
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
You may enjoy it if you want a fuller Wuyi oolong direction or want to compare body and aroma with Rougui. Check the actual roast and packet rather than assuming every Shuixian has the same intensity.
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: porcelain gaiwan or clay pot
The original prose gives a porcelain gaiwan or clay pot, 1:15 tea-to-water ratio, 100°C / 212°F, preliminary wetting/rinse and a 20-second drinking infusion before decanting. It does not specify a measured dose. The example below makes the ratio explicit; its amounts are editorial arithmetic, not measurements inferred from the picture.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Tea | 6 g loose Wuyi Shuixian as an editorial example |
| Actual water | 90 mL / about 3.0 US fl oz, measured for the drinking infusion; 6 g at 1:15 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe porcelain gaiwan or suitable clay pot with room for leaves and actual water |
| Water temperature | 100°C / 212°F |
| First drinking infusion | 20 seconds, then decant completely; account for filling/pouring time |
| Preliminary wetting/rinse | Separate from the drinking infusion, not a validated disinfection step |
Use your actual packet’s complete directions first. These inherited methods and editorial examples are awaiting hands-on testing. The original seven-or-more-infusions statement is not a guarantee of equal-strength cups. Nominal teaware capacity is not actual added water after leaves displace space. Let the drink cool enough to sip; a steeping time is not a measured safe drinking temperature.
Read the original illustration separately
The picture gives 7–10 g or about one-third of the vessel by dry-leaf bulk, 100°C, an approximately five-second discarded first infusion and about ten seconds for the first drinking infusion. Actual water and vessel capacity are not stated. Later infusions are described as progressively longer, but its five-/ten-second extension wording is ambiguous, so no exact schedule is invented. A bulk fraction is not a measured ratio.
For a larger mug, use a complete product method or the brew-without-a-gaiwan guide. Do not transfer twenty seconds from a high-leaf gaiwan ratio into a lower-leaf mug and call it the same preparation.
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 whether the product is Wuyi Shuixian and what growing location and roast are stated. Old-bush language, if used, needs its own producer explanation; the tea’s name alone supplies no age. Compare like-for-like weights, style and harvest information.
Compare actual packets using buy your first Chinese tea.
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 | 800 | 160 |
| Grade 1 | 450 | 90 |
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
For unopened small pouches, the source places the sealed pouches inside a tin. For bulk tea, it uses a foil pouch with excess air gently removed and the seal closed, followed by a lidded tin or porcelain container. Its vacuum-packing option is a packaging method, not an instruction to crush brittle leaves in a home vacuum sealer. Keep it cool, dry, away from smells, moisture and light.
The earlier tea-table or bookshelf example assumes those conditions; choose a cupboard if the shelf is sunny or near kitchen steam. The historical targets were below 25°C / 77°F, below 50% relative humidity, and a general 24–36-month shelf-life reference. These are legacy figures, not a freshly verified expiry or a remaining-life prediction for an opened packet. Follow the actual product label and seal/storage conditions.
In a UK or US kitchen
Keep daily use away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam and spice containers, and reseal after each use. Roast style and packaging vary; do not carry a different oolong’s refrigerator advice into this packet without checking its label. No home re-roasting or ageing guarantee is prescribed. See storing an opened packet for everyday handling.
Origin, processing and history
This guide covers a Wuyi oolong style, using leaf-working, heating, rolling and drying/roasting rather than a flower infusion. The original entry had no process image; none has been borrowed from a different tea. A seller’s particular roast schedule is not a universal Shuixian recipe.
Common questions
Is Narcissus oolong a flower infusion?
The name here refers to a tea-plant variety and a Wuyi oolong product. A floral tasting description does not mean narcissus flowers were added. Read the ingredients of the actual packet rather than inferring them from a translated name.
Does a high-leaf gaiwan method transfer directly to my mug?
No. Keep tea amount, actual water, temperature, timing and separation together. Use directions for the actual vessel and product rather than selecting one number from each method.
Compare Wuyi Rougui or browse the oolong 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.