At a glance
Xiazhou Bifeng is a green tea associated with Yiling in Yichang, around Xiling Gorge. Its inherited method combines pan work and baking; this does not mean partial fermentation.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 峡州碧峰 |
| Tea family | Green tea |
| Associated origin | Yiling, Yichang, Hubei, around Xiling Gorge |
| Leaf form | Tight fine strands with visible hairs |
Taste and appearance
The inherited table describes tight fine strands, jade-green lustre, high lasting fragrance and bright yellow-green liquor. Fresh brisk taste may finish with returning sweetness or mellow sweetness; infused leaves are tender green and even.
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 | Grade 1 | Grade 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry-leaf shape | Tight, fine, even, visible hairs | Tight, fine, fairly even, visible hairs | Tight, fine, fairly even, visible hairs |
| Dry-leaf colour | Oily lustrous jade green | Oily lustrous jade green | Jade green |
| Liquor | Yellow-green and bright | Yellow-green, fairly bright | Green and bright |
| Aroma | High and lasting | High and fairly lasting | Rich |
| Taste | Fresh, brisk, returning sweetness | Fresh, brisk, sweet and mellow | Fresh and brisk |
| Infused leaves | Tender green, even and lively | Tender green, fairly even and lively | Tender green and fairly lively |
The inherited table preserves Extra grade, Grade 1 and Grade 2. The reviewed protection requirements additionally describe Grade 3; the old comparison is incomplete, and no unrecorded Grade 3 price or sensory column is fabricated.
Names and origin
The reviewed protection requirements describe core tea areas around Taipingxi, Letianxi, Dengcun and Sandouping. Their boundary description reaches Sandouping across the Yangtze, so the entire product should not be reduced to only the north bank. An independently authored interview with tea specialist Lin Zuoyan supports modern product development around 1979. Older praise for Xiazhou tea describes a historical region, not proof that this exact modern named recipe existed in Lu Yu’s lifetime.
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 Xiazhou Bifeng and its inherited green-tea flavour descriptions. Compare a small traceable packet before buying a large quantity.
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 Xiazhou Bifeng 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 warms a glass and uses 3 g, 85°C / 185°F and 1:50, implying 150 mL actual water by arithmetic. Add water to one-third, gently swirl, fill to seven-tenths and wait 2–3 minutes. Refill at one-third remaining; roughly three infusions are described. Vessel capacity and a separate tea rinse are unspecified.
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 maker, growing source, harvest, actual grade and packet directions. A historical story, regional brand or old award does not certify every present packet.
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 | 260 | 52 |
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 map labels picking, spreading, fixing, cooling, initial rolling, initial baking, shaping/hair work, final drying/aroma finishing and air sorting/grading. The reviewed protection requirements group processing into eight stages excluding picking, including re-rolling/strand shaping. The old shaping label is retained with that fuller description, rather than hiding the grouping difference.
Common questions
Does an ancient mention of Xiazhou tea date this exact product to the Tang dynasty?
It establishes regional tea history, not an unchanged modern recipe. Keep the modern development account and older literary context separate.
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 Yuquan Xianrenzhang, 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.