At a glance
Yibin Queshe is a Yibin green-tea reference using a sparrow-tongue-like shape name. The earlier profile describes tender bud material and flat, smooth leaves. Queshe is used for teas from several regions and does not identify one universal cultivar or manufacturer.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 宜宾雀舌 |
| Tea family | Green tea |
| Associated origin | Yibin, Sichuan; verify actual garden and maker |
| Leaf form | Flat, smooth, even, sparrow-tongue-like bud material |
Taste and appearance
The earlier two-tier table describes flat, smooth, even, sparrow-tongue-like leaves, fresh green colour and bright yellow-green liquor. Lasting tender or clean fragrance accompanies a fresh, brisk or mellow cup with returning sweetness and a mouth-watering finish. Upright leaves in a glass are attractive but do not authenticate origin or grade.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dry-leaf shape | Flat, smooth, even and tidy, sparrow-tongue-like | Flat, fairly smooth and even, sparrow-tongue-like |
| Dry-leaf colour | Fresh lustrous tender green | Fresh lustrous green |
| Liquor | Tender yellow-green and bright | Yellow-green and bright |
| Aroma | Lasting tender and clean fragrance | Clean fragrance, fairly lasting |
| Taste | Fresh and brisk, returning sweetness and mouth-watering finish | Fresh and mellow, returning sweetness and mouth-watering finish |
| Infused leaves | Yellow-green, even and symmetrical, plump tender sets, soft and substantial | Yellow-green, fairly even and symmetrical, plump tender sets, soft |
The original sensory table has only two tiers. The separate original price list includes a Grade 2 amount; no Grade 2 sensory characteristics are invented.
Names and origin
The associated origin is Yibin in Sichuan. A reviewed regional field report describes Queshe alongside other green-tea forms from local makers. It does not establish that a modern product name and exact recipe were an unchanged Tang-dynasty tribute product. The earlier tribute story is kept as attributed regional background, rather than a verified history of the packet in your hand.
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 Yibin Queshe through its described leaf form, aroma and flavour. Choose an actual packet and complete preparation rather than a reputation-based ranking or a promise of medical benefit.
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 Yibin Queshe 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 uses a heat-safe glass, 3 g, 85°C / 185°F and 1:50, implying 150 mL actual water by arithmetic. Start with water to one-third of the glass, gently swirl, then fill to seven-tenths and leave 2–3 minutes. Refill at about one-third remaining; it describes roughly three infusions. No vessel capacity is stated. The drawn fill fraction does not independently measure the water volume.
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 actual Yibin locality, producer, picking, harvest and packet grade. The earlier sensory section has only Extra grade and Grade 1, while the price section also lists Grade 2. Preserve both records without fabricating a missing sensory column.
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 | 700 | 140 |
| Grade 1 | 400 | 80 |
| Grade 2 | 350 | 70 |
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.
Grade 2 has an old price entry but no corresponding sensory column in the original article. Do not silently fabricate missing grade features.
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 shows spreading, heat fixing, cooling, strand arranging, cooling, shaping, cooling, aroma finishing and refining. The repeated cooling stages are intentional boxes, not duplicated labels to delete. It supplies no separate final-drying box or detailed maker schedule.
Common questions
Is any tea called Queshe necessarily Yibin Queshe?
No. Queshe is a shape term used in several regional names. Check the Yibin locality, maker and actual product. Similar-looking leaves or leaves standing in a glass cannot prove origin.
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 Pujiang Queshe, 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.