At a glance
Yongchuan Xiuya is a needle-like green tea from Yongchuan in Chongqing. The earlier account separates research begun in 1959 from naming in 1964; reviewed research-institute reporting and archive history corroborate that distinction. It is not a white tea because buds appear in the name.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 永川秀芽（秀芽绿茶、永川茶） |
| Tea family | Green tea |
| Associated origin | Yongchuan District, Chongqing |
| Leaf form | Fine, tight, straight needle-like green strands |
Taste and appearance
The original tiers describe fine, tight, upright, even and clean strands, fresh lustrous green through yellow-green colour and bright green liquor. Tender, rich or lighter clean fragrance accompanies a fresh, mellow cup with returning sweetness or a fuller finish. Needle-like describes form, not a guarantee of an all-bud picking.
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 | Fine, tight, upright and elegant, even and clean | Tight and upright, fairly even and clean | Fairly tight, even and clean |
| Dry-leaf colour | Fresh lustrous green | Pale green and lustrous | Yellow-green and lustrous |
| Liquor | Green and bright | Pale green and bright | Yellow-green, slightly bright |
| Aroma | Rich, fresh, tender and lasting fragrance | Rich and lasting fragrance | Lasting light clean fragrance |
| Taste | Fresh and mellow, returning sweetness | Fresh and mellow | Full and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Tender green, bright and even | Green, fairly bright and fairly even | Yellow-green and bright |
The three original sensory tiers are retained as an earlier editorial comparison, not a verified current specification for every maker.
Names and origin
The old account names Yunwu, Yin, Bayue, Ji and Huanggua mountain areas in Yongchuan. Other reviewed regional accounts use Ying Mountain rather than the old Yin wording, so the exact mountain list should not identify a current garden without verification. The research station was historically in Sichuan and is now associated with Chongqing’s agricultural academy; do not relocate today’s Yongchuan to Sichuan because of the historical institution name.
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 Yongchuan Xiuya for its described aroma, flavour and leaf form. Compare the actual packet and complete preparation rather than a historical ranking or therapeutic 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 Yongchuan Xiuya 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 reference graphic gives 3 g per cup, 80–85°C / 176–185°F and 1:50, implying 150 mL actual water by arithmetic. It names a glass or white porcelain gaiwan and about three infusions, with purified or mountain-spring water wording. No first steeping time or vessel capacity is given. A spring-water label is not a safety or composition certificate; use suitable drinking water and the actual packet’s complete 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 Yongchuan growing locality, maker, harvest, leaf selection and packet grade. A regional identity and a historical research institution do not imply one cultivar, one estate or entirely manual production for every current product.
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 | 550 | 110 |
| 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.
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, rolling, shaking off moisture or initial drying, strand forming and baking dry. Reviewed institute reporting describes both manual heritage and mechanised commercial work. The diagram is a simplified sequence, not proof that every packet is hand made or follows one machine schedule.
Common questions
Was Yongchuan Xiuya developed in 1959 or named in 1964?
Those refer to different stages. Reviewed accounts describe 1959 research/development and the Yongchuan Xiuya naming by Chen Chuan in 1964. They need not be forced into one contradictory date.
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 Qingcheng Xueya, 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.