At a glance
Yongchun Fo Shou is an oolong associated with the large-leaf Fo Shou tea-plant cultivar. Buddha’s Hand, Xueli and Xiangyuan are name and aroma associations. They do not establish citrus fruit ingredients, citrus flavouring or tea grafted onto a citrus tree.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 永春佛手 |
| Tea family | Oolong tea |
| Associated origin | Yongchun county, Quanzhou, Fujian |
| Leaf form | Substantial, curled or semi-ball-shaped large-leaf oolong |
Taste and appearance
The inherited profile describes a thick, mellow and sweet-brisk cup, with an aroma compared with fragrant citron or snow pear. Its table describes golden to orange-yellow liquor and substantial, soft leaves. These are tea sensory descriptions, not evidence of added pear, citrus or sugar.
The original liquor image is withheld because identical pixels were assigned to another tea name; its named identity could not be confirmed. The file is 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. Plant name, growing area, roast and 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 | Plump, rounded, tightly formed, heavy and even | Tight and fairly substantial | Tight and reasonably substantial |
| Dry-leaf colour | Lustrous sandy green | Fairly lustrous deep green | Reasonably lustrous dark green |
| Liquor | Orange-yellow, clear and bright | Golden and clear | Reasonably golden and clear |
| Aroma | Rich and long, citron-like | High, with a citron-like note | Clean and mellow, some citron-like note |
| Taste | Full, sweet and brisk | Full, some returning sweetness | Reasonably full and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Thick, soft, bright, even; marked red edges | Thick, soft, bright, even; marked red edges | Reasonably soft and bright |
A citron or snow-pear comparison is not an ingredient declaration, and large leaves alone cannot establish cultivar or origin.
Names and origin
The source lists Sukeng, Yutou, Jindou and Guiyang in Yongchun as growing-area examples. Retain the packet’s more specific producer and locality information rather than treating that list as exhaustive. The older name story about grafting tea branches onto Buddha’s Hand citrus is an unverified legend, not an established botanical explanation. The local agriculture account describes a large-leaf tea cultivar instead.
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 substantial rolled oolong leaves and a fruity-aromatic comparison without assuming the tea was scented. Check the actual roast and try a modest amount first.
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 of Yongchun Fo Shou 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 image uses about one-fifth of vessel volume as dry-leaf bulk, 100°C water and an immediately discarded preliminary infusion. Its first three drinking infusions are about 30 seconds, with later infusions extended by 10–20 seconds. Gram dose, actual water and vessel capacity are missing. Do not convert the dry-leaf fraction into a measured ratio or confuse thirty seconds with the prose’s twenty.
For ordinary teaware, see the brew-without-a-gaiwan guide. Keep each complete method together rather than transferring one high-leaf timing into a larger mug.
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
Look for Yongchun origin information, the Fo Shou cultivar/product name, maker and roast. Do not translate Fo Shou automatically as bergamot oil or treat an evocative name story as a guarantee of ingredients.
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 | 700 | 140 |
| Grade 1 | 550 | 110 |
| Grade 2 | 380 | 76 |
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
The retained process illustration shows sun-withering, leaf-working, spreading/cooling, heating, cloth-wrapped rolling, initial drying, repeated wrapped rolling, shape-setting and final drying. It is a simplified sequence, not a cultivar genealogy or a record of this packet’s roast.
Common questions
Is Buddha’s Hand oolong a citrus fruit infusion?
This guide covers Fo Shou tea leaves made as oolong, rather than dried Buddha’s Hand citrus. A citron-like aroma does not establish added citrus. If your packet is a fruit blend or flavoured tea, follow that product’s ingredient list and directions.
Does a high-leaf gaiwan method transfer directly to my mug?
No. Keep tea amount, actual water, temperature, timing and separation together. Use the complete directions for your product and vessel.
Compare Huang Jin Gui, 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.