At a glance
Zhaoping Hong is a black-tea reference from Zhaoping in Guangxi. The older account focuses on Xiangqishan’s development of a Fuyun No. 6 product. Regional origin, a particular maker’s product, cultivar and organic certification should be checked separately.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 昭平红 |
| Tea family | Black tea |
| Associated origin | Zhaoping County, Hezhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region |
| Leaf form | Fine, tight dark strands with golden tips; shaped versions also exist |
Taste and appearance
The inherited comparison describes fine, tight, even strands, attractive golden tips, lustrous dark colour, bright vivid red liquor and a clean, high, lasting floral fragrance. The cup is full, mellow and smooth, with even red, bright, lively infused material. The older introduction also mentions a golden rim and sweet, brisk notes; neither a rim nor colour alone authenticates 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 | Grade 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry-leaf shape | Fine, tight and even, attractive tips, golden hairs visible | Fine, tight and even, attractive tips, golden hairs visible | Fine and tight, fairly even, attractive tips, some golden hairs |
| Dry-leaf colour | Lustrous dark leaf | Lustrous dark leaf | Lustrous dark leaf |
| Liquor | Vivid red and bright | Vivid red, fairly bright | Red and bright |
| Aroma | Clean, high floral fragrance, lasting | Clean, high floral fragrance, fairly lasting | Floral fragrance |
| Taste | Full, mellow, gentle and smooth | Full and smooth | Full and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Even red, bright and lively | Even red and lively | Even red |
The original comparison is preserved. It is not a verified current specification for all producers, a universal organic certificate or the separate Hongluo shaping specification.
Names and origin
The source places the tea in Zhaoping County, Hezhou, in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, rather than calling Guangxi a province. The named maker’s own history records developing a Fuyun No. 6 black tea in 2009; the old July detail is not independently established here. A separate local association specification describes a coiled Hongluo form using suitable material, so do not define every regional product as one shape or cultivar. Organic status must be checked for the actual product and certification period.
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 a smooth, floral-fragrant Guangxi black tea. An organic-area reputation or a long regional tea history does not certify every product or establish that the modern named black tea has been made unchanged for a thousand years.
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: short gaiwan infusions
The earlier Chinese prose gives a white porcelain gaiwan, 1:20 tea-to-water ratio, 95–100°C / 203–212°F water and a 5-second pour after adding water. It does not specify a tea dose. The example below makes the ratio explicit; its amounts are an editorial illustration of the prose, not measurements inferred from the separate graphic.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Tea | 5 g loose Zhaoping Hong as an editorial example |
| Actual water | 100 mL / about 3.4 US fl oz, measured; 5 g at 1:20 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe porcelain gaiwan with room for the measured water and leaves |
| Water temperature | 95–100°C / 203–212°F |
| First infusion | 5 seconds, then decant completely; account for filling and pouring time |
| Leaves | Kept separate from the liquid after each pour |
Use your packet’s complete directions first. These inherited methods and editorial examples are awaiting hands-on testing. The earlier five-to-seven-infusion statement is not a guarantee of equal-strength cups. The prose does not specify a leaf rinse; any rinse shown in the separate image is not added silently to this version and is not a validated disinfection step. Let the drink cool enough to sip.
Read the original illustration separately
The inherited shared graphic gives 5 g, a nominal 110 mL gaiwan, 95–100°C / 203–212°F and about 5 seconds for each of the first three drinking infusions, then longer waits. Actual water is not supplied. Nominal capacity does not measure the prose’s 1:20 ratio. Preheating is not validated sterilisation and a spring photograph does not prove potable water.
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 producer, locality, harvest, cultivar, product style and any organic certification. Keep the older 2009 maker account separate from ancient regional tea history. The source’s CNY price tiers have no named current retail products behind them.
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 | 300 | 60 |
| Grade 2 | 250 | 50 |
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 earlier entry uses a sealed foil or kraft-paper pouch inside a closed, dry container such as a tin, kept cool, dry and away from light and smells. Its casual tea-table or bookshelf example assumes those conditions: use a suitable cupboard if a shelf is sunny or near steam. Reseal the inner pouch after taking tea. Plain paper without a moisture-resistant lining is not equivalent to a sealed foil pouch.
Its historical targets were below 25°C / 77°F and below 50% relative humidity, with a 24-month general shelf-life reference. These are legacy figures, not a freshly verified expiry date or a remaining-life prediction for an opened packet. The actual product label, seal and storage conditions take precedence. The earlier ordinary-storage method does not require refrigeration; follow any different instruction for your own product.
In a UK or US kitchen
Keep the packet away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam, direct sun and spice containers. A decorative outer tin does not replace the inner seal. Keep a small daily portion separate if that helps resealing the main supply. Do not assume a long shelf life from the tea’s dark colour. For opened-packet handling, read storing an opened packet.
Origin, processing and history
The retained diagram separates initial making—picking, withering, rolling, oxidation and drying—from refining by sieving, air sorting, stalk removal, reheating and blending/packing. A separate coiled Hongluo product has additional shaping details; this general map does not define every regional version. The maker’s modern development account is not evidence that a modern product name dates to ancient tea production.
Common questions
Is every Zhaoping Hong automatically organic and made from Fuyun No. 6?
The earlier account concerns a named maker and product-development story. Other regional specifications describe their own suitable leaf material and shaped products. Check the actual maker, cultivar and certification instead of treating a county’s reputation as a guarantee for every packet.
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 Guihong Gongfu, or browse the black 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.