Zhu Ye Qing竹叶青

Zhu Ye Qing is a green tea from Emei Mountain, Sichuan, China. Brew it at 80°C with 3.5g of leaf per 100ml of water; expect up to 5 short infusions in a small gaiwan or teapot. No rinse needed.

Tasting notes

Drop the buds in a tall glass and wait. Zhu Ye Qing is all single buds, flat and needle-shaped, and half the pleasure is watching them stand upright in the water — some sinking, some hovering near the surface, a small vertical forest in your glass. That's not decoration; it's why you use a glass instead of a gaiwan. The cup is light and crisp with a surprising green-fruit note at its best: something like unripe apple or even a whisper of green mango under the grass. Most commercial Zhu Ye Qing just tastes clean and grassy, which is fine but not the reason to buy it. The first steep needs a bit of patience — the buds are tightly furled and take twenty-five seconds to start giving. After that, shorter pours. Stay at 80°C. The buds are too delicate for anything hotter, and they give up after four infusions. Grandpa-style is also valid here, and honestly works well for casual sessions.

Flavor profile

A visually striking Sichuan green tea made entirely from single buds that stand upright in the glass — some floating at the surface, others sinking — creating an elegant 'bamboo forest' effect. The best batches deliver vibrant green fruit notes (apple, mango) with a youthful, verdant zing. Most commercial production emphasizes a clean, fresh, grassy taste. The flat buds are tender and delicate, brewing a light, sweet cup with a crisp finish.

Terroir

Emei Mountain (~800-1500m), subtropical with heavy rainfall and persistent mist, Buddhist temple tea gardens

Cultivar: Local Sichuan cultivar with flat, needle-like buds

Brewing

1. Steep 1: 25 seconds
2. Steep 2: 25 seconds
3. Steep 3: 35 seconds
4. Steep 4: 45 seconds
5. Steep 5: 60 seconds

Best brewed in a tall clear glass to show off the vertical leaf dance. Start with a slightly longer steep to open the flat buds, then transition to grandpa-style for the final infusions.

Aroma & taste

Processing

• pan-fired
• flat-pressed

Sources

• https://meileaf.com/tea/bamboo-sabre/
• https://yunnansourcing.com/products/yunnan-zhu-ye-qing-green-tea
• https://pathofcha.com/blogs/all-about-tea/the-green-tea-of-china-part-2