Zhu Ye Qing: Sichuan's "Bamboo Leaf Green" Tea

Zhu Ye Qing (竹叶青, "bamboo leaf green") is a green tea from the Emei Mountain area in Sichuan. It's made from early spring buds pressed flat and straight, so in a glass they stand upright like tiny bamboo leaves, which is where the name comes from. It doesn't taste of bamboo. It's dense and fresh, with green beans, spring greens and a gentle bitterness that turns into a honeyed finish. Brew it at 80 °C and it's one of the most satisfying green teas for people who want body, not just delicacy.

I'll be honest: I expected Zhu Ye Qing to taste of bamboo shoots, and I was a little disappointed when it didn't. Then I noticed what it did have: a density most green teas lack, a clean bitterness that I actually enjoyed, and a sweet, honey-like finish that stayed for minutes. On a cool spring morning when Longjing feels too gentle, Zhu Ye Qing is the one I reach for.

Where it comes from#

Emei Mountain (Emeishan) in Sichuan is one of China's sacred Buddhist mountains, misty and steep, with a long tradition of tea growing around its monasteries. Sichuan as a whole is one of the oldest tea regions in China. Zhu Ye Qing is its best-known modern green tea, and it's on some versions of the list of China's ten famous teas.

How it's made#

Only early spring buds (sometimes with a tiny first leaf) are picked. After kill-green, they're shaped flat and straight, then dried. The result is a uniform, flat, needle-like bud, bright green, with little or no down on the surface. Top grades are pure buds, very even in size.

What it tastes like#

The bitterness is part of its character. A good Zhu Ye Qing has a clean, light bitterness that turns sweet in the throat within seconds. If the bitterness lingers and dries your mouth, the water was too hot or the steep too long.

Zhu Ye Qing vs Longjing#

How to brew Zhu Ye Qing#

It's more sensitive to heat than most green teas. If it's too bitter, drop 5 degrees and shorten the steep. See why green tea is bitter.

My session in a glass#

3 g in a 250 ml glass, 80 °C.

After 1 minute. Buds standing upright, like a small green forest. Fresh greens on the nose.

After 2 minutes. Pale green, dense and fresh, a light bitterness, then a sweet honey finish.

First top-up. Fuller, more green beans, still sweet.

Second top-up. Softer and sweeter; the bitterness is almost gone.

How to choose good Zhu Ye Qing#

• Even, flat, straight buds, bright green and glossy.
• Few broken pieces or stems.
• A fresh, green, clean aroma.
• Early spring harvest. The best is picked before mid-spring.

Storage#

Like all green tea: airtight, opaque, cool and away from smells. Drink it within about a year. See how to store tea.

Myths#

"It tastes like bamboo." The name is about the shape of the leaves, not the flavour.

"Its bitterness means low quality." A light bitterness that turns sweet is part of its character.

"It's a flavoured tea." It's pure green tea.

My honest take#

If most green teas feel thin to you, try Zhu Ye Qing. Brew it a little cooler than you think, in a glass, and enjoy the bitterness turning into honey. And if you like Sichuan's style, try its yellow cousin from the same province, Meng Ding Huang Ya.

The bottom line#

Zhu Ye Qing is a dense, fresh bud green tea from Sichuan's Emei Mountain, named for its bamboo-leaf shape, with a light bitterness and a long honeyed finish. Brew it at 75–80 °C. More in my Chinese green tea guide.