At a glance
Biluochun is a curled green tea associated with the Dongting hills by Lake Tai in Suzhou, Jiangsu. Its small, downy buds and leaves are shaped during pan working. Read the origin on the packet rather than treating a curled leaf as an origin certificate.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 碧螺春 |
| Tea family | Green tea |
| Associated origin | Dongting hills, Lake Tai, Suzhou, Jiangsu |
| Leaf form | Small curled buds and leaves with visible fine hairs |
Ask whether the seller specifically claims Dongting Biluochun, rather than relying on the shorter tea name alone.
Taste and appearance
The earlier Chinese entry describes a fresh, mellow cup with floral and fruit notes. These are flavour descriptions, not an ingredient list: floral notes do not establish that flowers were added. Colour and intensity vary with the actual tea and preparation.
The dry-leaf illustration is shown at the top of this guide. These original images are not TeaPlain tasting samples or proof of origin, grade or authenticity.
Grade characteristics
This preserves the earlier Chinese edition’s sensory comparison. It is not a complete verified current standard table, and it does not assign a grade to your packet. Ask the seller which grading system and product style a claimed grade refers to. The old star row is omitted.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to compare the grades.
| Feature | Extra grade | Grade 1 | Grade 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry-leaf shape | Fine, tightly curled, down-covered and even | Fairly fine, curled, white-haired and fairly even | Tightly formed, curled, with visible white hairs; fairly even and clean |
| Dry-leaf colour | Silvery green, fresh-looking | Green with silvery tones | Glossy green |
| Liquor | Bright tender green | Bright green | Green, fairly bright |
| Aroma | Fresh, tender-leaf fragrance | Fresh, clean fragrance | Clean fragrance |
| Taste | Fragrant, sweet and mellow | Fresh and mellow | Fresh and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Tender, bud-rich and bright green | Fine, tender and bright green | Tender green; some separate leaves |
Names and origin
The Chinese entry places Dongting Biluochun around the east and west Dongting hills in Suzhou’s Wuzhong area, beside Lake Tai. It names Jinting, formerly Xishan, and Dongshan localities such as Moli, Biluo, Shuangwan, Yangwan and Luxiang. This Dongting is in Jiangsu; it is not the Dongting Lake in Hunan associated with Junshan Yinzhen. Ask for the producer and named growing area when an origin claim affects the price.
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 this tea if you like a fresh green-tea profile, want to watch curled leaves open in a glass, or want to compare a curled tea with flatter Longjing. Choose by flavour and preparation preference rather than a traditional constitution label.
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 Chinese glass method
The original diagram gives 3 g, 80°C / 176°F, a 1:50 ratio and an approximately 2-minute first taste. It starts with water in the glass, adds the tea, discards a quick initial rinse, then refills. Follow specific packet directions first; a rinse is part of the pictured method, not a validated disinfection step.
| Detail | Pictured method and explicit conditions |
|---|---|
| Tea | 3 g loose Biluochun |
| Actual water | 150 mL / about 5.1 US fl oz for the drinking infusion, calculated from the pictured 1:50 ratio |
| Vessel | Heat-safe glass with spare room; do not treat nominal capacity as measured water |
| Water temperature | 80°C / 176°F in the diagram |
| First taste | About 2 minutes after the final fill, once cool enough to sip |
| Leaves | Remain in the glass; separate the liquid if you need to leave it standing |
Use enough water for the initial wetting shown, discard that rinse, then add the measured drinking water. The picture describes a roughly seven-tenths fill, but does not state glass capacity. Refill towards the original water level when about one-third remains. Its reference to three infusions is an example, not a guarantee of equal-strength cups.
The earlier Chinese prose instead gave 85–90°C / 185–194°F at the same 1:50 ratio. That is retained as a separate textual variant; it is not the temperature printed in the image. Suppliers may specify another complete method. Do not combine their timing with this diagram’s measurements without acknowledging the change.
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 the growing area, producer, harvest or production information, pack size and storage instructions. Start with a small packet and compare like-for-like descriptions rather than accepting a universal ‘top ten’ ranking as a quality certificate.
For a practical comparison checklist, read buy your first Chinese tea.
China price reference
Undated figures retained from the Chinese edition, in Chinese yuan (CNY). No brand, product batch 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 | 5,000 | 1000 |
| Grade 1 | 1,000 | 200 |
| Grade 2 | 800 | 160 |
| Grade 3 | 500 | 100 |
The 100 g column is a unit conversion, not a quoted 100 g pack. For a purchase, compare the actual product, date, weight and channel. UK or US shelf prices may include import, shipping and local retail costs; a currency conversion alone is not a comparable offer.
How to store
Original storage method
The Chinese edition describes sealing green tea in a foil pouch, gently removing excess air and closing it before placing it inside a lidded tin. For cold storage, keep the moisture-resistant inner packaging sealed. It suggested taking out a one-to-two-week working portion for green tea rather than repeatedly opening the main cold supply; that portion size is a practical option, not a shelf-life measurement.
Its historical targets were below 10°C / 50°F and below 50% relative humidity, with a 12-month general shelf-life reference. These are retained as legacy figures, not a newly verified expiry date for your packet. The old text also allowed a cool room-temperature location for tea expected to be used within about two months. The actual product’s label and packaging conditions take precedence.
In a UK or US kitchen
Use the producer’s instructions to decide whether refrigeration is appropriate. A closed outer tin is not a substitute for a sealed moisture-resistant pouch. If a sealed packet has been chilled, let it warm while still sealed before opening. Keep a daily portion away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam and spice containers. Do not store it in an open paper bag beside food smells. See storing an opened packet for handling conditions.
Origin, processing and history
The Dongting tea-growing landscape includes tea and fruit trees. That agricultural context is worth retaining, but it does not by itself prove that a particular fruit tree directly supplied the aroma in your cup. Pan processing includes heating, rolling and working the leaves into their curled form before finishing dry. Stories of imperial naming belong to the tea’s cultural history, not proof of a packet’s origin.
Common questions
Does every Biluochun come from Dongting?
Do not infer Dongting origin from the short name or curled shape alone. Ask which growing area is claimed and read the producer’s information. This guide focuses on the Dongting-associated tea, while keeping the packet’s actual claim separate.
Can I compare it with Longjing?
Yes, as a tasting choice rather than a quality contest. The named origin, leaf form and brewing method should remain clear for each tea. See the Longjing guide.
Editorial notes and updates
Updated 16 October 2026. This English adaptation retains useful material and historical comparison figures from the earlier Chinese entry, with disputed claims scoped or revised. Grade and price tables do not certify a current product. Brewing illustrations retain their original Chinese labels, with English reading notes; recipe examples are awaiting hands-on testing. Product-specific directions take precedence.