At a glance
Dianchi Yinhao is retained here as the earlier Yunnan green-tea entry, with slightly curled leaves and pale hairs. Its exact producer and growing attribution need better evidence. The name alone does not establish a garden beside Dianchi Lake.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 滇池银毫 |
| Tea family | Green tea |
| Associated origin | Yunnan; earlier Fengqing attribution remains unconfirmed for this exact name |
| Leaf form | Slightly curled, substantial green strands with pale hairs |
Taste and appearance
The inherited comparison describes substantial, slightly curled strands, more pale hairs in the higher tiers, bright yellow-green to pale-yellow liquor and chestnut-like aroma. Taste moves from full, mellow, fresh and brisk to fuller mellow notes in the lower tier. These are inherited descriptions, not a tasting of a newly identified lot.
The original liquor photograph is withheld because identical pixels were assigned to another tea name. Its named identity could not be confirmed; the original file is preserved.
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 | Slightly curled, plump and substantial; many pale hairs | Slightly curled, tight, fairly substantial; visible hairs | Slightly curled and tight; a few hairs |
| Dry-leaf colour | Green and lustrous | Yellow-green and lustrous | Pale bright green-yellow |
| Liquor | Yellow-green and bright | Yellow-green and bright | Pale yellow and bright |
| Aroma | Lasting chestnut-like fragrance | Fairly lasting chestnut-like fragrance | Light chestnut-like fragrance |
| Taste | Full, mellow, fresh and brisk | Full, mellow, fresh and brisk | Full and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Yellow-green, tender, even and bright | Yellow-green and fairly tender | Pale yellow, fairly even and bright |
The three inherited sensory tiers are retained as an earlier editorial comparison. No complete current product-specific grade standard was verified for this table. They do not establish a universal ranking or certify a packet.
Names and origin
The earlier article assigns this name to Fengqing in Lincang, but the research did not establish a matching maker or primary product specification. Repeated secondary pages also infer a Dianchi lakeside origin merely from the name; that inference is not accepted. The growing source remains an explicit identification gap. The old sentence equating sun-dried tea with the modern oolong category is also not retained: a drying term alone does not establish oolong processing.
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 Dianchi Yinhao through its described flavour and leaf form. Compare a complete packet method and an actual small sample, rather than treating a grade label or traditional reputation as a health recommendation.
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: heat-safe glass
The earlier method uses a heat-safe glass, 1:50 tea-to-water ratio and 85–90°C / 185–194°F water. It says to refill when about one-third of the liquid remains, and describes roughly three infusions/refills. It supplies no first steeping time. Keep the retained illustration’s method separate below.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Tea | 3 g Dianchi Yinhao as an editorial arithmetic example |
| Actual water | 150 mL / about 5.1 US fl oz, measured water; 3 g at 1:50 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe glass with room for the leaves and actual water |
| Water temperature | 85–90°C / 185–194°F |
| First drinking infusion | No first steeping time recorded in the prose; follow a complete packet method |
| Refill | At about one-third liquid remaining; refilling is different from a full fresh measured batch |
These inherited directions and explicit ratio examples are awaiting hands-on testing. Nominal vessel capacity and a drawn fill fraction do not measure actual water. Three repeat cups is not a guarantee of equal strength. If leaves remain in the glass, extraction continues; transfer or strain if the cup becomes too strong. Let the drink cool enough to sip.
Read the original illustration separately
The original graphic specifies 3 g, 80–85°C / 176–185°F, 1:50 and a heat-safe glass or porcelain gaiwan. The ratio implies 150 mL actual water by arithmetic. It describes three infusions and purified or mountain-spring water, but supplies no first steeping time, vessel capacity, fill fraction or tea-rinse step. Use potable water; the label does not verify the safety of an untreated spring. Keep this lower-temperature graphic separate from the old 85–90°C glass prose.
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
Prioritise a traceable maker, actual growing source and complete product name. Do not pay an origin premium based only on Dianchi in the name or on repeated unsourced descriptions.
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 | 400 | 80 |
| Grade 2 | 200 | 40 |
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 original method places green tea in a closed foil pouch, gently removes excess air, then puts the pouch inside a lidded iron or tin container upright for refrigerated storage, protected from light, moisture and smells. Check that a paper pouch is actually lined and moisture resistant; plain paper alone is not an airtight moisture barrier.
Its general reference was 12 months, with storage below 10°C / 50°F and below 50% relative humidity. It also described a cool, shaded room-temperature option for tea expected to be finished within two months. These are inherited conditions, not a verified expiry or a remaining-life prediction for an opened packet. Follow the actual maker’s label, package and specified conditions first.
In a UK or US kitchen
If following a product’s cold-storage directions, keep the pack sealed against fridge moisture and food smells, and let it warm while still sealed before opening. Keep a working portion away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam, sunlight and spices; reseal after use. Do not apply a refrigerator recipe to another tea automatically. See storing an opened packet for handling.
The original green-tea handling note keeps a separate one-to-two-week working portion to avoid repeatedly warming and opening the bulk cold pack. Portion in dry conditions and seal each pack.
Origin, processing and history
No process illustration was supplied with the original entry. Its brief historical sentence about tea made before local black-tea development does not identify this exact packet’s drying method. No new factory sequence, creation date or lakeside growing story is supplied to fill that gap.
Common questions
Does the name prove Dianchi Yinhao was grown beside Dianchi Lake?
No. The name alone is insufficient. The earlier Fengqing attribution is not independently confirmed for this exact product either. Check the packet’s maker, growing source and processing description before making an origin claim.
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 Dianqing, or browse the green 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.