At a glance
Duyun Maojian is a curled green tea associated with Duyun in Guizhou’s Qiannan area. It is also described as Fish Hook tea for its curved leaf form. Keep the full regional name: the shared word Maojian does not make it the same tea as Xinyang Maojian from Henan.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 都匀毛尖 |
| Tea family | Green tea |
| Associated origin | Duyun and the Qiannan area, Guizhou |
| Leaf form | Fine curled leaves with visible pale down |
Taste and appearance
The traditional phrase three greens showing three yellows describes yellow-green tones in the dry leaf, liquor and infused leaf. It is not a processing-category rule. The original table describes fresh aroma, a brisk cup and returning sweetness in its top tier, with more mellow directions in the others.
The dry-leaf illustration appears as the cover above. Original pictures are reference illustrations, not proof of origin, grade, 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. Ask which grading system and product style the seller uses. 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 | Tight, fine and curled, visible white hairs, even and clean | Fairly tight and fine, curved with visible hairs, even and clean | Tightly formed and fairly curved, reasonably even and clean |
| Dry-leaf colour | Lustrous green | Reasonably lustrous green | Deep green |
| Liquor | Pale yellow-green and bright | Yellow-green, fairly bright | Yellow-green, reasonably bright |
| Aroma | Tender and fragrant | Clean and fresh | Clean and characteristic |
| Taste | Fresh and brisk, returning sweetness | Full and mellow | Mild and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Tender, even and lively, bright yellow-green | Yellow-green and fairly bright | A more yellow/green tone, fairly bright |
The old Grade 1 liquor word ‘较量’ is an apparent transcription error in a brightness row; it is rendered as fairly bright, not a numerical measurement. The unusual Grade 2 leaf-colour wording is kept as a broad comparative description.
Names and origin
The earlier entry names Tuanshan, Shaojiao and Dacao around Duyun, describing hilly, wooded valleys with mist. Those are inherited locality examples, not an exhaustive current protected boundary or a universal minimum altitude. Baimaojian, Ximaojian and Fish Hook tea appear as older descriptive names; the misspelt old ‘白毛失’ is not propagated as a separate tea identity.
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 it if you want to compare curled downy green tea with straighter Xinyang Maojian, or explore a Guizhou tea. The curved form and colour help describe a style; they do not select a health treatment or prove a grade.
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 retained illustration uses 80°C water, 3 g and 1:50. It starts with a one-third fill, discards that quick infusion, then refills to about seven-tenths and waits about two minutes. The earlier prose gives 85–90°C, so that is a separate inherited alternative, not the temperature printed in the graphic. The example below follows the graphic’s 80°C method.
| Detail | Pictured method and explicit conditions |
|---|---|
| Tea | 3 g, as printed in the diagram |
| Actual water | 150 mL / about 5.1 US fl oz, measured; calculated from the diagram’s 1:50 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe glass with spare room for leaves and headroom; nominal capacity is not measured water |
| Water temperature | 80°C / 176°F, as printed in this diagram |
| First taste | About 2 minutes for the drinking infusion |
| Preliminary water | The illustration discards a quick preliminary infusion; it is separate from the drinking infusion |
| Leaves | Remain in the glass; separate the liquid if leaving it standing |
The measured water refers to the drinking infusion; any discarded preheating or rinse water is separate. Use the packet’s complete method first. These retained recipes and editorial ratio examples are awaiting hands-on testing. Neither a rinse nor a brief wait is a validated disinfection step. Let the drink cool enough for you to sip; steeping time is not a measured safe drinking temperature.
Refill towards the original level when about one-third remains, as in the earlier entry. Its reference to roughly three infusions is an example, not a guarantee of equal strength. If using an infuser, follow a separate complete mug or pot method rather than transferring a short glass checkpoint to a new leaf-to-water ratio.
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 complete regional name, growing area, producer and harvest information. A curled, downy leaf is not an origin certificate. Compare the actual product and the seller’s grade definition, rather than assuming Fish Hook is one fixed official grade.
For a practical checklist, read buy your first Chinese tea.
China price reference
Undated figures retained from the Chinese edition, in Chinese yuan (CNY). No brand, production 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 | 600 | 120 |
| Grade 1 | 350 | 70 |
| Grade 2 | 200 | 40 |
The 100 g column is an arithmetic unit conversion, not a quoted packet. Legacy premium labels in a price list do not create extra verified official grades. Compare actual origin, harvest, weight and sales channel. UK and US prices may include shipping, import and local retail costs; converting currency does not make two products comparable.
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
Traditional production combines pan heating, rolling, clumping and working the fine hairs before drying. Heritage accounts connect this craft with communities in Qiannan. The old colour saying does not substitute for a yellowing process, and a modern packet’s story is not authenticated by repeating an emperor-naming legend.
Common questions
Does its yellow-green cup make it yellow tea?
No. The traditional colour phrase describes appearance; this page covers a green tea. A cup’s colour by itself does not establish the manufacturing category.
Is this the same Maojian as Xinyang?
No. They are different regional green teas. Keep Duyun/Guizhou and Xinyang/Henan distinct and follow directions for the packet you actually have.
Compare another tea: Xinyang Maojian.
Editorial notes and updates
Updated 16 October 2026. This English adaptation retains useful original descriptions, sensory comparisons, recipe variants, storage handling and undated China prices. Doubtful identity and health claims are revised or omitted. Exact current grade clauses and historical prices are not certified; diagrams remain Chinese-labelled with English explanations. Pictures are inherited illustrations, not TeaPlain samples. Research and image decisions are recorded internally; no tasting or brewing test is claimed.