At a glance
Laoqing is prepared tea material associated with Hubei Qing brick production. The raw-material name and finished brick are related, but they are not identical production stages.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 老青茶（青砖茶） |
| Tea family | Dark tea |
| Associated origin | Hubei, especially the Xianning / Chibi area in the inherited entry |
| Leaf form | Prepared raw tea and the separately refined/pressed Qing brick product |
Taste and appearance
The original comparison mixes dark-green raw-leaf shapes with red liquor and soft infused-leaf descriptions. Read that as an older mixed-stage account, not a verified grade table for a finished brick. A modern packet’s actual processing and preparation matter more than matching one photograph.
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 (old table) | Grade 1 (old table) | Grade 2 (old table) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape | Fairly tight strands, a few pale stems | Leaves formed into strands, mainly red stems | Inner material: wrinkled leaves and red stems |
| Dry colour | Dark green | Dark green, slightly yellow | Dark green, mixed appearance |
| Liquor | Deep red and bright (old page) | Deep red, fairly bright (old page) | Red and bright (old page) |
| Aroma | Specific grade attribution unresolved | Specific grade attribution unresolved | Specific grade attribution unresolved |
| Taste | Old page: smooth, delicate | Old page: delicate and brisk | Old page: full and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Old page: black-brown, tender, soft and bright | Old page: tender and bright | Old page: tender and soft |
The old table mixes raw-material shapes, inner filling material and brewed finished-tea descriptions. Its peach-like aroma, universal delicacy and tender-leaf claims were not independently matched to these grades; no peach fragrance is promised. The remaining old observations are explicitly marked and are not a coherent verified current standard table. Original Extra / Grade 1 / Grade 2 labels are not automatically finished Qing-brick grades.
Names and origin
Qing here does not automatically mean oolong or an ordinary green tea. The inherited Hubei locations include Puqi (the historical name used for Chibi), Xianning, Tongshan, Chongyang and Tongcheng. Prepared Laoqing material undergoes further operations to become Qing brick. The old Chuan-character association needs a separate distinction: Chuan is also a particular producer’s brand, not a universal synonym for every Hubei dark tea or an indication that this tea is from Sichuan.
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
Consider this tea if you enjoy a richer pressed dark tea while checking whether the packet is raw material or finished brick. This is a flavour preference, not a medical recommendation. Start with a small clearly identified packet.
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: gaiwan or Yixing teapot
The earlier prose uses a white porcelain gaiwan or Yixing teapot, 1:20 tea-to-water ratio and 100°C / 212°F water. It includes rinsing/moistening the leaves, then describes a drinking infusion of 10 seconds after adding water. The prose gives no rinse duration. Its claim of ten or more infusions is retained as a description of the original method, not a guarantee for your packet.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Tea | 5 g as an editorial arithmetic example |
| Actual water | 100 mL / about 3.4 US fl oz; measured water at 1:20 |
| Vessel | Porcelain gaiwan or Yixing teapot with room for the leaves and actual water |
| Water temperature | 100°C / 212°F at pouring; let the drink cool before sipping |
| Rinse | Included in the prose, with no duration specified; discard it |
| First drinking infusion | 10 seconds after adding water, then decant fully |
These inherited directions and arithmetic examples are awaiting hands-on testing. A nominal vessel capacity or drawn fill fraction does not measure actual water. Keep this prose recipe separate from the illustration below, which may use a different ratio or timing. For a tightly pressed brick, use an appropriate tool carefully, pointing it away from your hands and body; weigh the separated portion rather than judging by brick size.
Read the original illustration separately
Illustration method: simmering, not the short gaiwan recipe. Separate 10–15 g from the brick. Bring water to the boil with vigorous bubbling, add the tea, then simmer for two minutes, switch off the heat, strain and serve. It provides no measured actual water, kettle capacity or ratio, and shows no leaf rinse. This is therefore an incomplete household strength recipe: obtain a complete product-specific method rather than using 10–15 g in an arbitrary small vessel. Use only a vessel intended for stovetop heating. Let the drink cool before sipping.
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
Ask whether you are buying prepared Laoqing material or finished Qing brick, then check maker, ingredients, processing, dates, grade wording and instructions. Read any Chuan brand claim separately from the general tea type.
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 (old price list) | 500 | 100 |
| Grade 1 (old price list) | 250 | 50 |
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 earlier Chinese edition describes long-term storage under suitable conditions: below 25°C / 77°F and below 70% relative humidity, away from sunlight, moisture and smells. These inherited limits are not an instruction to raise humidity, a measured condition in your home or a guarantee that every packet will improve with age. Follow the actual product label and packaging conditions first.
It describes paper bags, clean bamboo baskets or ceramic containers for loose tea, and clean, odour-free cardboard boxes for small baskets, bricks and cakes. Keep a protective enclosure with suitable air circulation around the storage area; do not leave tea exposed to kitchen air. Keep different products and strong aromas separate. A paper wrapper is not a waterproof barrier.
In a UK or US home
Choose a clean, dry cupboard away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam, spices, heaters, direct sun and damp basement walls. Handle tea with clean, dry tools and keep an opened portion protected between uses. Do not automatically transfer green tea’s refrigerator method to dark tea. Long-term ageing conditions depend on the product and package; do not recreate a factory’s humid fermentation room at home.
Long storage does not guarantee better flavour or freedom from spoilage. Do not brew tea that appears spoiled; if its condition is uncertain, stop using it and ask the maker or seller. A short rinse is a brewing step, not a safety inspection. See storing an opened packet.
Origin, processing and history
The maker account separates facing and inner raw-material preparation, then later sieving, pressing, drying and packing into Qing brick. The regional reporting also distinguishes raw tea from later fermentation and steam pressing. These corroborate the stage distinction but are related to the same local trade and do not establish every maker’s exact flow. No process image was supplied for this page. The older DB42/T 968—2014 processing record is marked withdrawn, so it is not cited as a current rule. Unsupported weight-loss, blood-pressure and anti-diarrhoea promises are not retained.
Common questions
Are Laoqing and Qing brick exactly the same product?
No. The reviewed maker account describes prepared raw tea being processed further into finished Qing brick. This inherited entry covers both to explain the old page, but a raw-material grade must not be copied onto a finished compressed tea.
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 Hei Brick Tea, or browse the dark 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.