At a glance
Shuixi Cuibai is a green tea associated with Shuixi in Liyang, Jiangsu. Jade Cypress is a leaf-form and cultural comparison; it does not establish cypress as an ingredient.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 水西翠柏 |
| Tea family | Green tea |
| Associated origin | Shuixi / northern Liyang, Changzhou, Jiangsu |
| Leaf form | Flat, fairly straight shoots compared with cypress foliage |
Taste and appearance
The old table describes flat straight or slightly flat shoots, green to yellow-green colour and clear bright liquor. The top aroma cell says clean and lasting. Two lower aroma cells incorrectly repeat liquor-clarity wording; their missing aroma descriptions are not invented. Fresh brisk taste has returning sweetness in the top tier.
The original liquor and infused-leaf 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 | Cypress-like, flat and straight, visible hairs | Cypress-like, slightly flat and straight, some hairs | Cypress-like, slightly flat |
| Dry-leaf colour | Jade green | Jade green | Jade green or yellow-green |
| Liquor | Clear and bright | Clear, fairly bright | Clear |
| Aroma | Clean and lasting | Not recorded reliably: old cell repeats liquor clarity | Not recorded reliably: old cell repeats liquor clarity |
| Taste | Fresh and brisk, returning sweetness | Fresh, brisk, sweet and mellow | Fresh and brisk |
| Infused leaves | Tender even shoot sets | Tender and even, fairly distinct shoot sets | Fine and tender |
Two lower aroma cells in the Chinese table contain misplaced liquor-clarity descriptions. They are marked as unreliable rather than converted into invented aromas. Only standard metadata was read; the full current grade clauses were not obtained. The inherited picking account describes Extra mainly substantial buds with some opening one-bud-one-leaf, Grade 1 mainly opening one-bud-one-leaf, and Grade 2 mainly opening one-bud-two-leaf; this is not presented as a newly verified full standard.
Names and origin
The standards information platform identifies Liyang Shuixi Tea Farm and the local horticultural extension body as drafters of the Cuibai tea grading standard. An independently authored village field report documents Shuixi Cuibai and distinguishes it from Shuixi White Tea. The old Qianma tea-farm wording is retained as historical context, not a complete current administrative boundary. Accounts differ between a 1984 research start and a 1986 finished creation; the exact chronology was not independently resolved here.
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 appeal to someone exploring flat Liyang green tea and fresh brisk flavour. Try a small traceable packet without a health or historical-authenticity promise.
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 Shuixi Cuibai 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 warms a glass and uses 3 g, 85°C / 185°F and 1:50, implying 150 mL actual water by arithmetic. Add water to one-third, gently swirl, fill to seven-tenths and wait 2–3 minutes. Refill at one-third remaining; roughly three infusions are described. Vessel capacity and a separate tea rinse are unspecified.
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
Check actual Liyang source, maker, harvest and ingredients. Distinguish Shuixi Cuibai from other Shuixi tea products, and ask which specification supports a grade claim.
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 | 450 | 90 |
| Grade 1 | 300 | 60 |
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
The map labels picking, fixing, rubbing/rolling, shaping, screening/cooling, final pan working and drying. It also names ten manual actions: pulling, rolling, grasping, shaking, swinging, hanging/working, pressing, rubbing, releasing and loosening. These remain descriptions of the inherited illustration, not proof that every current packet is wholly handmade. Its commemorative evergreen explanation is cultural context without a clinical longevity claim.
Common questions
Does Jade Cypress mean a cypress-leaf infusion?
The entry concerns green tea. Cypress is the inherited shape and commemorative imagery, not an established added ingredient. Check a packet’s ingredients rather than inferring them from the name.
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 Nanshan Shoumei, 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.