At a glance
Xiaobai Gongmei is a Jianyang white tea associated with local Caicha population material and Zhangdun’s tea-making tradition. Xiao Bai means small white in this naming context; it is not a cup-size instruction or a synonym for every Gongmei product.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 小白贡眉 |
| Tea family | White tea |
| Associated origin | Zhangdun, Jianyang, Nanping, Fujian |
| Leaf form | Slender tender buds and attached leaves, loose or pressed |
Taste and appearance
The original describes slender tender bud-and-leaf material, naturally spread leaves with curled edges, clear apricot-yellow liquor and a fresh, clean, downy/floral aroma. Its cup is described as mellow, sweet and brisk. White-tea colour and appearance vary with material, form and storage; the page does not report a TeaPlain tasting.
The original liquor photo 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 | Many downy buds, curled leaf edges, even attached bud/leaf sets | Fairly visible downy buds and curled edges, fairly even attached sets | Some downy buds, partly curled/spread edges, some broken leaves |
| Dry-leaf colour | Grey-green or dark green | Reasonably grey-green | Slightly dark grey-green with some red leaves |
| Liquor | Pale apricot-yellow and bright | Pale yellow and bright | Yellow and fairly bright |
| Aroma | Fresh, tender, downy and floral | Fresh and mellow, tender aroma | Full and mellow |
| Taste | Fresh, mellow, sweet and brisk | Clean and mellow, reasonably brisk | Fairly full and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Bud tips, tender and bright leaves | A few bud tips, soft and reasonably bright | Coarser, partly spread leaves with some red leaves |
This is the original regional sensory comparison, not a full certified current grade standard. A slim bud or curled edge alone cannot prove Caicha identity, origin or age.
Names and origin
The earlier account locates the tea in Zhangdun, Jianyang, with local names Nankeng Bai, Xiao Bai and Bai Hao tea. It attributes a Qing-era local development to the Xiao family. Retain that as a local history account, not proof that all white tea in every region was invented by one family. Song-period references to white tea are not automatically descriptions of today’s processing category.
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 it if you are interested in regional white tea and a bud-and-leaf cup with a clean floral direction. Choose for taste and traceability, not as a sleep remedy or a diabetes treatment.
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: porcelain gaiwan
The original method uses a porcelain gaiwan, 1:20 tea-to-water ratio, 100°C / 212°F, preliminary wetting/rinse and a 5-second drinking infusion before decanting. Its dose was not measured in the prose. This explicit example is editorial arithmetic, not water inferred from the illustration.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Tea | 5 g weighed Xiaobai Gongmei as an editorial example; use the actual loose or pressed form |
| Actual water | 100 mL / about 3.4 US fl oz, measured for the drinking infusion; 5 g at 1:20 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe porcelain gaiwan with room for leaves and actual water |
| Water temperature | 100°C / 212°F |
| First drinking infusion | 5 seconds, then decant completely; account for filling/pouring time |
| Preliminary wetting/rinse | Separate from the drinking infusion, not a validated disinfection step |
Use the packet’s complete directions first. These inherited methods and editorial examples are awaiting hands-on testing. Ten-or-more infusions is the old expectation, not a guarantee. Nominal capacity is not actual water after leaves displace space. Let the drink cool enough to sip.
Read the original illustration separately
The original illustration uses 5 g, a nominal 110 mL gaiwan, 100°C water poured along the vessel wall and 3–5 seconds after filling before decanting. Actual water is not measured; nominal capacity does not establish the prose’s 1:20 ratio. It does not show a separate preliminary rinse. The water-source ranking in the picture is a preference graphic, not evidence that untreated spring or well water is safe.
For ordinary teaware, see brew without a gaiwan. Keep one complete method together rather than mixing gram dose, water and timing from different recipes.
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 Jianyang/Zhangdun origin details, Caicha material, harvest, loose or pressed form, packaging and storage history. A long history or an old year on a label does not by itself authenticate a packet or promise increasing quality.
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 | 800 | 160 |
| Grade 1 | 500 | 100 |
| Grade 2 | 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
For a small working amount, the original entry uses a closed foil or kraft pouch inside a small box or tin, kept dry and free of strong smells. Check that the inner packaging is food-suitable and moisture resistant; plain unlined paper is not equivalent to a sealed foil pouch. For a cake, gently remove the amount needed without leaving the main packet open.
Its larger-supply example uses three layers: arrange the tea in a foil pouch, remove excess air gently and seal; add and close an outer plastic bag; then put it in a cardboard box and tape the seams. Keep it cool and dry at ordinary room temperature. This preserves the original handling method, not a guarantee of improvement with age.
The earlier targets were below 25°C / 77°F and below 50% relative humidity. These are legacy environmental figures, not a verified expiry prediction. The source mentions GB/T 30375 as a tea-storage standard, but a citation alone does not establish that your packet or home setup complies with it. No universal shelf life or remaining duration is assigned; follow the actual product label and packaging conditions.
In a UK or US kitchen
Choose a dry cupboard away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam, sun and strong food smells. Reseal after use and keep a daily portion separate if it helps avoid opening the main supply repeatedly. Do not add moisture to imitate a tea warehouse or assume an old packet is automatically better or safe. See storing an opened packet for everyday handling.
Origin, processing and history
The retained illustration shows picking, withering, drying and sorting. The source describes a sun/shade withering approach without stir-firing or rolling as the defining local white-tea method. These are processing descriptions rather than proof of a packet’s age or medicinal value.
Common questions
How is Xiaobai Gongmei related to the general Gongmei guide?
This entry focuses on Jianyang’s Xiaobai/Caicha tradition and the original regional material, while the broader Gongmei guide explains the name at a wider level. Read cultivar/population material, locality, picking and processing separately rather than treating every Gongmei packet as identical.
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. A nominal capacity or dry-leaf bulk fraction is not a measured ratio.
Compare Gongmei, or browse the white 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.