At a glance
The inherited Zijin Brick entry describes a ripe Pu-erh brick made with purple-bud material. It has no traceable current producer label, so the name alone cannot confirm cultivar, source or formula.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 紫金砖普洱茶 |
| Tea family | Pu-erh tea |
| Associated origin | The old entry cites several Yunnan areas; exact producer unconfirmed |
| Leaf form | Pressed brick described as using purple-bud material and ripe processing |
Taste and appearance
The old description is a red-brown brick with bright red liquor, rich aged aroma and a thick, sweet, smooth taste. A camphor-like finish is sensory language, not proof of camphor added. Its cross-name repeated infused-leaf picture is withheld.
The original 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 (old comparison) | Grade 1 (old comparison) | Grade 2 (old comparison) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape | Clear-cornered thick tight brick with golden hairs | Clear-cornered thick tight brick with some golden hairs | Defined corners, fairly tight thick material with tender stems |
| Dry colour | Lustrous reddish-brown | Reddish-brown and lustrous | Lustrous brown |
| Liquor | Vivid bright red | Bright deep red | Bright deep red |
| Aroma | Rich aged impression | Full aged impression | Mellow aged impression |
| Taste | Rich, mellow, sweet and brisk | Rich, mellow and sweet-returning | Mellow and sweet-returning |
| Infused leaves | Soft/tender reddish-brown | Fairly tender reddish-brown | Somewhat tender reddish-brown |
These are inherited comparisons, not a verified current Zijin product standard. The producer identity, exact purple material and full grade clauses remain gaps; missing price tiers are not filled.
Names and origin
Zijin means purple-gold in the commercial name and zhuan means brick. Purple material and ripe processing are separate details: purple pigmentation does not automatically select sheng or shou. Independent botanical/processing information supports that distinction, but a current product specification for this exact named brick was not obtained. Keep the old stated formula as a scoped description, not proof that every similarly named brick uses Zijuan, one mountain or the same buds.
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
For people interested in a clearly identified ripe brick with purple-leaf material. Do not buy an unknown formula for assumed antioxidant or therapeutic superiority.
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: glass vessel with full separation
The original says heat-safe glass, 1:18, 100°C / 212°F, moisten/rinse the leaves, then pour off the drinking infusion after 10 seconds. It mentions more than ten infusions, a possibility rather than a guarantee. No duration or water volume is given for the initial moistening/rinse. Use heat-safe teaware with a strainer or another way to separate all the liquid promptly.
| Detail | Original prose with explicit ratio arithmetic |
|---|---|
| Tea | 5 g loosened from the compressed tea, an arithmetic example |
| Actual water | 90 mL / about 3 US fl oz measured actual water at 1:18 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe glass brewing vessel with a safe way to strain/decant fully |
| Water | 100°C / 212°F |
| Initial moistening/rinse | Mentioned, but no time or water amount specified |
| First drinking infusion | 10 seconds, then separate the tea liquor |
| Later infusions | Adjust to the actual leaves; more than ten is not guaranteed |
The 5 g / 90 mL example is arithmetic, not a measurement from a picture. These inherited directions are awaiting hands-on testing. Vessel capacity, water poured and liquid recovered are different quantities. Keep the original gaiwan illustration below separate. Take a measured portion, rather than steeping a whole cake, brick or large tuo in a mug, and let the drink cool enough to sip. A rinse is not a means of making mouldy tea suitable to drink.
Read the original illustration separately
Illustration mismatch explicitly retained: it labels a 110mL gaiwan, 8g raw Pu-erh, warming the empty cup with100°C water, a quickly discarded leaf rinse, then 100°C brewing and 5–10seconds before decanting. The stated raw tea conflicts with this entry’s ripe-brick description. The figure is generic leaf-tea handling, not a verified Zijin ripe recipe; capacity is not measured actual water, and it establishes no1:18 ratio.
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
Require a traceable maker, raw material/cultivar declaration, ripe designation, batch, dates and storage. Treat the old sensory and price information as context, not authentication of a current product.
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 | 1,050 | 210 |
| Grade 1 | 700 | 140 |
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 old method describes conditional long-term storage, with duration depending on the tea, processing and actual storage history. It uses a clean, odour-free, shaded, relatively ventilated place, a clean carton or kraft bag without fully sealing the outer package, and original bamboo-shell wrapping where supplied. It keeps tea on shelving above floor level, away from walls, separates different types and batches, and checks it every few months.
Its targets are below 25°C / 77°F and below 70% relative humidity. These are inherited environmental references, not a validated universal ageing optimum, a target humidity to create, or a guarantee of remaining life. A partly closed carton is appropriate only where the surrounding conditions are clean, dry and suitable; it is not protection from a damp room. Follow the actual label and its specified conditions first.
In a UK or US kitchen
Choose a dry, stable place away from the stove, dishwasher steam, sunlight, spices, chemicals and food smells. Ventilation does not mean leaving tea exposed on a worktop or near an open damp window. Protect both the bulk pack and a small working portion from moisture and contamination. Do not deliberately humidify tea to imitate a factory fermentation pile. Check condition as well as dates; reject obvious mould, water damage or abnormal mustiness rather than trying to rinse it away. Long-term keeping is conditional, not a promise that every tea improves indefinitely. See storing opened tea.
Origin, processing and history
The12-step map shows picking, spreading, fixation, rolling, loosening, sun-drying, piling, drying, screening, storage, pressing and packing. It is a generic shou-oriented flow, not evidence of the named brick’s cultivar or factory. Keep that separate from the brewing image’s raw-tea label.
Common questions
Does a Zijin name prove the Zijuan cultivar?
No. Ask the maker which material or cultivar was used, with the actual product label and process description. A purple-themed name or a reddish cup cannot authenticate the cultivar or growing site.
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 Shou Puerh, or browse the pu-erh 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.