Zhu Ye Qing (Bamboo Green) — Loose Leaf Chinese Green Tea

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Zhu Ye Qing (Bamboo Green) — Loose Leaf Chinese Green Tea

$26.20 AUD

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Zhu Ye Qing:

The Bamboo Leaf of Mt Emei

Other names: Zhu Ye Qing, Zhuyeqing, Bamboo Green Tea, Bamboo Leaf Green Tea, Mt Emei Green Tea, Sichuan Green Tea, 竹叶青, 峨眉竹叶青

Named After Its Beautiful Shape

The name Zhu Ye Qing (竹叶青) literally translates to "Bamboo Leaf Green" — and one look at the dry leaves explains why.

Each leaf is rolled into a tight, slender, sharply pointed spear, bright and upright like a freshly sprouted bamboo shoot.

Hold a handful in your palm and you'll catch a faint fragrance even before the water touches them.

From the Cloud-Soaked Slopes of Mt Emei

Zhu Ye Qing comes from the high-mountain tea gardens of Mt Emei (峨眉山) in Sichuan Province, southwest China — a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of China's most legendary sacred mountains.

The tea grows at altitudes between 600 and 1,500 metres, where the tea trees spend most of the year wrapped in clouds and cool mountain mist.

Many of the gardens sit right alongside ancient bamboo groves, and locals say the leaves quietly absorb the clean, fresh fragrance of the surrounding bamboo forest — giving Zhu Ye Qing its signature aroma.

A Spring Garden in Every Cup

Brew Zhu Ye Qing and something almost magical happens. The slender spears slowly unfurl and stand upright in the cup, like a tiny forest of fresh green bamboo.

The liquor turns a bright, jade yellow-green — clear as spring water.

The aroma weaves together three distinct notes you rarely find in a single cup:

High-mountain cloud-and-mist fragrance — clean, fresh, alpine
Soft bamboo fragrance — green, cooling, gentle
Sweet bean fragrance — warm, nutty, satisfying

The first sip is "fresh, tender, fragrant, refreshing" (鲜、嫩、香、爽) — the four qualities Chinese tea masters use to describe the very best high-mountain green teas.

Hold it on your tongue and a sweet finish opens up: soft bean, gentle floral, and that lingering cool bamboo note that stays with you long after the cup is empty.

One of the Earliest Spring Teas of the Year

Zhu Ye Qing is harvested in early spring, just 3 to 5 days before the Qingming festival (early April) — making it one of the very first spring teas to reach the market each year.

Only the top three leaves of each shoot are picked: one tender bud plus the one or two leaves directly below it, still carrying the freshness of the spring morning dew.

This is why every cup of Zhu Ye Qing tastes like spring itself — the freshness of mountain mist, the gentleness of new bamboo, the warmth of spring sun, all sealed into a single small leaf.

To watch these elegant bamboo-leaf spears stand and dance in the water,
check out our professional Brewing Guide, Storage Care, and The Origins below 👇

🍵 Brewing Guide

How to brew Zhu Ye Qing perfectly?

Because Zhu Ye Qing is made from extremely tender pre-Qingming buds, it requires a gentle hand. Rough brewing will wash away its delicate cloud-mist fragrance and draw out bitterness.

The Vessel: Clarity & Control

To watch the beautiful bamboo-leaf spears stand upright and dance in the water, we highly recommend using one of our Tea Infusers. They give you full visual enjoyment while ensuring you can separate the leaves instantly for a perfectly sweet brew.

The Brewing Ritual (Using a Glass Tea Infuser)

Temperature: 80°C - 85°C. Never use boiling water; these delicate top-three leaves are too tender and will instantly "cook," turning the brew bitter.
Ratio: A golden ratio of 1:50. For a 190ml Glass Tea Infuser, use 4g of leaves.
Step 1 – Warm the Soul: Rinse your glass infuser with hot water and discard to warm the vessel.
Step 2 – The Leaves: Gently place the 4g of dry Zhu Ye Qing leaves into the inner chamber.
Step 3 – Gentle Pour: Pour your 80°C water gently down the inner glass wall. Crucial: Do not pour water directly onto the tea leaves. Let the water level rise and embrace the leaves from the bottom up to preserve the delicate spear shape.
Step 4 – The Release (1st Brew): Leave the lid off so the tea can breathe. Let it steep for about 5-6 seconds. Once the time is up, lift the inner chamber out and rest it on the overturned lid. Enjoy the refreshing, jade-green first sip!
Step 5 – Subsequent Brews: For the 2nd brew, the leaves are awakened. Add water and steep for 10 seconds. For the 3rd brew and any onward, simply add an extra 5-10 seconds to each steep.

📦 Storage & Care

Protecting the Delicate Freshness

Premium green tea is exceptionally delicate and acts like a "sponge" for odours. Proper storage is non-negotiable for maintaining its pure, refreshing character:

The Fridge is Best: To maintain the lush flavour and aroma, we strongly recommend storing your tea in the refrigerator.
Airtight Seal: Ensure the bag is perfectly sealed. We highly recommend using a Tea Bag Sealer to lock out moisture and persistent fridge odours.
The Golden Rule (Crucial): When removing tea from the fridge, wait a while before opening the bag. Allowing the leaves to reach room temperature prevents condensation from forming on the leaves, which would ruin the tea instantly.

🌿 The Origins

The Bamboo Leaf of a Sacred Mountain

The Core Terroir: Sourced from the high-mountain tea gardens of Mt Emei (峨眉山) in Sichuan Province, southwest China — a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most legendary sacred mountains in Chinese culture. The tea gardens sit at altitudes between 600 and 1,500 metres, often surrounded by ancient bamboo forests and wrapped in year-round mountain mist.
The Zhu Ye Qing Craft: The name 竹叶青 literally means "Bamboo Leaf Green" — a reference to the slender, sharp-pointed spear shape of the rolled leaves. Only the top three leaves of each shoot are picked (one bud and one or two leaves below), and only during the prized pre-Qingming harvest window in early April. The result is a tea of remarkable purity, with an aroma that weaves high-mountain cloud-mist, fresh bamboo, and sweet bean into a single elegant cup.
VGT Sourcing: For 18 years, Valley Green Tea has been the trusted destination to buy authentic Chinese green tea online in Australia. We source our Zhu Ye Qing directly from Mt Emei to bring you one of Sichuan's most prestigious green teas — fresh, tender, and full of mountain character.

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