Compare two teas
Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.
Why these two get confused
Two curled downy Chinese greens that look almost identical dry. Bi Luo Chun is the famous one and Duyun Mao Jian from Guizhou is frequently sold in its place.
Point by point
| Dimension | Bi Luo Chun | Duyun Mao Jian |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Green tea · unoxidised | Green tea · unoxidised |
| Production | In order: Withering → Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping. bud and one leaf and first flush harvest. | In order: Withering → Pan-firing (Chinese fixation) → Rolling and shaping. bud and one leaf and first flush harvest. |
| Origin | China | China |
| Flavour | floral, fruity and sweet. light and silky in the mouth. Aroma: stone fruit, white flowers, fresh cream, green almond. Layered in character. Moderate in intensity. | floral, vegetal, mineral and nutty. light, drying and astringent in the mouth. Aroma: wildflower, green bean, chestnut, mineral. Moderate in character. Moderate in intensity. |
| Brewing | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1–2 g/100 ml at 70–80 °C, first steep 90s. Grandpa style: 0.5–1 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 180s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 120s. Grandpa style: 0.5–1 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 180s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 3–4 g/100 ml at 75–85 °C, first steep 20s of 4 authored. |
| Cultural context | The fruit-tree interplanting that traditional accounts credit for the tea’s fruitiness applies to a small original area near Lake Tai. Most Bi Luo Chun on the market is made to the same shape elsewhere. | Not recorded for this tea. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and has drunk enough tea to notice what changes between infusions. It rewards attention to leaf weight and timing. | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and has drunk enough tea to notice what changes between infusions. It tolerates an imprecise brew. |
Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.