Hei Zhuan vs Qingzhuan

Hei Zhuan

Hei Zhuan, or Dark Brick, is a dense pressed dark tea from Anhua, Hunan, made from coarser leaves pressed into standardized bricks. The cup is straightforward and grounding: smooth earthy depth, old wood, and a mild natural sweetness with very little bitterness. It was historically produced for trade along the Tea Horse Road, and its compact form made it easy to transport. Brewing is forgiving — rinse, then steep or simmer.

Qingzhuan

Qingzhuan, 'green brick', is Hubei's pressed dark tea from the historic Yangloudong trading post — despite the name, the tea itself is dark. Compressed into dense bricks for the northern border trade, it steeps thick and warming with earthy depth, woody notes, and a hint of medicinal character that softens with age. Mongolian and Tibetan butter-tea traditions were built on bricks like this one.

Hei Zhuan

Water temperature

95–100°C

Leaf to water

5g / 250ml

Steep time

0.5–1 min

Re-steep

5–8 times

Qingzhuan

Water temperature

95–100°C

Leaf to water

5g / 250ml

Steep time

1–2 min

Re-steep

4–6 times

Hei Zhuan

Medium caffeine — roughly 25–50 mg per brewed serving

A moderate, steady lift without an intense spike.

Qingzhuan

Medium caffeine — roughly 25–45 mg per brewed serving

A moderate, steady lift without an intense spike.

Hei Zhuan

China · Hunan (Anhua)

Hei Zhuan is one of the classic Anhua dark tea bricks traded from Hunan into Tibet and Mongolia.

Qingzhuan

China · Hubei (Chibi / Yangloudong)

Qingzhuan brick has been produced around Chibi's Yangloudong since the Qing dynasty for trade toward Mongolia and Russia.