What is Shoumei Tea? How is it Different from White Peony Tea?

Shoumei is a type of white tea. Based on the plucking standard of the tea leaves, white tea is categorized into four grades: Baihao Yinzhen (Silver Needle), Baimudan (White Peony), Gongmei, and Shoumei. Shoumei is mostly made from mature tea leaves. It gets its name because its appearance after drying resembles an elderly person’s eyebrows, hence the name Shoumei.

What is Shoumei Tea? How is it Different from White Peony Tea?

Shoumei is crafted from mature leaves, typically harvested at the standard of four to five leaves. Because the leaves are predominantly mature and old, Shoumei has a larger production volume and a relatively lower price compared to Baihao Yinzhen (which only harvests leaf buds), Baimudan (which harvests one bud and one leaf), and Gongmei (which harvests one bud and two to three leaves).

Baimudan only harvests one bud with one leaf or one bud with two leaves, so the leaves are mostly tender, and the finished tea exhibits prominent white hairs (pekoe). Shoumei mostly consists of mature leaves, making its appearance more brownish and green. Freshly harvested Baimudan has a livelier flavor profile with rich floral and herbal notes, whereas freshly harvested Shoumei is relatively milder and more subdued. (Shoumei is pictured above, Baimudan below)

So does Shoumei tea necessarily mean poor quality?

In terms of raw tea leaf grading, yes. However, whether a tea tastes good or not comes down to tea garden management and craftsmanship. Well-managed and rigorously processed Shoumei white tea is not necessarily inferior to average Baimudan. Moreover, aged Shoumei that has been stored for many years has significant room for quality improvement. Coupled with its high production volume, many people buy Shoumei in bulk for storage since it is very affordable. Once Shoumei matures, its quality has the potential to surpass new Baimudan tea.