Mingqian (明前, míngqián)

Mingqian (明前) means tea picked before Qingming, which falls around 4–5 April. It is especially common in descriptions of spring green teas such as Longjing.

It is a harvest period, not a separate tea type or universal top grade. The season starts at different times depending on region, altitude, weather and cultivar. “Before Qingming” does not necessarily mean the first picking from a garden.

Yuqian (雨前) means “before Guyu,” the following solar term, which begins around 19–21 April. Sellers often use it for picking between Qingming and Guyu. Dates vary by year, and not all tea picked after Qingming is yuqian.

Early harvests can be valued for tender material, but do not guarantee no bitterness, low caffeine or better flavour. Compare similar teas from the same origin, and check year and storage. Selling spring tea in autumn is not in itself deceptive.

Choose temperature for the particular tea and the producer’s advice. Water at 80–85 °C can be a useful starting point for green tea, but 明前 does not impose a strict temperature limit. Keep it well closed, away from heat, light and odours; smaller packs are useful if you drink it infrequently.

Related teas

Chinese tea glossary