Sparrow's Tongues (雀舌)

archetype: Sparrow on the morning branch

A sparrow on the morning branch: a flat pointed leaf, fresh green clarity, a long chestnut echo in the cup.

History

Sparrow's Tongues (Que She, 雀舌) is a renowned green tea from Jintan in Jiangsu, on Mount Mao (Maoshan) — a Daoist mountain among bamboo groves. Young buds with a leaf are pan-fired and shaped into flat, pointed 'tongues' that resemble a bird's beak. As early as the Song dynasty, Shen Kuo's 'Dream Pool Essays' praised the 'sparrow's tongue' as the tenderest spring leaf. Some 40,000–45,000 buds go into 500 g of finished tea — hence its reputation as a luxury.

They say that on the slopes of Maoshan sparrows came at dawn and touched only the dew on the uppermost buds. A Daoist watching them named the tea 'Que She' and taught: 'Take no more than the sparrow would — tenderness lives in the tip, not in the coarse leaf.' The finest lots have remained small, flat and scarce ever since.

Terroir

low Maoshan hills — bamboo, Daoist hermitages and tea terraces. loose yellow-brown foothill soils, rich in organic matter. humid subtropics by Lake Tai; mild misty springs — early tender leaf. Picked before Qingming; 40,000–45,000 buds go into 500 g of finished leaf.

Leaf

dry leaf: flat pointed jade-green 'tongues', even, with silvery down on the buds

warmed: warmed — roasted chestnut, young grass, white blossom

after pour: after the infusion — fresh green, orchid, a warm chestnut note

taste: fresh floral green, chestnut sweetness, a light bean note, clean texture

finish: clean, bright, with a long chestnut echo and cool sweetness on the palate

Properties

TCM: cool, yin; clears heat, brightens the head, gently lifts qi upward

Modern: rich in catechins and aromatics; gentle lift without heaviness

Cha qi: light, ascending, ringing; felt like 'morning birdsong' at the temples

Caffeine: moderate (30–40 mg)

Brewing ritual

120 ml gaiwan or a tall 180 ml glass; 82 °C, soft; 3 g / 120 ml. 25s — first ring: young grass, white blossom; 40s — peak: fresh green, chestnut sweetness; 60s — thin chestnut echo, cool sweetness.

When to drink

morning and early day. spring — especially early spring. when you need a clear head without a jolt, before a short journey or light work. fresh goat cheese, light pastry, young vegetables, steamed fish, almonds. a quiet morning alone; a brief meeting where clarity matters

Tea meditation

A sparrow does not sing loudly — it sings precisely.
The leaf's sharpness is in the tip. Take no more than you need.
The first sip is like the first ray on the branch.
Leave only the ring in the cup, not the noise.

Questions and answers

How do you brew Sparrow's Tongues?

What does Sparrow's Tongues taste like?

fresh floral green, chestnut sweetness, a light bean note, clean texture

How much caffeine is in Sparrow's Tongues?

moderate (30–40 mg)

What are the effects of Sparrow's Tongues?

rich in catechins and aromatics; gentle lift without heaviness