Tea & Teaware Guides
Jin, Yin and Tong Jun Mei: What Do the Tea Names Mean?
Jin, Yin and Tong mean gold, silver and copper in these Chinese tea names. They are commonly used to describe different picking selections in the Jun Mei family. For a buyer, they are a starting vocabulary—not a universal guarantee of origin, taste or value.
The common picking descriptions
Jin Jun Mei is associated with bud material. Yin Jun Mei is often described as one bud with one leaf, and Tong Jun Mei as one bud with two leaves. Those descriptions help explain why teas can look and taste different, but check the producer's specification rather than assuming every seller uses the names identically.
| Name | Common material description | Check before buying |
|---|---|---|
| Jin Jun Mei | Bud-based selection | Actual picking specification and origin |
| Yin Jun Mei | Often one bud and one leaf | Producer’s definition and batch |
| Tong Jun Mei | Often one bud and two leaves | Meaning of Chigan terms, where used |
Why more selective picking can cost more
Collecting and sorting fine buds can demand considerable labor. The final price also includes growing location, manufacturing, brand, packaging and retail costs. Exact claims about the number of buds per 500 g or how many a worker picks per day vary with the material and working conditions; they are not a useful universal grading formula.
A leafier tea can have a fuller cup you enjoy more. “Gold” is a name, not a reason to dismiss the others.
Is Tong Jun Mei the same as Chigan?
You may see Tong Jun Mei discussed alongside Chigan, Xiao Chigan or Da Chigan in the Tongmu black tea trade. Usage and picking explanations can differ between producers. Do not assume an exact legal or botanical equivalence from a shop label alone. Ask how that seller defines the material, origin and processing.
Are the harvest dates fixed?
No single calendar date can define all three products. Weather, garden location and shoot development affect picking. A statement that one tea must be picked at Qingming and another at Guyu needs a specific producer and batch context.
Likewise, do not assume Yin Jun Mei has disappeared. Zhengshantang still lists it among its brand products; that does not guarantee real-time stock, but it contradicts treating the name as simply extinct.
Brew to the sample, not the metal in its name
A plain gaiwan is useful for comparison. Start with a moderate dose and short infusions, then adjust. There is no need to insist that Jin Jun Mei can only take 85°C water while every leafier tea must take a particular higher temperature. Nor does one Yixing clay type automatically suit every batch.
What to ask before ordering
Request the stated picking standard, growing origin, producer, batch, weight and price. If the difference matters to you, sample the teas side by side at comparable strength. Choose the balance you enjoy instead of buying a metal-name hierarchy.
Source: Zhengshantang's brand and product list. Product listings describe the brand range, not live inventory.