Pre-Ming Tea and Pre-Rain Tea are terms used in the Jiangnan tea region south of the Yangtze River to refer to spring teas harvested at different times according to the seasonal calendar. “Pre-Ming Tea” refers to tea leaves picked before the Qingming Festival, while “Pre-Rain Tea” is harvested between Qingming and the Grain Rain. Pre-Ming Tea is known for its fine tenderness, whereas Pre-Rain Tea has a decent quality but can be coarser and of lower quality after Grain Rain and before the beginning of summer.

Differences Between Pre-Ming and Pre-Rain Teas

1. Picking Time: Pre-Ming Tea is picked before the Qingming Festival, while Pre-Rain Tea is picked between Qingming and Grain Rain.

2. Appearance: The young shoots of Pre-Ming Tea resemble lotus hearts, whereas Pre-Rain Tea has a flatter and more straight shape.

3. Color: Pre-Ming Tea has a vibrant green color, while Pre-Rain Tea lacks luster.

4. Aroma: Pre-Ming Tea has a strong and lasting fragrance, while Pre-Rain Tea generally has a fresh or chestnut-like aroma.

Which is Better: Pre-Ming or Pre-Rain Tea?

Both Pre-Ming and Pre-Rain Teas belong to the category of spring teas, which are considered the best in quality. This is because during the growth period of Spring Tea, the temperature is relatively low, sunlight intensity is weak, and there is ample rainfall. These ecological conditions are favorable for the Metabolism of tea plants, resulting in good physical characteristics and chemical properties in the buds and leaves. They are characterized by good tenderness, strong durability, soft leaf texture, glossy appearance, robust buds, numerous fine hairs, and a predominantly green color with fewer purple shoots. Pre-Ming Tea, having gone through a dormant period in winter, contains abundant aromatic and flavor substances.

However, due to the limited number of shoots that emerge before the Qingming Festival and their slow growth rate, the yield of tea that meets the picking standards is very small, making Pre-Ming Tea particularly precious. Although Pre-Rain Tea may not be as tender as Pre-Ming Tea, it benefits from higher temperatures, allowing the buds and leaves to grow faster and accumulate richer internal substances. As a result, Pre-Rain Tea often has a fresh and concentrated flavor and is more resilient when steeped.

Pre-Ming Tea, due to its scarcity, is typically expensive, earning the saying “Pre-Ming Tea is as precious as gold.” Drinking Pre-Ming Tea is mainly about savoring its freshness. In comparison, Pre-Rain Tea, with its higher production volume, offers better value for money and is more suitable for general tea enthusiasts. We hope that tea lovers will choose their ideal spring tea based on their own needs.

However, in the context of Pu'er tea, there is rarely any emphasis on Pre-Ming or Pre-Rain teas, as Pu'er ancient tree teas generally sprout later, sometimes not until after the Pre-Ming period. Therefore, Pu'er teas are more commonly categorized as first flush, second flush, and late spring teas.