Zhang Yiyuan Dashilar Tea Shop Guide for Buying Loose Tea and Gifts in Beijing

Zhang Yiyuan Dashilar Tea Shop Guide

Go to the Zhang Yiyuan Dashilar tea shop at No. 22 Dashilar Street for a small order of loose jasmine tea or a packaged gift from the Beijing flagship. For tea you plan to brew yourself, ask the counter whether you can buy 50 grams of the variety you want. For a gift, start with the sealed tins and boxes and check how much tea is inside. At either counter, ask for the total in yuan before paying so you can compare what a whole box costs with the price of the loose portion you want.

Quick Facts

Loose Tea at the Counter

At the Zhang Yiyuan Dashilar tea shop, the scales are your cue if you want to choose how much tea to buy. Beijing Daily saw staff weighing tea at first-floor counters during Lunar New Year. Beijing Magazine later described hand-weighing and packing at the same flagship. Start by asking for 散称茶 if you can't see which counter handles loose orders.

A Small First Purchase

A single 50-gram portion is a useful request if you're trying jasmine tea for the first time. The flagship manager has described packing single portions of one liang, or 50 grams. Ask about that amount for the specific tea you chose, since a different tea or package may have a different selling quantity.

Beijing Daily documented shoppers buying Jasmine Yuya (茉莉玉芽) and Jasmine Little Pearls (茉莉小珍珠) by weight at this branch. Save those names if you want a concrete place to start. If the clerk points to other options, ask for a jasmine tea within your budget and have them write the name down.

• For one tea. Point to the name on the display and ask for a small portion. When the clerk shows you a different label, pause and confirm which tea will go into the bag.
• For a comparison. Ask for the same weight of two loose teas, provided both come in that quantity. Keep each name and price separate. The equal portions make it easier to compare the cost now and brew them with the same dose later.
• If the portion is too large. Ask to see a loose tea you can buy in a smaller quantity, or switch to the smallest sealed pack you like. Decide before the clerk weighs the tea so there is time to change the order.

A Clear Order at the Scale

Tell the clerk the tea name, the weight and the number of packets together. For example, show 茉莉玉芽，五十克，一包 if you want one 50-gram packet of Jasmine Yuya. The product name and the amount give the clerk two things to point back to before the tea goes into the wrapper.

You can also type your spending limit into the calculator on your phone. Show the amount after asking for a recommendation. That gives the clerk a number to work with when deciding which tea and weight to show you.

At holiday peaks, reporters have seen queues extend onto the street. Before joining the longest line, ask whether it's for weighed tea. If you only have time for a quick purchase, take a look at the sealed options and ask where to pay for one. Keep the loose counter for a visit when you can compare without watching the clock.

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Gift Tins and Box Sets

For a gift from the Zhang Yiyuan Dashilar tea shop, start with the tea name and the size of the inner pack. A tin is easy to hand to one person. A gift set makes more sense when the package has the right number of separately sealed portions for the people receiving it.

Longhao and Jasmine Maojian

Longhao Jasmine Tea (茉莉龙毫) is the shop's signature line. Beijing Daily documented a customer buying Longhao tins at the flagship, and Beijing Magazine describes Longhao among its gifts. Ask to see a sealed Longhao pack if you want a gift with a name the recipient can look up afterward.

Jasmine Maojian (茉莉毛尖) gives you a second named option to ask for. Beijing's market regulator has recorded a 100-gram boxed Longhao sample and a 175-gram Maojian tin sample. These are examples of different formats the brand has made. Read the weight and price on the package the clerk actually shows you.

Labels on the Inner Pack

Look for 净含量 on the package. It gives the amount of tea inside. If the outside says 2 × 50 g, the box contains 100 grams in total. That layout works for two recipients if the inner packs carry their own labels and seals. A single 100-gram bag suits someone who can open and store it at home.

Before choosing a large box, ask whether it has a smaller version or whether the same tea comes in a standalone tin. If the gift has to fit into a nearly full carry-on, use the size of the sealed pack to decide what to buy. Ask how much each option costs at the same weight.

If you want to give loose tea to someone who usually uses tea bags, look for brewing directions on the label or ask the clerk to explain them. You can copy those directions onto a small card for the recipient. It saves them from having to guess how much leaf to use or how long to steep the first cup.

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Weights and Counter Prices

Read the unit before you compare the numbers. A price beside a bin of tea may cover a jin, the mainland Chinese market unit for 500 grams. A package can carry one price for the entire tin or box. Start by pointing to the tag and asking the clerk which quantity that number buys.

The Unit on the Tag

• Per jin (元/斤). Divide the quoted amount by ten for 50 grams. Divide it by five for 100 grams.
• Per liang (元/两). The quote covers 50 grams. Double it for 100 grams.
• Per pack (元/盒 or 元/罐). Match the quote to the exact box or tin. Divide its price by its net grams, then multiply by 100 to get a price per 100 grams.

For a hypothetical loose tea at ¥200 per jin, a 50-gram portion comes to ¥20. At that rate, 100 grams comes to ¥40 before any separate packaging charge. These figures show the calculation. Use the price and unit your clerk gives you for the actual order.

If you have a fixed amount to spend, let the clerk see it before weighing. A smaller portion of the tea you picked might fit. The clerk may also show you a different tea at your preferred weight. Ask them to point out which part of the order changed.

Two Quotes on Equal Terms

Suppose a loose tea costs ¥300 per jin and a 150-gram tin costs ¥96. These are hypothetical quotes. The loose tea works out to ¥60 per 100 grams and the tin to ¥64 per 100 grams. If you need only 50 grams, your loose order would cost ¥30 before packaging, while the tin would still cost ¥96.

If you are buying for several people, do the comparison again for the quantity you intend to give. Three 50-gram packets have the same total weight as one 150-gram tin. Ask whether the clerk can label the three packets separately and whether separate packaging affects the total.

A Quote That Needs Clarifying

If the clerk shows you a higher total than expected, point first to the tea name and then to the weight. Ask whether the quote is for one packet or all of them. A difference can come from adding a second item or choosing a different pack. Confirm which number belongs to each part of the order.

Ask 这个价格包括包装吗？ if you want to know whether the amount includes packaging. Once you and the clerk agree on the grams and total, have them write or display the final amount in yuan. Use that figure to check the payment screen later.

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The Walk to No. 22

Use the Chinese street name and the house number to reach the Zhang Yiyuan Dashilar tea shop. A search for the brand alone can return more than one pin in Qianmen. The one you want has 大栅栏街22号 in the address and sits near Daguanlou Cinema.

Qianmen Station to Dashilar Street

The Beijing city guide places the commercial district south of Qianmen Station and west of Qianmen Street. If you arrive on Line 2, follow the station signs for Qianmen Street (前门大街). Once you reach the shopping street, head south and turn west onto Dashilar Street (大栅栏街).

Save 张一元茶庄总店，北京市西城区大栅栏街22号 as a single line in your notes. At the last turn, zoom in and compare the characters on the street sign to the address. Continue along the street until the house number and 张一元 storefront agree. The cinema is a useful landmark if your map pin wanders among neighboring storefronts.

• If your map sends you to No. 86. Check the street name. No. 86 Qianmen Street belongs to a separate Zhang Yiyuan branch in Dongcheng.
• If your map sends you to No. 1. Look for the extra 西 in 大栅栏西街. That's Dashilar West Street. Reset the destination to No. 22 Dashilar Street.
• If you're using a taxi. Show the saved Chinese address including 西城区. Once you get out, use the house number and shop name to finish on foot.

A Visit Around the Shop Hours

Visit Beijing lists the flagship from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. If a late or holiday visit would involve a separate trip, call 010-63034001 before setting off. Ask about today's hours and whether the weighing counter will be serving at your planned arrival time.

When you have other plans in Qianmen, fit the shop in before your last scheduled stop. That gives you room to change the order or wait if the counter is busy. With an evening train or a dinner booking, choose your tea or gift before joining a line. Ask the clerk where to buy it and decide whether you have time to stay.

Payment, Packing and the First Brew

At the Zhang Yiyuan Dashilar tea shop, finish with a quick check of the amount, the tea name and the package. That matters most when you have several similar-looking orders. Do the check while the clerk can still point to which tea went into each bag or tin.

Payment at the Till

Ask about payment while the clerk is still confirming the quote. Beijing's general visitor guide describes phone-wallet payments and recommends having smaller yuan notes handy when using cash. Carry enough small notes to cover the purchase you have in mind, especially if your phone battery is low or the wallet has yet to work in China.

• If you use a phone wallet. Ask whether to scan the shop code or show your own. Check the merchant and the amount on your screen, then wait for the confirmation before putting the phone away.
• If you want to use a physical foreign card. Show the card and ask whether the till accepts it. If staff point you to a different method, agree on that method and keep the same order total in view.
• If the payment screen is unclear. Check the transaction history and ask the clerk whether the till recorded the payment before trying again. Then match the paid amount to the confirmed quote.

Labels and Packing for the Trip

Before you leave, count the packages and compare the tea names with your order. If the wrappers look alike, ask the clerk to mark them or take a photo of the packets alongside the names in your notes. That way you can identify a gift without opening it and find the tea again if you want to reorder later.

If you choose a paper wrap, ask how the clerk closes it and whether a sealed inner bag is available. The flagship manager recommends transferring paper-wrapped tea to an airtight container at home. For the ride, put the paper packet in a clean resealable bag and keep the shop label with it.

A First Cup With Loose Leaves

Follow the package directions if the tea has them. For an unmarked loose packet, Beijing Magazine offers a starting method for jasmine tea. Warm a glass or lidded bowl, use 3–5 grams of leaves and pour water at 85–95°C (185–203°F). Start with a short steep of 30–50 seconds.

A 50-gram bag gives you about 10–16 full portions at that dose before you count any repeat infusions. That's enough to try the tea in your hotel or at home and decide whether you want more. If you bought two varieties, use the same amount and steeping time for both on the first round.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I taste tea before buying?

Ask 能试喝吗？ if you'd like a sip, or 能闻一下吗？ if smelling the dry leaves would help. Compare the aroma before choosing a grade. Sampling depends on what the staff can offer while you're there. If they can't pour a cup, ask for a small loose portion or a sealed sample-size pack you can brew later.

Q: Is Dashilan the same as Dashilar?

In Qianmen, both spellings can refer to 大栅栏. You may also see Dashilanr on city materials. A map can still take you to a different street if you search only in English. Match the Chinese name and number together. At the flagship, the pin should read 大栅栏街22号 in Xicheng District on your map.

Q: Can I get two teas packed separately?

Show the clerk each tea name and the weight you want, then say 请分开包 to ask for separate packages. The shop manager has described splitting orders into multiple bags. If you are giving them to different people, ask which label belongs to each packet and confirm whether the extra wrapping changes the total.

Q: Does jasmine tea come with flowers in it?

The flagship manager describes scenting tea with jasmine and then separating the flowers from the leaves. So a jasmine-scented tea can contain no visible petals. If you're choosing between two products, read the ingredient line on each pack or ask the clerk which ingredients belong to the tea you’re buying.

Q: What does the date on a tea tin mean?

Look at the words next to the date. 生产日期 identifies the production date, while 保质期 tells you the stated shelf-life period. If the ink stamp is hard to read or several dates appear on the box, ask the clerk to point to the date and storage instructions for the exact pack you plan to buy.