Jakseolcha and Green Tea: The Same Plant, A Different Name

The Donguibogam never uses the word "jakseolcha." It lists the plant as 苦茶, "bitter tea" — and warns about drinking too much of it.

Jakseolcha (雀舌茶) means "sparrow-tongue tea": the name refers to tender new leaves that are small and pointed like a sparrow's tongue, the finest grade of tea. Yet the Donguibogam's Tangaek-pyeon entry is titled 苦茶 — simply "bitter tea." The name is plain, but the record, as on the Wild Tea (Jakseolcha) page, is quite specific.

Are jakseolcha and green tea different plants?

No. Both are leaves of the same tea plant, Camellia sinensis. The difference lies not in the plant but in when the leaf is picked and how it is made. "Jakseol" names the earliest, most tender spring picking; "green tea" names a style of tea made by pan-firing or steaming without fermentation. That is why the two terms often overlap, as in "jakseol green tea."

How the Donguibogam describes tea

The text records tea as slightly cold in nature, sweet and bitter in taste, and non-toxic. It brings qi downward, dissolves old food stagnation, clears the head and eyes, promotes urination, and makes a person sleep less — close to what tea drinkers still report today: a clearer head and less drowsiness. It also notes that tea relieves the toxicity of roasted or fried foods.

And the warning alongside it

The same entry records its own limits: taken for long it makes a person thin, and drunk cold it gathers phlegm. Rather than only praising, it urges moderation and warmth. It also agrees in direction with the modern advice to avoid tea before bed because of its stimulating effect.

In short

Jakseolcha is not a separate plant but a name for the youngest leaves, and the Donguibogam records it as 苦茶 with both its uses and a call for restraint. This article is educational and does not replace diagnosis or treatment.