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Sparrow-Tongue Tea Leaf

Sparrow-Tongue Tea Leaf (작설차, 苦茶) is recorded in the Donguibogam as a digestive, food-stagnation-resolving herb. Its nature is slightly cold (some sources: cold) and its taste sweet, bitter, associated with the Pericardium, Liver meridians. Traditional uses recorded in the text include aids digestion, resolves food stagnation, clears the head and eyes, promotes urination. Caution: The classics themselves caution that long-term use can be depleting and that tea taken cold tends to accumulate phlegm; best enjoyed warm and in moderation, and avoided close to bedtime given its wakefulness effect.

작설차 (苦茶) · Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze

Digestive, food-stagnation-resolving herb Slightly cold (some sources: cold) Sweet, bitter Pericardium, Liver

NatureSlightly cold (some sources: cold)

TasteSweet, bitter

MeridiansPericardium, Liver

Part usedYoung leaf bud

FamilyTheaceae

CategoryDigestive, food-stagnation-resolving herb

Find by concern: Food stagnation Daytime drowsiness

Overview

Jakseolcha ("sparrow-tongue tea") takes its name from its tiny, tongue-shaped young leaves, picked early for the finest grade. The Donguibogam lists it under the plain name "bitter tea" (苦茶) and records the same everyday effects tea drinkers still recognize: clearing the head, aiding digestion after a heavy meal, and keeping drowsiness at bay.

In the Donguibogam

東醫
寶鑑

性微寒一云冷, 味甘苦, 無毒. 下氣, 消宿食, 淸頭目, 利小便, 止消渴, 令人少睡. 又解炙炒毒.

Source: Donguibogam, Tangaek-pyeon (Herbology volume)

TranslationIts nature is slightly cold (some say cold), its taste sweet and bitter, and it is non-toxic. It lowers qi, resolves lingering food stagnation, clears the head and eyes, promotes urination, stops wasting-thirst, and reduces excessive sleepiness. It also counters the toxicity of grilled and fried foods.

Traditional uses recorded in the Donguibogam

Aids digestion, resolves food stagnation
Clears the head and eyes
Promotes urination
Reduces drowsiness

Traditional applications recorded in the classical text

Fullness after overeating
Mental fog, heavy-headedness
Excessive daytime sleepiness needing alertness

Traditional preparation

Brewed as tea from the young leaf.

This describes traditional preparation recorded in the classics, not a recommendation for use today. DonguiHub does not provide dosage guidance — consult a qualified professional before using any herb.

Cautions

Caution: The classics themselves caution that long-term use can be depleting and that tea taken cold tends to accumulate phlegm; best enjoyed warm and in moderation, and avoided close to bedtime given its wakefulness effect. Consult a professional.

Frequently asked questions

Is jakseolcha the same plant as ordinary green tea?

Yes — both come from Camellia sinensis. "Jakseolcha" refers to tea made from the earliest, tiny tongue-shaped leaf buds, prized as the finest grade.

Did the Donguibogam warn about drinking too much tea?

Yes — the text itself notes that long-term use can be depleting to the body and that cold tea tends to cause phlegm to accumulate, advising moderation.