Cassia vs. cinnamon
See Wuyi Rougui. 肉桂 is Cinnamomum cassia, and the 2026 standard describes the target aroma as cassia bark (桂皮).
肉桂
Rougui
Wuyi cultivar named for its cinnamon / cassia-like spicy aroma; one of the two workhorse cultivars of modern yancha alongside Shuixian.
- Botanical
- Camellia sinensis var. sinensis
- Kind
- clonal cultivar
- Origin
- Wuyishan
Also sold or written as 5#
Chinese variants
- 玉桂(Yugui)Alternative Chinese name.
Romanisations
- Rou Gui
Translations and trade names
- Cinnamon
- Cassia
- Cinnamon oolong
Names and ambiguities#
Notes#
Trade saying: 香不过肉桂, 醇不过水仙 — "nothing beats Rougui for aroma, nothing beats Shuixian for mellowness". Origin is usually traced to Huiyuan / Mazhenfeng in the scenic area in the Qing dynasty; widespread planting dates from the 1980s onwards.
Teas made from it#
武夷岩茶
Wuyi rock tea Wǔyí yánchá
Umbrella entry for the roasted oolongs of Wuyishan, defined by a geographical-indication standard; individual cultivars and named teas are child entries.
sourced
武夷肉桂
Wuyi Rougui Wǔyí Ròuguì
Wuyi yancha made from the Rougui cultivar, associated with spicy or cassia-like aroma; garden and roast produce substantial variation.
sourced
Sources#
Babelcarp: “rougui” · babelcarp.org