Huigan vs Shengjin: Returning Sweetness and Salivation in Tea

Huigan (回甘) is returning sweetness after a sip. Shengjin (生津) is a mouthwatering response. They often arrive together, but you can notice one without the other.

How to tell them apart

With huigan, pay attention to the sequence. The liquor may taste bitter or fairly neutral, then a sweeter impression appears after swallowing. A tea that tastes sweet from the first sip doesn’t necessarily have a distinct sweet return.

Shengjin is saliva continuing to gather after the drink has left your mouth. You might feel it under the tongue or along the cheeks. Wait before judging it; the tea itself wetting your mouth is a different thing.

Astringency can feel drying, then give way to salivation. Note those sensations separately rather than trying to decide whether the tea is simply “dry” or “juicy.”

Try one session slowly

Use a familiar tea in porcelain, with your usual water and dose.

1. Notice how your mouth feels before the sip.
2. Drink, swallow and wait 10 to 20 seconds before taking another sip.
3. Record any returning sweetness and any salivation separately. Where do they appear, and how long do they last?
4. Repeat in the middle and late infusions.

On another day, change only the infusion time. A long steep may make bitterness and dryness so dominant that the sweet return is harder to notice. If that is happening, start with the bitterness guide.

Describing the finish

A note such as “sweetness appeared after ten seconds and lasted about a minute; saliva gathered under my tongue” tells another drinker more than “great huigan.” It records something they can look for while leaving room for a different response.

Neither sensation proves old trees or a famous origin. Leaf, processing and brewing all affect the result, as does the drinker. Use these words to describe the cup. Ask for sourcing records when you want to know where it came from.

The Pu-erh glossary covers the other terms used in tasting notes.