7 Types of Tea in China

Tea is the national drink in China. In addition to its prominence in Chinese culture, tea also claims many health benefits, making it a popular drink worldwide. There are several types of Chinese tea, which vary in degree of fermentation and processing.

The main classes of Chinese tea discussed below are green tea, yellow tea, white tea, oolong tea, black tea, dark tea or fermented tea and Pu'er tea.

1. Green Tea

Chinese green tea is the oldest and most popular type of tea; it has been enjoyed in China for several thousand years. Green tea is made from the new shoots of the tea plant, and the tea leaves are dried and processed according to the type of tea desired.

The techniques for processing green tea are sub-divided into three categories: water removing, rolling, and drying. Traditional green tea has a pale color and a sharp, astringent flavor. It is produced primarily in the provinces of Jiangxi, Anhui, and Zhejiang. The most famous green tea is West Lake Dragon Well Tea , which is produced in Hangzhou.

2. Yellow Tea

Yellow tea is produced by allowing damp tea leaves to dry naturally. It has a distinctive aroma, similar to red tea, but its flavor is closer to green and white teas. Yellow tea is also used to describe the high-quality tea that was served to the emperors, as yellow wsa the traditional imperial color.

Junshan Yinzhen is produced in China's Hunan Province and is the country's most popular yellow tea.

3. White Tea

White tea is unfermented, uncured green tea that has been quickly dried. It is indigenous to Fujan Province, and is lighter in color than other types of tea with a subtle, delicate flavor.

White tea got its name from the tradition of poor Chinese people offering plain boiled water to guests, if they had no tea, and calling it "white tea".

Popular brands of white tea are White Peony and Silver Needle.

4. Oolong Tea

Oolong tea, also known as blue tea, is unfermented tea with unique characteristics. Made from a blend of green and red teas, oolong tea boasts the best flavors and aromatic qualities of both. Sometimes called "green leaves with a red edge", oolong tea is thought to aid in fat decomposition and is widely regarded as a weight loss aid and a beauty enhancer.

Wenshan Baozhong Tea and Dongding Oolong Tea are two exemplary brands of this popular tea.

5. Black Tea

Black tea is the second largest category of Chinese tea. It is made from the new shoots of tea leaves, which are wilted, rolled, fermented, and dried. The resulting infusion yields a lovely red color and a subtle aromatic fragrance. Keemun is the most popular brand of black tea.

6. Dark Tea

Dark tea is a kind of post-fermented tea, which undergoes an actual fermentation process aided by bacteria. The whole process comprises six steps: water removing, first-time rolling, heaping, second rolling, baking, and drying.

It is generally acknowledged that dark tea originated in the 16th century in Anhua City, Hunan Province.

The most common dark tea brands are Anhua Dark Tea, Hubei Laobian Tea, Sichuan Tibetan tea, and Guangxi Liubao Tea. Dark tea is very popular in Hong Kong, Macao, Southeast Asia and Japan.

7. Pu'er Tea

Pu'er tea is actually a dark tea, but deserves a category on its own because of its distinguishing features.

Pu'er tea, originating from Yunnan Province, has an ancient history over of 2,000 years. According to Yunnan government's definition, Puer tea must be tea that is made from a large-leaf variety of a plant growing in a defined area, which is then processed into compressed tea or brick tea with a specified technology.

Pu'er tea was listed as a geographical indication product' by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine on August 5, 2008. It stipulates that only tea produced in Yunnan's 639 towns in 11 prefectures and cities, including Pu'er and Dali, can be called Pu'er tea.

There are two distinct types of Pu'er tea: sheng Pu'er (the raw or green Pu'er) and shu Pu'er (the ripened or black Pu'er).

History of Chinese Tea

The history of Chinese tea is a story of passion and refinement. The modern methods of processing, brewing and drinking Chinese tea took centuries to develop. What started as a royal drink for emperors has become one of the most beloved Chinese cultural traditions. 

The Origin of Tea

The origin of tea in China is credited to the legendary Emperor Shennong, who is said to have lived in the most ancient era of Chinese history. Shennong was famous for his wise edicts, and one such edict required that people boil their water before they drink it. This led to the discovery of tea.

The Legend of the First Cup of Tea

One summer day, while visiting a distant part of his realm, Shennong and the court stopped to rest. In accordance with his ruling, the servants began to boil water for the court to drink. Dried leaves from a nearby bush fell into the boiling water, and a brown substance was infused into the water. As a scientist, the Emperor was interested in the new liquid, drank some, and found it quite refreshing. And so, according to Chinese legend, tea was created in 2737 BC.

Whether this story is true or not, China has a long and fascinating history with tea. Tea as a plant originates in the mountain wilderness of Southwestern China, in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. Before they were ever cultivated as a cash crop, tea trees grew large and wild in this southern frontier. These trees were the beginnings of the first Chinese tea. 

Zhou Dynasty

Tea started out as a very different beverage than it exists now. The Erya, an ancient Chinese dictionary, mentions tea drinking in the Zhou dynasty as far back as 1046 BC. The earliest tea was a simple whole leaf infusion dropped directly into a cup of water, much like the story of Emperor Shennong. More processed tea that extracted the true tea flavor from the leaf would come much later. 

Han Dynasty

In the Han Dynasty, between 206 BC and 220 AD, the Chinese began to use tea as a medicinal drink to help keep a person awake longer. At this point, tea was highly expensive and usually only available for the Emperor and other high ranking nobles. Most tea from this time was still grown in Sichuan and Yunnan. Tea was brought up out of these mountainous regions to the capital for the emperor's consumption. 

Tang Dynasty 

Tea culture began to change dramatically in the Tang dynasty, from 618 to 907 AD. Before this dynasty, tea was an imperial drink only for the rich, but in the Tang period tea became widely available to the Chinese people and became a central aspect of Chinese day-to-day life. In this period, it also changed from being a purely medicinal beverage to a social drink consumed among family and friends. Tea soon became one of the seven essentials of Chinese life.

Evolution of Tea Processing

The Tang dynasty also saw an evolution in tea processing. Before this time, raw tea leaves were steamed and then pressed into bricks known as tea cakes. These cakes were ground down in a stone mortar, and hot water was poured over the powdered tea, which would diffuse in the water, creating tea.

During the Tang dynasty, this process changed, creating the loose leaf tea we know today. In this process, instead of being steamed the tea leaves are roasted, which dries out the leaves. This process preserves more of the essential tea flavor from the leaf. This is still the way most Chinese loose leaf tea is made today. 

The History of the Tea Trade

The West took a liking to the teas of China through international trade. Some Westerners often think of England when they think of tea, even though tea doesn't grow there. Thanks to expansive colonization, England gained access to many foreign delicacies, including Chinese tea. It has now become synonymous with both countries.

Tea has traditionally been traded along the famous 2,000 year-old Silk Road, along with other highly prized commodities. The Tea Horse Road is another trade route that played an important part in expanding the influence of this popular beverage between the 6th and 20th century. Thanks to the extensive maritime exploration of China and other countries, particularly during the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279), tea was also a popular cargo on the high seas of the Maritime Silk Road. 

History of Different Teas around China

Just like European wines, different areas of China are known for producing different types of tea, including green, white and oolong teas. Read more about Tea Classification with our complete guide. 

Pu'er Tea

This variety of tea was first shaped into small cakes or bricks of dried leaves. Brick teas are still made today, continuing an ancient tea tradition that is over 2,000 years old.

Green Teas

Considered the oldest variety of tea, green tea has been enjoyed for thousands of years. Zhejiang province produces some of the most famous green teas. Green Tea has been used as an energy stimulant throughout history. 

Oolong Tea

Oolong is distinct from green tea because it has undergone semi-oxidization, a process that darkens both the tea color and flavor. There are many theories of how oolong tea was discovered. Each story consists of someone becoming distracted or traveling a long distance giving the tea time to become more oxidized. This led to its dark color and rich taste. Oolong tea is thought to help with weight loss and improving the skin. 

White Tea

White tea is another famous tea and is nearly entirely produced in China. Noted for its delicate flavor, white tea is the least processed type of tea and is traditionally just plucked, wilted, and dried. Historians think white tea is the first variety of tea ever made because it is the easiest to create. Some also believe white tea is the healthiest option since it is the least processed form of the tea leaf.

Oil Tea

Oil tea is a favorite variety from Guilin and other parts of southern China. Historically, it is the product of several southern ethnicities. They have made this type of tea for centuries and keep the tradition alive today. 

Oil tea is high in caffeine and offers a strong taste due to the amount of tea leaves, oil, and other ingredients boiled in its broth. People either love or hate it. 

10 Interesting Things about Chinese Tea

Tea was first discovered by the Chinese and used as medicine. Then it evolved into a type of beverage, and became an integral part of Chinese culture. 

Here are 10 interesting facts about Chinese tea to help you learn more about it.

1. Tea Has a 3,000-Year History in China

China is the homeland of tea. Wild tea trees from over 3,000 years ago, where tea was once farmed, and extant cultivated tea areas dating back to 800 years ago, can still be found in Southwest China.

The Tea Horse Road linked Southwest China with Tibet's tea drinkers from the 6th century.

Simple tea-processing emerged between 221 BC and 8 AD. Tea leaves were pressed into balls, dried, and stored. People later crushed the balls and mixed them with herbs, such as green onion and ginger, before boiling them. From then onwards, tea became a beverage.

Tea was enjoyed by Han Dynasty emperors pre 220 AD.

According to the legend, some Chinese once people believed tea was first discovered by Shennong (the Divine Farmer c.2500 BC) who was one of the ancestors of Chinese people.

2. Tea is the Second Most Consumed Beverage in China

Nowadays, tea is consumed around the world more than any other beverage except for water. You can find lots of teahouses in China easily, especially in the top tea culture cities.

In addition, the diversity of styles and flavors of Chinese teas is unparalleled in other countries (see Chinese tea classification).

3. Tea Was First Used as Medicine

Before the 8th century BC, tea in China was primarily used as a medicine. Ancient Chinese people often boiled fresh tea leaves and drank the infusion. They believed that tea reduced "heat" (see Chinese medicinal cuisine) and improved eyesight.

To this day that white tea over 3 years still considered as a ideal antipyretics to young children with measles in North China.

4. Tea is China's Oldest Exported Product

China was the first and still is the largest exporter of tea. Near the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), British merchants set up trading posts in Xiamen, Fujian Province and first started to trade in Chinese tea.

In Mandarin Chinese, "tea" is "cha". The only region where it wasn't called it cha was Fujian Province. What the people of Xiamen called tay, the British spelled as "tea".

The term "tea" started spreading later than "cha" but, with the English language, traveled much further. Nowadays, the term "cha" is still used in Japan.

5. Tea Grown in Different Areas Has Different Flavors

Tea is the national drink in China, but the production and consumption of tea is distinctive in different regions.

On the one hand, different regions are famous for growing different types of tea. For example, Hangzhou has the best green tea — Longjing tea.

On the other hand, people in different regions tend to prefer drinking different teas. It's clear that people in Beijing like flower-scented tea, especially jasmine tea; people in Shanghai and surrounding areas like green tea.

6. The Longer Some Teas Are Stored the More Expensive They Are

There's a saying among Chinese tea-lovers: a brick of good Pu'er tea is more valuable than a gram of gold. Some regard tea as an investment commodity rather than just something to put in a cup to drink.

Over the past decade, some high-end teas, especially those that improve with age have become as collectible in China as the rarest vintage wines.

For example, Pu'er and white tea are highly praised for their suitability for long-term storage — the longer they are stored, the more valuable they become.

But not all tea is suitable for collecting, since some types of tea including green tea, deteriorate with age.

7. Serving Tea to Elders or Guests Is a Sign of Respect

In traditional Chinese culture, serving tea to a guest is a sign of respect. A younger person can show respect and gratitude to an older person by offering a cup of tea. This is especially common during big celebrations, such as birthdays or the Spring Festival.

Another special occasion when tea is served is a traditional Chinese wedding. In a traditional Chinese marriage ceremony, both the bride and groom kneel before their parents and serve them tea. This is a way of expressing gratitude to their parents for raising them.

8. Chinese People Believe Tea is Good for Weight Loss

Tea is said to provide a lot of health benefits and is believed to be a healthy beverage by Chinese people. People believe that drinking tea every day could decrease the risk of many diseases.

The most common belief is that it contributes to slimming, although there is no conclusive evidence that green tea aids weight loss, or has any beneficial health effects.

9. Tea Is a Great Social Media

Tea is a great social media in China. A teahouse is the by-product of Chinese tea culture. Chinese people generally consider meeting in a teahouse to be a good opportunity to socialize or discuss business matters.

Conventionally, Chinese scholars prefer to have free and deep communication with their friends, and businessmen usually conduct negotiations with their business partners, when enjoying some tea.

10. Chinese People Think a Tea Set Is Very Important for a Good Cup of Tea

Chinese people are usually really finicky about the teaware they use for brewing or drinking tea. They believe that different tea sets affect the tea's flavor.

The most popular teapot in China is the Yixing (a city in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu) clay teapot. The amazing quality of the Yixing teapot is that each time tea is brewed inside it, it absorbs the tea's flavor. After being used many times, the pot itself can flavor the boiled water without adding any fresh tea leaves.

Chinese Tea

Tea is an important part of Chinese tradition. As Chinese society developed and progressed, tea production has played a role in driving economic development while tea consumption has remained a practice of daily life.

The practice of tea culture can bring the spirit and wisdom of human beings to a higher orbit. Tea has an extremely close relationship to Chinese culture, and its study covers a wide field and has very rich content. It not only embodies the spirit of civilization, but also the spirit of ideological form. There can be no doubt that it has been beneficial in enhancing people's social accomplishments and appreciation of art.

History of Chinese Tea

The history of Chinese tea is a long and gradual story of refinement. Generations of growers and producers have perfected the Chinese way of manufacturing tea, and its many unique regional variations.

The original idea is credited to the legendary Emperor Shennong, who is said to have lived 5 000 years ago. His far-sighted edicts required, among other things, that all drinking water be boiled as a hygienic precaution. A story goes that, one summer day, while visiting a distant part of his realm, he and the court stopped to rest. In accordance with his ruling, the servants began to boil water for the court to drink. Dried leaves from a nearby bush fell into the boiling water, and a brown substance was infused into the water. As a scientist, the Emperor was interested in the new liquid, drank some, and found it very refreshing. And so, according to legend, tea was created in 2737 BC.

Chinese Tea Types

The main varieties of Chinese tea are classified as green tea, black tea, Oolong tea, white tea, yellow tea, and dark tea. Read more on Chinese tea types.

Chinese Tea Culture

Drinking tea：Tea is taken as a beverage to quench thirst.

Tasting tea: The quality of the tea is judged by the color, fragrance and flavor of the tea, the water quality and even the tea set. When tasting tea, the taster should be able to savor the tea thoroughly.

Tea art: While drinking attention is paid to environment, atmosphere, music, infusing techniques and interpersonal relationships.

The highest ambit-- tea lore : Philosophy, ethics and morality are blended into tea activity. People cultivate their morality and mind, and savor life through tasting tea, thereby attaining joy of spirit.

Chinese tea lore is several hundred years, possibly even thousands of years, older than that of Japan. It is said that Chinese tea lore places an emphasis on spirit and makes light of form. Tea lore had different representations at different historical periods. Teas are also various, but all embody the tea spirit of “clearness, respect, joy and truthfulness”.

Tips of Effective Tea Drinking

Drinking tea offers numerous benefits. It refreshes the mind, clears heat within the human body and helps people lose weight. As you add a cup of tea to your daily routine, please check the following tips which help you reap the maximum health benefits.

1. Drink it hot. Tea oxidizes quickly after brewing, and its nutrients diminish overtime. It is suggested that you drink it hot to get the best out of tea.

2. Do not drink too much strong tea. It is likely to upset your stomach and cause insomnia if you make the tea too strong. Usually you can mix 4 grams (0.13 ounce) of tea leaves with 250 milliliters (0.44 pint) to make a cup of tea. An overall amount of 12 - 15 grams (0.4 - 0.5 ounces) of tea leaves is suitable for daily consumption.

3. The best time to drink is in between meals. Do not drink tea soon after or before meals. Otherwise it may quench appetite when your stomach is empty, or cause indigestion when your stomach is full.

4. Do not drink with medication. Tea contains large amount of Tannin, which will react with certain elements in the medicine, thus reduce medical effects. You can drink tea a couple of hours after you take medicine.

5. Green tea is the best option for office workers. Green tea contains catechins that help prevent computer radiation and supplement moisture content of the human body.

8 Types Green Tea

Tea is one of the essential parts of Chinese people's lives. The custom of drinking tea dates back to the third millennium BC in China and green tea is the most popular type of tea there.

It has been proven that the day assumption of green tea have many health effects including reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, loose weigh and anti-aging.

Here are eight high-quality teas with a high reputation in China. Most of the teas are named after their original producing areas.

1. West Lake Dragon Well Tea (西湖龙井Xī hú Lóngjǐng)

• Producing area: West Lake area in Hangzhou

Dragon Well tea, also known as Longjing tea, is the most famous green tea in China and is renowned around the world. It enjoys a high reputation for the sake of its gentle flavor and pleasing aroma.

There are various types of Dragon Well tea in China, but the authentic Dragon Well tea is the one where the tea is grown within the West Lake area in Hangzhou. Shi Feng(Lion Peak), Longjing, Wuyun Mountain, Hupao and Meijiawu are recognized as the five finest producing regions.

2. Biluochun (碧螺春 Bìluóchūn)

• Producing area: Dongting Mountain, Suzhou

The name Biluochun literally means "Green Snail Spring". It is cropped during the spring equinox and "grain rain" period (according to the 24 solar terms), and it has a curled shape resembling a snail. It has a strong aroma and fruity taste.

3. Huangshan Maofeng Tea (黄山毛峰 Huángshān Máofēng)

• Producing area: Huizhou City, Anhui

Huangshan Maofeng tea (literally meaning "Yellow Mountain Fur Peak") originates from the Yellow Mountain in Anhui Province. It has been famous since the Guangxu Emperor's reign during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and it's picked in the early spring. It has peak-shaped leaves with ivory-tinted hairs, and its golden tea is slightly sweet and fragrant with a lingering aftertaste.

4. Taiping Houkui Tea (太平猴魁, Tàipíng Hóukuí)

• Producing area: Yellow Mountain, Anhui

Taiping houkui literally means "monkey leader" in Taiping Prefecture (now the Huangshan area). It has a straight shape just like a bamboo leaf which is rare among tea and its leaves are larger than other types.

5. Lu'an Melon Seed Tea (六安瓜片Lù'ān Guāpiàn )

• Producing area: Lu'an City, Anhui

Lu'an Melon Seed tea was a type of tribute tea for the imperial family during the Qing Dynasty. The Guangxu Emperor (1871-1908) and Empress Dowager Cixi were very fond of it.

Lu'an Melon Seed tea also has a very high nutritional value. It was widely used to prevent sunstroke by the Chinese during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

6. Xinyang Maojian Tea (信阳毛尖 Xìnyáng Máojiān)

• Producing area: Xinyang City, Henan Province

Maojian (毛尖"hairy tips") is a special type of tea. "Hairy" refers to the "tiny fuzz in cup" when it's brewed, while "tips" refers to the shape of the sharp, full, and young tea leaves.

Compared to other types of tea, Xinyang Maojian leaves are relatively small, being well-known since the late Qing Dynasty, with a green color, white hairs, and a thin and firmly rolled appearance with both ends in a pointed shape.

7. Lushan Yunwu Tea (庐山云雾 Lúshān Yúnwù Chá)

• Producing area: Lushan, JiuJiang City, Jiangxi Province

Listed as a tribute tea in the Song Dynasty(960-1279), Yunwu ("cloud mist") tea is grown on Lushan Mountain, Jiangxi Province. It is famous all over China owing to its origin on Lushan Mountain, and it's characterized by its tender leaves, jade green luster, clear tea and sweet flavor.

8. Nanjing Rain Flower Tea (南京雨花茶 Nánjīng Yǔ Huā Chá )

• Producing area: Yuhuatai District, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province

Nanjing Rain Flower Tea is a special type of green tea, which was named after the area it's grown in: Yuhua tai, Nanjing City. It is also known in Chinese as Yu Hua Cha which is a local product of Nanjing.

Nanjing Rain Flower tea leaves are processed with great care and have a delicate appearance with a pine needle shape. It has a light, smooth, and sweet flowery taste and has received a high reputation in Southeast Asia so that people consider it to be the perfect gift.

Infusion of Green Tea

According to the Chinese tea ceremony tradition, green tea should be infused three times, and each infusion has its own points for attention.

• The water used should be 80°C (176°F) to 85°C (185°F).
• Infuse for 2-3 minutes each time.
• Consume the tea (all three infusions) within 30 minutes.

The First Infusion of Green Tea — Fresh and Fragrant

Attention should be paid to the leaves dancing in the boiling water during the first infusion of tea. Drink it slowly in small sips to taste its fresh and fragrant flavor.

The Second Infusion of Green Tea — Strongest Taste

When two thirds of the first infusion is consumed, add the second infusion to the fair cup. (You'll need one vessel for brewing, one vessel for distributing –the fair cup, and cups for drinking.).

The second infusion of tea has a much stronger flavor and a lingering fragrance, which makes you feel fresh and joyous, and you're supposed to concentrate your attention on its flavor.

The Third Infusion of Green Tea — a Lighter Tea to Finish

When half of the second infusion of tea is left, add the third infusion to the fair cup.

The tea is typically light in color and possibly inspired in flavor by the third infusion. Some Chinese add sugar to the third infusion of tea to boost the flavor.

Green Tea's Benefit

It has not been proven that daily consumption of green tea has any health benefits, though it is statistically associated with lessened risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and death from any cause. However, this may be linked more with the less-stressed lifestyle and increased water consumption of habitual green tea drinkers, compared to non-green-tea-drinkers, than the tea itself.

Green tea makes up over 50% of China's tea market share. In TCM it has a high medicinal value and is, therefore, used as both a beverage and a medicine in China.