Complete Guide To Types of Chinese Teas - Greedy Girl Gourmet (2024)

A complete Guide to Types of Chinese Teas, from the origin, processing, taste, brewing method and even leaf shape! We will look at the 6 major categories of Chinese Tea plus one more: Herbal or Scented Tea.

Did you know that, not counting water, tea is the world's favorite drink?

What is Chinese Tea?

Teastarted as a beverage made from the leaves ofthe Camellia Sinensisplant, also known as the tea plant or tea trees. The leaves are soaked in hot water, usually 60–100°C, depending on the type of tea being brewed.

Tea originated in China, so Chinese Tea, which this article will focus on, is the OG of tea. (OG = Original Guard.) If you're looking for Chinese herbal teas only, click here.

After tea spread all around the world, different countries developed their own ways of processing the leaves (e.g. Japanese matcha vs Chinese green tea.) Chinese Tea refers to Camellia Sinensis leaves that have been processed with traditional Chinese methods.

Unlike modern Bubble Tea (Boba) or Hong Kong Yuan Yang Tea, traditional Chinese tea is usually drunk without adding milk or sugar.

Traditional Chinese tea typically comes as a loose leaf tea (and not a tea bag.) However, China is so large that there are many other styles such as:

• Hakka Ground Tea 擂茶: also known as Lei Cha or Thunder Tea, the tea is ground with other ingredients, such as herbs and nuts, before being consumed as a drink or as part of a dish.
• Gunpowder Tea 珠茶: this is a type of tea that dates back to the Tang dynasty. Each leaf is tightly rolled into a small round ball, similar to a gun's pellet. You usually find green tea or oolong tea presented in this way. Although it's mostly done by machines now, the highest quality Gunpowder Tea is still rolled by hand.
• Flowering Tea 开花茶: dried tea leaves are wrapped around a dried flower, such as hibiscus and chrysanthemum. When hot water is poured over the leaves, the leaves will unfurl and the ball will "bloom."

Note: today, there are many drinks made from soaking the leaves, flowers or other parts of non-Camellia Sinensis plants, that are also called tea. Examples would be Longan Tea, Goji berry Tea, Jujube Tea, Ginger Tea, Barley Da Mai Cha and Osmanthus Tea. We will discuss this in the "Flower/ Scented Tea" section below.

When to Drink?

Chinese people drink tea throughout the day, usually before, during or after a meal to wash down oily food.

Apart from their taste, Chinese teas are also consumed for their taste and their numerous health benefits, which range from aiding digestion to promoting mental clarity.

Over time, Chinese tea culture has extended beyond just the consumption and appreciation of the drink. Tea ceremonies and performances have become popular ways to connect with others, as well as express hospitality and respect.

History

Chinese tea has a rich and fascinating history that dates back thousands of years.

It is believed to have been serendipitiously invented by Emperor Shennong, a legendary figure who lived around 5,000 years ago.

According to legend, Shennong was a skilled herbalist and the father of Chinese agriculture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is said that he accidentally discovered tea while boiling water to drink when a leaf from a Camellia Sinensis tree fell into his pot.

This accidental infusion led to the birth of tea in China. Chinese people initially valued it for itsmedicinal qualities. As time passed, tea started to be consumed for its taste and enjoyed as a social and cultural activity.

Preparing and drinking tea became a refined art form, elevating tea's status from a mere drink to a symbol of Chinese civilization and tradition. Tea houses also emerged as social gathering places, where people could relax, discuss, and appreciate the art of tea together, further ingraining tea into Chinese cultural heritage.

Chinese Tea Art

Chinese Tea Art can be traced back to ancient times in China, where tea drinking was considered a sophisticated and spiritual experience.

The importance of tea inChinese culturegave rise to the development of the Chinese tea ceremony, a ritualized way of preparing and serving tea. The tea ceremony emphasizes aesthetics, harmony, and mindfulness, creating an atmosphere of tranquility and respect.

Different regions in China have distinct tea cultures, reflecting their local customs and traditions. For example, theGongfu tea ceremonyis popular in Fujian and Guangdong provinces, focusing on the skill and artistry involved in brewing tea.

3 Fun facts about Chinese tea ceremonies

• The person to the left of the guest is the VIP! The person to the right is the least important...
• If invited to take the first sip of tea, stand up to show your appreciation. Men should hold the left hand over the right fist, whilst women should put their palm together, then bow, sit, smell and sip. If you see someone tapping their fingers on the table, they're not being impatient!
• Finger tapping, or finger kowtow, is a way of expressing thanks to the person serving you tea (or food.) This practice dates back to Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty: when he was wandering around China incognito, his entourage couldn't kowtow to him, so they woul tap their fingers instead.

Types

Chinese teas are usually classified into 6 main categories.

However, I've taken the libery of adding an 7th category (Flower and Scented Tea) to account for teas such as Chrysanthemum and Osmanthus.

• Green Tea
• Black Tea
• Oolong Tea
• White Tea
• Yellow Tea
• Dark Tea
• Flower/ Scented Tea

From green tea to black tea, and oolong to pu-erh, each type of tea offers distinct flavors, aromas, and health benefits, which we will explore below. Depending on the type of tea, the brewing method will vary, with different temperatures, tea wares and amount of teas used.

Note: Pu-Er is one of China's most famous teas. Despite it being a type of dark tea, some people classify it under its own, 7th, category. I have included it in the section on "Dark Tea."

Green

Green tea 綠茶 is the oldest and most populartype of teain China.

The leaves are usually pan-fried on the same day they're plucked to halt the oxidation process. This keeps the leaves green and creates a fresh flavor with light grassy notes.

It also has a wealth ofhealth benefits, including antioxidants. (Out of all the categories of tea, green tea has the most tannins and antioxidants.) Some famous Chinese green teas include:

• Long Jing tea or Dragon Well Tea: one of China's most well-known teas, valued for its delicate aroma and flat, smooth, leaves that look like jade green swords. The taste is fresh, crisp, and almost vegetal. This renowned green tea from Hangzhou,Zhejiang province has a smooth, almost buttery and nutty taste. The tea is often pan-fired, which gives it a gentle, roasted flavor and reduces its astringency.
• Biluochun tea: This famous green tea fromJiangsu province is particularly known for its strong fragrance and coiled, snail-like shape. The tea has a floral, fruity aroma and a pleasant, slightlysweet taste. Often harvested in the early spring, Biluochun is highly valued for its meticulously hand-rolled leaves that unfurl when steeped, offering a beautiful visual experience.
• Chun Mee: this is one of the sweeter green teas and is sometimes called "precious eyebrow" tea because of the leaf shape.
• Jasmine Green Tea: this is green tea scented with the fragrance of jasmine leaves. Tastes delicious hot, as an ice tea, or as a boba tea!

Oolong

Oolong tea, or Wulong tea, is a partially oxidized tea that occupies a flavor profile between green and black teas.

Fujian, Guangdong and Taiwan are 3 of the best known Oolong growers today. This type of tea is usually used in the Chinese Gongfu Cha ceremony, a traditional Chinese tea ceremony in which tea leaves are steeped several times to draw out layers of flavor.

Renowned oolong teas include:

• Tieguanyin or Iron Goddess of Mercy tea: this highly-prized oolong tea from Anxi county,Fujian province is characterized by its tightly rolled leaves and robust, floral aroma. The leaves unfurl as they steep and can be infused several times. Tieguanyin offers a complex, layered taste with hints of creaminess and slight astringency. The tea is often roasted, which adds a depth of flavor and a rich, toasty finish..
• Da Hong Pao, or Big Red Robe: recognized for its bold, complex, oasted aroma and unique rock mineral taste. This is a premium oolong tea from the Wuyi Mountain inFujian province. Thetea leavesare tightly rolled and have a dark, reddish-brown color.Ithas a complex flavor profile, with a fruity, floral aroma and a rich, toasty taste. The tea is famous for its long-lasting aftertaste and lingering sweetness.
• Bai Jiguan: a lightly roasted tea with floral notes and a sweet aftertaste.
• Milk Oolong: not to be confused with oolong milk tea, a type of Taiwanese boba tea, this is a tea from Fujian with a milky, mellow flavor.

White

White tea 白茶 is the least processed of all Chinese teas and is withered and dried only when abour to be used. Known for its delicate, subtle flavors and high levels of antioxidants, it forms a pale yellow brew.

One of the most expensive Chinese teas, it was greatly valued by the imperial Chinese court. The leaves and young buds are gathered only once a year, at the dawn of spring, whilst the tea leaves still have their silvery hairs.

Popular examples of Chinese white tea include:

• Baihao Yinzhen, or White Hair Silver Needles: prized for its needle-like, silvery-white leaves and a light, fresh, slightly sweet, mellow flavor. This is a high-quality white tea fromFujian province (where my ancestors were from!) The tea is comprised of tender, unopened tea buds covered in fine white hairs. It has a delicate floral aroma and a pale, golden-amber color when steeped.
• Bai Mudan, orWhite Peony: usually consists of both the leaves and the buds, it has a slightly stronger flavor compared toBaihao Yinzhen. It is a little vegetal, a little sweet, high in antioxidants and low in caffine.
• Huangshan Maofeng: this green tea comes from the Yellow Mountains (Huangshan) inAnhui province. It has a fresh, floral fragrance and a mellow flavor profile. Thetea leavesare slender, slightly curved, and covered in fine white hairs, resembling the peaks of Huangshan. The tea has a bright, yellow-green color when steeped and is highly valued for its delicate taste.
• Shoumei: thiswhite tea is made from naturally withered top leaves and tips. Usually grown in Fujian or Guangxi, it has a stronger flavor similar to a lightOolongtea.

Yellow

Yellow tea黃茶 is a rare and unique variety of Chinese tea that undergoes a longer oxidation process than green tea. (It's rarer because the production process is more complicated, involving one more step:sealed yellowing. This involves encasing and steaming the tea leaves to increase oxidation and remove any vegetal flavor.)

This results in its characteristic yellow color and mellow, rich flavor.

A notable example ofyellow teais:

• Beigang Maojian
• Junshan Yinzhen or Silver NeedleYellow tea: this is a tea highly valued for its rarity and complex flavors. It is a rare and high-quality tea fromHunan province. The tea buds are covered in silvery-white hairs, giving it itsSilver Needlename.Junshan Yinzhenhas a gentle,sweet tasteand a soft, golden-yellow color when steeped.
• Mogan Huangya
• Meng Ding Huangya
• Pingyang Huangtang

Black or Red

Black tea, actually written asred tea 紅茶in Chinese, is fully oxidized which turns the leaves black. Known for its robust, bold flavor, it's still usually lighter in flavor than black teas from other countries.

It is the most popular type of tea in the West. Made from the new shoots of the Camellia Sinensis plant, the leaves undergo several processes: withering, rolling, crushing and full oxidisation before being fire in the oven to stop further oxidation.

It creates a dark colored brew, usually reddish-brown or dark, with a more complex flavor that can range from mild to very deep.

Some well-known black teas are:

• Lapsang Souchong 立山小種: also known as Zhengshan xiaozhong正山小種, this is one of the most well-known black teas in the West. The leaves are usually smoke-dried over a pinewood fire. It's not my favorites tea to drink, as the taste is super strong- you'll feel like you're drinking in the smoke of a campfire or smoking a cigar- but that's also why it works very well in braising eggs (e.g. Taiwanese tea eggs.)
• Dianhong: originates fromYunnan provinceand is characterized by its malty,sweet taste
• Golden Monkey tea: a high-quality tea with a rich, smooth flavor.
• Keemun: this black tea fromAnhui province is well-known for its unique aroma and layered complexity of flavor. Often described as having a slight sweetness, the taste of Keemun is often accompanied by earthy and fruity notes. Some may even taste a bit like smoky wine. Thetea leavesare small, with a twisted shape and a dark, rich color. It is a popular base for breakfast teas and blends, such as English Breakfast. When brewed, it turns into an amber red infusion.

Note: somewhat confusingly, when written in Chinese, Black Tea refers to aged, fermented teas, which we call "Dark Tea" in English, such as Pu-erh. See below for more on this type of tea.

Dark

Dark tea 黑茶, also known as fermented tea, is a category that includes teas processed through microbial fermentation. (The leaves are fermented after being oxidised and aged.)

This type of tea is derived from the post-fermentation of leaves. In standard processing, leaves are dried or fired to reduce moisture level and halt oxidation. That’s where the first process stops, and the second fermentation starts for dark tea production. Thesecond fermentationentails sprinkling the tea leaves with water and piling them to ferment.

The action of natural bacteria on the leaves during the fermentation process influences its color and taste. Unlike the other teas, dark tea’s flavor improves with age. It takes on a deep reddish hue and has a mild yet full-bodied flavor.

Pu Er

Pu erh tea is the most famous dark tea and the price can go up to 1000s of dollars.

It is named after the city Pu-erh, in Yunnan province, where it is produced.

There are both raw and ripe varieties. The taste of Pu'er tea varies depending on its aging and fermentation process but often exudes earthy, rich flavors.

• Sticky rice pu'er
• Banzhang
• Jingmai
• Bamboo roasted pu'er
• Bulang

Flower/ Scented

Chinese flower and scented teas are a unique and aromatic category of tea. They can involve:

• adding dried flowers or infusing floral scents intotea leaves
• brewing dreid fruits or dried flowers in hot water, in place of tea leaves.

Jasmine Tea

Jasmine tea, a popular Chinese flower tea, is traditionally made by infusing greentea leaveswith the fragrance of jasmine flowers.

Thetea leavesare harvested in early spring and then stored until jasmine flowers bloom in late summer. The jasmine flowers are picked during the day and mixed with thetea leavesat night, when the flowers release their scent. This process is repeated multiple times until the desired level of jasmine aroma is achieved.

Jasmine tea is known for its soothing and calming properties and is often consumed during and after meals to aid digestion.

Goji Berry Tea

This is a good non-caffeinated Chinese tea to drink at night.

Jujube Tea

Rose Tea

Rose tea, made from dried rose petals or rosebuds, is a fragrant and flavorful Chinese flower tea.

It not only has a pleasant aroma but also offers varioushealth benefits. High in antioxidants,vitamin C, and polyphenols, rose tea is known to improve digestion, alleviate stress, and promote healthy skin.

When preparing rose tea, it is essential to use organic or pesticide-free petals to ensure a pure and natural taste.

Osmanthus Tea

Osmanthus tea, also known as Gui Hua Cha, is a scented tea made from dried osmanthus flowers. These can be soaked on their own or combined with green, black, or oolongtea leaves. They're usually brewed for a few minutes before straining and consuming.

The resulting tea is floral, fruity, and naturally sweet, with a hint of very ripe peach or apricot flavor.

It is known to contain anti-inflammatory properties and aid in digestion. Thus, it it is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to improve skin complexion and support lung health. You can find osmanthus in everything from tea to osmanthus jelly!

Longan Tea

This is a warming tea that is often enjoyed around Chinese New Year. It can be made just with dried longans, or supplemented with other warming ingredients such as jujubes and wolfberries.

Lychee Tea

Lychee Tea is a delicious Chinese fruit tea, made from lychees. (Both fresh and canned lychees can be used.)

Typically, a green tea base is used to complement the floral lychee flavor.

Chrysanthemum Tea

Chrysanthemum tea is another popular Chinese flower tea made from dried chrysanthemum flowers.

It is a caffeine-freeherbal tea, known for its refreshing taste and numeroushealth benefits. Chrysanthemum tea is often used in Traditional Chinese medicine to reduce inflammation, soothe sore throats, and improve eye health. (It is believed to be "cooling.")

The tea can be prepared by steeping dried chrysanthemum flowers in hot water. You can also sweeten it with honey or rock sugar.

Tea Production in China

Zhejiang Province

Zhejiang Provinceis well-known for producing a variety of high-quality Chinese teas, including the famousLongjing(Dragonwell) green tea.

In addition to Longjing tea,Zhejiang Provinceproduces other notable teas such as Gunpowder green tea and Anji Bai Cha.

Jiangsu Province

Jiangsu Provinceis known for its production ofBiluochungreen tea, also known as "Green Snail Spring" due to the snail-like shape of its tightly rolled leaves.

Other popular teas fromJiangsu Provinceinclude Junshan Yin Zhen, a high-qualityyellow tea, and various fragrant green teas.

Anhui Province

Anhui Provinceis home to a wide variety of Chinese teas, including the famousHuangshan Maofenggreen tea, which is recognizable by its fine, curled leaves and pleasant aroma.

Anhui is also known for its production of Liu An Gua Pian, a large-leaf green tea, and the highly regarded Keemun black tea.

Fujian Province

Fujian Provinceis one of the most famous Chinese tea producing regions, known for its diverse range of teas such asWuyi rock teasand Tieguanyin, a popular oolong tea.

Fujian's unique climate and fertile soil contribute to the high quality and distinct flavors of its teas. The province also produces the highly-prized white tea, Bai Hao Yin Zhen, orSilver Needle Tea.

Hunan Province

Hunan Provinceis renowned for its dark teas, particularlyAnhuadark tea, which is characterized by its unique fermentation process and aged flavor.

Hunan dark teas are highly sought after for their reputedhealth benefits. The province also producesJunshan Yinzhenyellow teaand several types of green tea, such as Xiangxi Green Tips.

Yunnan Province

Yunnan Provinceis synonymous with the production ofPu-erh tea, a distinctive type of fermenteddark teaknown for its earthy flavor and potentialhealth benefits. (Pu-erh is actually the name of a place in Yunnan, after which the famous tea is named.)

Yunnan is also believed to be the birthplace of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis var. assamica, which is used in the production of many Chinese black teas. (We still lack concrete proof of this though.) However, the diverse climate and rich biodiversity of the region contribute to the unique taste and characteristics of Yunnan teas.

Health Benefitsand Considerations

Chinese teas have been revered for their numeroushealth benefitsand their rich cultural history, such as antioxidants, weight loss, and caffeine content.

Antioxidants

Chinese teas, like green and white varieties, arerich in antioxidantsthat help protect the body from the harmful effects of free radicals.

These antioxidants, primarily polyphenols and catechins, are known to provide a wide range ofhealth benefits, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and cardiovascular-protective properties. Consuming antioxidant-rich teas can help boost the immune system, improve overall health, and potentially reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

Weight Loss

Another notable benefit of Chinese tea is its potential to aid in weight loss.

Some studies have suggested that the regular consumption of tea, particularly green and oolong varieties, can help increase metabolism and fat oxidation, leading toweight loss. However, green tea can be high in lead content so only drink tea from reputable brands.

Incorporating Chinese tea into a healthy and balanced diet can provide an additional tool for individuals seeking to manage their weight.

Caffeine Content

Chinese teas can vary in caffeine content, depending on thetype of teaand how it's processed.

Generally, green and white teas tend to have lower caffeine content when compared to black and oolong teas. For people who are sensitive to caffeine or looking to reduce their caffeine intake, go for a green, white or flower tea.

It's important to note that while Chinese teas are known for their potentialhealth benefits, individual experiences and reactions may vary. As with any food or beverage, it is best to enjoy Chinese teas in moderation and as part of a well-balanced diet. Please consult a doctor or qualified health professional before making any changes to your diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

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