6 Major Types of Chinese Tea

By September 13, 2016

China is one of the places where tea originated. Chinese tea, known as ‘cha (茶)’, is the most popular beverage in China. Chinese tea is classified in many ways, like quality, method of preparation or place of production. Generally, there are 6 types of Chinese tea: green, white, black, yellow, oolong and post-fermented tea.

1. Chinese White Tea

 

Chinese white tea

White tea, indigenous to Fuijan Province, is one of the most lightly oxidized teas. It is lighter in color than other types of tea with a subtle and delicate flavor. The white tea leaves are plucked when they are still young and immature with white hairs on the unopened buds. That’s why white tea has the whitish appearance. And white tea takes short processing time, which keeps a high amount of antioxidants that are beneficial to people’s health. So, it is said that white tea is the healthiest tea for people.

Famous Chinese White Tea: White Fur Silver Needle

2. Chinese Green Tea

 

Chinese Green Tea

Chinese green tea is the oldest and most popular type of tea which is mainly produced in the provinces of Jiangxi, Anhui, and Zhejiang. It is made from the young buds and leaves of the tea plant. Like white tea, green tea also undergoes minimal oxidation during process, which keeps more antioxidant properties. So, green tea also helps to strengthen your health, which according to recent research can help reduce the risk of stomach disorders, osteoporosis, headaches and diarrhea and slow down the aging process.

Famous Chinese Green Tea: West Lake Dragon Well, Dongting Green Snail Spring, Yellow Mountain Fur Peak, Liuan Melon Seed, Taiping Houkui, Xinyang Fur Tip

3. Chinese Yellow Tea

 

Chinese yellow tea

Yellow tea is properly the rarest of all the teas, accounting for maybe less than half a percent of the total tea production in China. Yellow tea is used to be an imperial tribute tea, which meant it was reserved only for the Emperors. The reason for that is yellow used to be the color of the Emperors in ancient China. Yellow tea is made in a very similar way to green tea. The difference lies in the fact that the tea leaves are steamed to heat in a moist environment.

Famous Yellow Tea: Mount Jun Silver Needle

4. Chinese Oolong Tea

 

Chinese Oolong Tea

Oolong tea is semi-oxidized tea, which means the leaf has been oxidized anywhere between 50% up to about 88.5%. So you get a wide variety of flavors. There are 28 high quality oolong teas grown in China alone, each with its own characteristics. With wide variations in flavor and type, it will be an unforgettable experience to search for a favorite. By the way, Oolong tea is mainly produced in Fujian province.

Famous Chinese Oolong Tea: Wuyi Big Red Robe, Anxi Iron Goddess

5. Chinese Black Tea

 

Chinese Black Tea

Black tea in China is called red tea, because the color of the liquor is actually red. It is the second largest category of Chinese tea, behind the green tea. The black tea undergoes complete fermentation, creating unique flavors. It goes through a process that includes withering, rolling, fermentation and drying.  During these processes, it produces many beneficial compounds, like flavonoids and Polyphenols, etc. So, it has a stronger flavor and, generally speaking, has many more healthy benefits. 

Famous Chinese Black Tea: Qimen Red

6. Chinese Post-fermented Tea

 

Chinese dark tea

Chinese Post-fermented tea, also known as dark tea, undergoes microbial fermentation, from several months to many years. Unlike most Chinese teas whose taste and aroma fade with age, post-fermented tea tastes good with years added. And aged tea is rare and extremely valuable. The most famous post-fermented tea is Puerh tea, came from Yunnan Province in the southwest of China.

Famous Chinese Post-fermented tea: Yunnan Puerh

To know more detail about the different types of Chinese tea, you can watch the video below:

Besides the above mentioned 6 types of Chinese tea, there are also other kinds of Chinese tea, like scented tea and blossoming tea. After knowing the types of  Chinese tea, do you want to know how to brew tea? You can refer to the article “How to Brew tea” to seek help. 

Comments (113) Cancel reply

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  1. green tea

  2. I’ve really started enjoying Apple Green Tea lately, it delicious

  3. Earl Grey with milk and one sugar.

  4. I love Raspberry and Cranberry,it’s quite subtle and so refreshing x

  5. I drink Earl Grey very refreshi g

  6. I love Green Tea

  7. Chinese Black Tea is a hit with me

  8. I love the greet tea

  9. I love all teas and I have one for every occasion! First thing in the morning I love a pot of Earl Grey black tea.

  10. Chinese black tea

  11. We usually drink a variety of Black Tea, Green Tea, White Tea, Chai tea, Oolong Tea, Roobios teas, Various herbal remedies such as Saint John’s Wart, Mint, Valerian, Catnip & a lot more….probably our favourite right now is Green tea….

  12. Ginger,with menthe leaf than add leime n honey

  13. Chinese Oolong Tea

  14. I mainly drink Earl Grey

  15. Chinese black

  16. I love Camomile tea the best!

  17. I mostly drink peppermint tea.

  18. I love all sorts of tea. I like Indian Chai, Jasmine or Green Tea

  19. My two favorites are orange tea and black tea.

  20. I love tea and to make it like this is so much better!!

  21. I drink a lot of Green Tea but also African Rooibos and Vanilla for a bit of flavour :)

  22. Black tea

  23. Green tea!

  24. Green tea yummy!

  25. Love black tea for me

  26. I like rosehip and hibiscus herbal infusion, don’t like actual tea at all. I’ll leave that to my partner and my daughter.

  27. I drink normal black tea

  28. I love all of tea :-)

  29. I like white teas.

  30. I love green tea with lemon, I would like to try Chinese Yellow Tea I never heard of it until now I like trying new flavors!

  31. chinese green tea

  32. I drink chamomile the most. It’s fantastic tasting and soothing.

  33. I drink Darjeeling Leaf tea most .

  34. I like green tea so would like the Chinese Green Tea

  35. I love Earl Grey tea leaves.

  36. I drink Orange Pekoe tea the most.

  37. I like milk tea.

  38. Orange Tea is the best!

  39. Japanese green tea.

  40. Chinese green tea is excellent

  41. I prefer black tea!

  42. Green tea and a bit of honey, simply delicious 😉

  43. David’s Teas are the best! So many varieties

  44. I love my green tea!

  45. I’m a yellow/green tea drinker…it depens, but mainly in winter I go with yellow tea and during spring early autumn I’m more for the green one

  46. I love Black Chinese tea!

  47. I love a good earl grey or green tea

  48. I actually prefer Japanese Genmaicha or herbal tisanes

  49. I love white tea. It has no bitterness and offers sublime taste.

  50. I love black tea.

  51. Black Tea is my Best friend!!!

  52. Green tea for sure!!

  53. I am a lover of Matcha tea and Puer’eh (I believe that’s how you spell it?)

  54. I like and drink oolong the most. Sooo good.

  55. Chinese green tea is awesome to drink but I also enjoy Ginger tea it has helpful properties. Enjoy drinking tea with a meal or just with tea biscuits.

  56. I Like Jasmine Tea

  57. BLACK MOSTLY…OCCASSIONALLY GREEN

  58. Creamed Earl Grey is my all-time favourite, however a nice cup of lemon peppermint tea in the afternoon really helps with those 3pm yawns. Even holding a cup on a cold day just makes the soul feel better.

  59. breakfast tea

  60. I got totally hooked on green tea living in Taiwan.

  61. I like Orange oolong Tea best

  62. I love green tea!

  63. Coffee is my Beverage but I do like a cup of Black tea or Japanese lime tea

  64. i LOVE MY CHINESE BLACK TEA

  65. I love green tea but would love to try all the types listed above and experience their benefits.

  66. I enjoy black tea.

  67. I tend to like black tea the most.

  68. English breakfast it has to be !

  69. I drink green tea the most.

  70. I prefer the Chinese Oolong tea.

  71. Love a good cup of chinese black tea.

  72. green tea

  73. I’m an earl grey tea drinker.

  74. I love a nice detoxing green tea

  75. I mostly drink Chamomile. It’s very good for the digestion.

  76. I like green tea occasionally.

  77. My favorite is English Breakfast Tea, followed by Irish Breakfast Tea. I’m also fond of Russian teas. Unfortunately, green tea gives me heartburn.

  78. My favorite cup of tea is Chinese Black Tea.

  79. Chinese Black Tea

  80. Chinese Black Tea

  81. I drink chamomile tea.

  82. so many types i typically drink green

  83. I mostly have Indian dargeeling tea with aroma of cardamom

  84. I prefer to drink Chinese Green Tea because it helps to stay active all day long.

  85. Black Tea

  86. I like oolong tea!

  87. I love to drink all kinds of teas! Variaty is the spice of life. But if I had to choose it would be green tea

  88. I only drink Earl Grey Tea

  89. I drink black tea the most!

  90. Earl Grey

  91. I like Chinese Black Tea

  92. There’s nothing like a good cup of Anxi Iron Goddess Tea.

  93. Green tea for me.

  94. White Tea the very best

  95. I adore green tea!

  96. love a nice spice tea

  97. My favourite is the white tea.

  98. I drink good old English Breakfast black tea

  99. Of these teas, the green tea is my favourite.

  100. Never knew some of these – thanks for the info!

  101. I drink green tea most.

  102. I drink green tea more than any other kind, but my favorite is mint

  103. I actually love the Raspberry leaf tea.

  104. I love green tea with lemon!

  105. Oolong Cha is my favorite

  106. Chinese green tea is the one I drink most out of the selection. I usually add some honey to calm the bitter taste though.

  107. I like black teas

  108. Chinese black tea