20 Favorite Chinese Teas
  • West Lake Longjing (Xihu Longjing)
    Also called: Dragon Well Tea
    Type: Green Tea
    Planting region: West Lake area in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province
    The planting of Longjing green tea dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Ranking first among China's top ten green teas, it is known for its green color, strong fragrance, sweet taste, and elegant shape. The leaves are flat and straight, with a verdant color and mellow fragrance. When brewed, the leaves and pale yellow soup present beautifully.
  • Yellow Mountain Fur Peak (Huangshan Maofeng)
    Also called: Yellow Mountain Fur Peak
    Type: Green Tea
    Planting region: Yellow Mountain in Huangshan City, Anhui Province
    Huangshan Maofeng often appears in lists of the best Chinese green teas. The leaves curl slightly like a bird’s tongue. The soup is clear and yellowish, with a long-lasting orchid or chestnut aroma. The name comes from the white pekoe-covered tips and fresh leaves picked from Mt. Huangshan.
  • Green Snail Spring (Biluochun)
    Type: Green Tea
    Planting region: Dong Ting Mountain by Taihu Lake, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province
    Biluochun gets its name from the rolled shapes resembling snails. It was a precious tribute in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The leaves are tight, curly, and silvery green with white hair. It has a mixed aroma of flowers and fruit. When brewed, the leaves unfold and sink, with clear green soup.
  • Pu-erh Tea
    Type: Dark Tea
    Planting region: Pu'er City, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China
    Pu-erh tea, made from Camellia leaves and stems, is a Chinese dark tea. It includes raw (unfermented) and ripe (fermented) types, and loose or compressed forms. Originating in Yunnan Province, its unique fragrance lasts long, with strong, mellow taste and orange soup. Aged Pu-erh is considered better.
  • Tieguanyin
    Type: Oolong Tea
    Planting region: Xinping Town, Anxi County, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province
    Tieguanyin is a traditional Chinese tea in the green tea category, one of China's top ten famous teas. Discovered in 1723-1735, it has "Guanyin rhyme" with orchid fragrance, pure flavor, and lasting aroma—"seven brews with lingering fragrance."
  • Lapsang Souchong (Zhengshan Xiaozhong)
    Type: Black Tea
    Planting region: Wuyishan City, Fujian Province, China
    Lapsang Souchong is the originator of black tea. "Zhengshan" means high-mountain origin, processed in Tongmu. Similar teas from nearby are called "outer mountain."
  • Da Hong Pao (Wuyi Rock Tea)
    Type: Oolong Tea
    Planting region: Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province, southeast China
    Da Hong Pao is the highest grade oolong, with green tea's faint scent and black tea's mellow taste. Leaves are twisted like dragonfly heads, brown with metal gray. Rich in vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, H, C, P, and inositol.
  • Anji White Tea
    Type: Green Tea
    Planting region: Anji County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province
    Though named "white," it's green tea from a mutant tree with white young leaves. Produced briefly in spring, leaves turn jade-white when brewed.
  • Xinyang Maojian Tea
    Type: Green Tea
    Planting region: Xinyang City, Henan Province
    Divided by picking times, it has slim, straight shape, white hair, chestnut aroma, and fresh taste. Soup is yellow-green.
  • Anhua Dark Tea
    Type: Dark Tea
    Planting region: Anhua County, Yiyang City, Hunan Province, China
    One of six basic teas, post-fermented. Products include Por brick, black brick, flower brick, green brick, Xiang Jian.
  • Jasmine Tea
    Type: Reprocessed Tea
    Planting region: Hengxian County, Guangxi; Fuding City, Fujian
    Made from green tea embryos and jasmine flowers. Origin: Fuzhou, Fujian.
  • Taiping Houkui (Monkey Chief Tea)
    Type: Green Tea
    Planting region: Taiping County (now Huangshan District), Huangshan City, Anhui Province
    Unique shape: two leaves wrapping a bud, flat, straight, dark green. Soup is green, clear, with lasting fragrance.
  • Lu'an Gua Pian (Lu'an Melon Seed Tea)
    Type: Green Tea
    Planting region: Lu’an City, Anhui Province
    Made from second leaf without sprout/stalk, reducing bitterness. Flat, oval leaves like melon seeds. Yellow-green soup, fragrant, sweet.
  • Zhuyeqing
    Type: Green Tea
    Planting region: Mt. Emei, Leshan City, Sichuan Province
    Flat, straight buds with white pekoe. Yellow-green soup, clear, fragrant.
  • Jin Junmei
    Type: Black Tea
    Planting region: Wuyishan City, Fujian Province, China
    Handmade from tens of thousands of buds per 500g. Small, compact, golden fluff, golden soup, refreshing.
  • Keemun Black Tea (Qimen Hong Cha)
    Type: Black Tea
    Planting region: Qimen County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province
    Queen of black tea, favored by British royals. Tight, thin, straight, dark bright. Rich in riboflavin, folic acid, carotene, tocopherol, luteinone, fluoride.
  • Fuding White Tea
    Type: White Tea
    Planting region: Fuding City, Fujian Province, China
    From "Huacha No. 1" or "No. 2" buds/leaves. Complete appearance, apricot-yellow color, light, sweet, refreshing. Types: Pekoe Silver Needle, White Peony, Shou Mei.
  • Lushan Yunwu
    Type: Green Tea
    Planting region: Mt. Lushan, Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province
    Grows in high humidity. Verdant, neat, plump leaves with white fur. Faint yellow soup.
  • Junshan Yinzhen (Silver Needles of the Gentleman Mountain)
    Type: Yellow Tea
    Planting region: Jun Mountain, Dong Ting Lake, Hunan Province, central south China
    Strong, even buds. Inner gold color, outer fine hairs like silver needles. Avoid for pregnant women, cardiac issues, constipation.
  • Duyun Maojian
    Type: Green Tea
    Also Called: White Maojian, Slim Maojian
    Planting region: Duyun City, Guizhou Province, China
    Named by Mao Zedong. Picked around Qingming, one leaf one sprout. Rolling, neat, yellow-green with white pekoe. Green-yellow soup.
How to Brew Lishan Oolong Tea

Lishan Tea Features

  • The unique taste of Qingxin Oolong
  • Unique fruity and orchid aroma

High mountain tea emphasizes the special aroma and taste from the local environment. Lishan's high-altitude climate avoids astringency from excessive sun. Loose soil and good water circulation aid aroma (alcohol compounds), sweetness (amino acids), and consistency (sugar).

The land's nourishment creates Lishan's flavor with rich, natural "pectin taste"—a sweet consistency like unthickened white fungus soup. High pectin gives a full mouthfeel, fragrant with throat aftertaste.

Hot Tea Brewing

Use 5-7 grams of tea: Place 6 grams in a bowl, pour 90-100°C (recommended 90°C) hot water, soak 2-3 minutes, then pour into cup. Add 30-45 seconds per subsequent brew. (Correctly brewed Lishan Oolong is fragrant and sweet!)

Cold Brew Method

  • Put 3g tea (500-700ml water) in cold brew bottle.
  • Fill with room temperature cold water, close cap.
  • Refrigerate for 30 minutes—adjust time to taste. (Correctly brewed Lishan Oolong is fragrant and sweet!)

For faster shipping, contact us (higher fee required).

How to Brew Dayuling Oolong Tea

Dayuling Oolong Tea grows in Taiwan's Hehuan Mountain at over 2,200 meters—the world's highest oolong area. It has mellow taste and fragrant aroma, considered Taiwan's best high mountain tea origin. The area is new, but recognized as top. At 2,600 meters with cold, large temperature differences, trees grow slowly for tender, sweet tea. Well-drained acidic soil creates unique flavor.

Hot Soak

  • Tea amount: 8:100 ratio (8g tea with 100cc water)
  • Temperature: 100°C
  • Time: 10s warm brew, 1’00” first, 50” second, 1’00” third; add 20s each after

Cold Brew

  • Tea amount: 2:100 ratio (2g tea with 100ml water)
  • Temperature: Room temperature cold water
  • Time: 3 hours room temp; 6 hours refrigerated

Iced

  • Tea amount: 10g leaves & 400cc water
  • Temperature: 100°C
  • Time: Soak 6'00", add ice
How to Brew Zhangping Narcissus

Zhangping Narcissus tea cake is compressed oolong, a traditional Han creation. It has strong flavor, clear long aroma, natural orchid-like floral scent. Mellow, smooth, fresh, lively; stores well, brew-resistant. Reddish-yellow color. Taste reveals narcissus fragrance, throat-moistening, sweet aftertaste. Popular in western Fujian, Guangdong, Xiamen; exported to Southeast Asia.

Brewing Method

  • Warm the cup: Rinse bowl, pot, or cup with boiling water.
  • Add tea: Soak one piece whole. Smell fragrance after unpacking.
  • Wake the tea: Pour 100°C water, soak briefly, pour out to loosen cake.
  • Brewing: Pour 100°C water around wall; first three brews 10-15s (delay if firm); fourth+ delay (20s, 25s, 30s, 35s). Adjust to taste; avoid long soaks for no bitterness.
  • Continued brewing: Lingers after seven brews; third/fourth best. "One cup water, two tea; third/fourth essence; fifth/sixth good; seventh lingering."
How to Brew Taiping Houkui

Taiping Houkui is green tea from Huangshan District, Anhui (formerly Taiping County). Among China's top ten green teas.

  • Spring tea
  • Green tea
  • Not fermented
  • Two leaves bear buds, flat straight, green moist
  • Refreshing fragrance, mellow sweet taste
  • Effects: Diuresis/swelling, anti-aging, skin/beauty, refresh/fatigue-relief, antibacterial/anti-inflammatory, inhibit cardiovascular disease

Method: Tureen Brewing

Utensils: White porcelain tureen, fair cup, tea cup, 3g tea, purified water.

  • First soak: 85°C, pour along edge, uncover, 60s. Soup bright yellow-green, sweet mellow, lasting orchid fragrance.
  • Second: 85°C, along edge, no cover, 2 min. Mellow smooth, lasting orchid.
  • Third: 90°C, along edge, uncover, 3 min. Similar taste, long orchid.

Method

  • Add boiling water to cup.
  • Turn cup to preheat (hold non-hot bottom).
  • Pour out water.
  • Add >95°C water (1/3 cup height).
  • Add 10-15 Taiping Houkui, soak.
  • Turn cup for better aroma.
  • Fill to 70-80% along wall.
How to Brew Anji White Tea

"Anji White Tea" is green tea from Anji County, Zhejiang, processed as green tea. Named for white young leaves from a mutant tree. Produced briefly (about one month) during albino period; brewed leaves jade-white.

Brewed color jade-white, light orchid scent, sweet without bitterness/astringency—even last sip. Favored for light sweet taste, lingering mouth fragrance.

Health Benefits

  • Lower blood pressure
  • Prevent aging
  • Prevent radiation
  • Lose weight
  • Enhance memory

Conventional Method

  • Tea: 2-3g
  • Temperature: 80-85°C
  • Tool: Glass
  • Pour 1/4 water, shake clockwise to wake tea—absorb water, unfold leaves.
  • Swirl-fill to 2/3 cup; watch leaves rotate. Sit 2 min.

Recommended Method

  • Rinse empty cup with boiling water, pour out—to clean, warm, maximize aroma.
  • Pour out water; add 3-5g leaves (to preference) per cup size.
  • Slowly pour ~90°C bottled/pure water along wall to 10-20% (max 30%). Moisten 3 min.
  • Pour 60-70°C water. Wait for drinkable temp. Leaves stretched, fresh; sweet mouth, fragrant after-swallow.
How to Brew Jasmine Tea

Brewing jasmine tea involves flowers releasing fragrance and tea absorbing it. Fresh jasmine decomposes aromatics under enzymes, temperature, water, oxygen; releases with blooming.

Tea absorbs via physical adsorption, plus water; osmotic effect causes chemical adsorption. Moisture/heat changes: soup from green to bright yellow, taste from light astringent to rich mellow—unique flower tea fragrance/color/taste.

Special jasmine: Glass cup, 80-90°C. Others (silver, special, first-grade): Porcelain covered cup, near 100°C. Ratio 1:50, brew 3-5 min each.

Many appreciate appearance first: Spread cup amount on paper, observe colors, smell aroma for interest.

Method maintains aroma, prevents loss, shows beauty.

Water temperature: 70-90°C

Tips: 85-90°C; low pour first for slow fragrance seep, roll leaves, reverberate soup. Pour to 80% full, cover immediately. Smell, cool slightly, small sips; hold in mouth, inhale mouth/exhale nose, flow on tongue 12 times, contact buds, taste before swallow.

How to Brew Mingqian Longjing

Special West Lake/Zhejiang Longjing: Flat smooth, sharp tips, buds > leaves, light green, no hairs; light green/yellow bright soup; light/tender chestnut aroma (some high fire); refreshing/rich taste; green intact leaves.

Brew in glass cup, ~85°C. Ratio 1:50 (1g:50ml). Pour 1/3 water to soak; after light fragrance, fill to 70-80% along edge. Moderate intensity, fresh mellow, bright green leaves.

Do not use 100°C boiling water! Longjing is green tea from young buds, unsuitable for boiling.

Use larger set. Leave small soup for "tea raising" to cool new water. Avoid long waits between brews to prevent bitterness.

Use "slow high" pour: Slow from high to cool/dissipate heat. (Water control key for tea!)

Avoid long soaks for no strong bitterness.

No cover on tureen/set! Longjing cooks/turns yellow.

Reference

  • Tea volume: 10% (vs set capacity)
  • Temperature: 85-90°C
  • Times: 3-4
  • Soak: First ~1 min; second ~30s; third ~1 min
How to Brew Baihao Yinzhen and Moonlight Yinzhen

Baihao Yinzhen (1796) is one of China's six white teas. From Fujian (Fuding, Zherong, Zhenghe, Songxi, Jianyang). Top ten famous, "beauty"/"tea king." Straight like needle, white hair, silver/snow; ~3cm long.

Named for bud-only, needle shape, dense white hair, silver-white.

Fat buds, white hair, needle-straight, silver-white. Fuding: Thick, white shiny, light apricot-yellow soup, fresh refreshing. Zhenghe: Mellow soup, fresh fragrance.

Cup Method

200ml cup (glass best), 5g tea, 90°C warm leaves, smell, brew boiling. Drink after 1 min (white tea unrolled, juice slow; longer brew, extend for thick/aged). Fragrance dissolves, smooth sweet soup; watch rise/fall for artistic brewing.

Gaiwan Method

3g tea, 130cc gaiwan (some suggest 80-90°C). Water 2-3 min first/second, extend third. Smell, taste; mouth fragrance, endless aftertaste. 12-15 brews; durable, fragrant/mellow/sweet.

Pot Method

7-10g tea, 90°C warm, 100°C steep. Serve 45-60s. Pure sweet, mellow.

How to Brew Milk Oolong Tea

Advanced Version

Main controls: High temperature, fast pour, concentrated strength.

Goal: Sweet, smooth, fragrant.

Brew time: Warm first for stable timing.

Tea amount: Golden ratio 1g:25-30cc.

Temperature: 100°C recommended, boiling best.

Example: 5g for 120cc container

  • First: 30s (100°C)
  • Second: 20s (95°C)
  • Third: 30s (92°C)
  • Fourth: 40s (100°C)
  • Fifth: 60s (100°C) + pot shower
How to Brew Da Hong Pao

Two ways: Pot or cup brewing.

  • Tea amount: Half container size (gaiwan/pot).
  • Water: 20-25ml per gram tea.
  • Temperature: >98°C initial boil, especially first.
  • Soak: 10s first, 30s second, 50s third. High-quality Dayuling rock >6 brews. (Reference; quick pour, no long soak.)

Tasting Method

First cup: Clear bright water? Orange/dark orange, three layers, "golden ring" surface. Pure subtle fragrance. Taste water-fragrance consistency.

Second: Mellow flavor? Low bitterness/impurities; mouth residue after swallow, heavier feel.

Third: Rhyme—fresh mouth, natural, lubricated throat pleasure, slippery swallow. Wuyi rock emphasizes "rock bone" throat rhyme, cup bottom, fragrance (smell after drinking). Tasting: spiritual, cultural enjoyment.

Da Hong Pao: Traditional king of teas. Good tea needs proper brew for authentic taste, full fragrance/nutrition.

Drink slowly, master skills, experience tranquility/elegance.