Tea was born in China. From Longjing green tea in Hangzhou to pu'er in Yunnan and rock oolong in Wuyi Mountain, this guide covers the six tea categories, famous tea regions, ceremony etiquette, and how to plan a tea tour with a licensed English-speaking guide.
Unoxidized tea prized for freshness. Famous examples: Longjing (Dragon Well) from Hangzhou, Biluochun from Suzhou, and Maojian from Xinyang. Brew at 80°C to keep the delicate, grassy sweetness.
Fully oxidized, called "red tea" in China. Keemun (Qimen) from Anhui, Lapsang Souchong from Wuyi with its pine-smoke aroma, and Dianhong golden tips from Yunnan. Smooth, malty, warming.
Semi-oxidized between green and black. Tieguanyin "Iron Goddess" from Anxi is floral; Da Hong Pao from Wuyi Mountain is roasted and mineral. The connoisseur's category for gongfu brewing.
Minimally processed, simply withered and dried. Baihao Yinzhen (Silver Needle) and Shoumei from Fuding, Fujian. Light, honeyed, and increasingly collected like pu'er for aging.
Rare and lightly fermented. Junshan Yinzhen from Yueyang, Hunan, is the classic: "sealing in yellow" mellows the grassiness. One of China's rarest teas, historically a tribute tea.
Post-fermented tea led by pu'er from Yunnan, plus Fu brick tea from Shaanxi and Liubao from Guangxi. Earthy, smooth, and famously aged for decades along the ancient Tea Horse Road.
Walk the terraced tea fields of Longjing (Dragon Well) village, pan-fry tea leaves with a master, and visit the China National Tea Museum by West Lake. Best pick: March-April before Qingming for Mingqian tea.
A UNESCO World Heritage landscape producing Da Hong Pao and other "rock teas" with mineral character. Ride a bamboo raft down the Nine-Bend River and hike to the six mother trees of Da Hong Pao.
The homeland of Iron Goddess oolong in Fujian. Visit working tea farms, watch the shake-and-roll oxidation craft, and taste the difference between light and roasted styles.
Xishuangbanna and Lincang hold ancient tea trees over 1,000 years old. Tour a pu'er pressing workshop, taste vintages, and trace the Tea Horse Road caravans from Jinghong or Dali.
Sichuan's laid-back bamboo-chair teahouses in People's Park are living tea culture: covered-bowl tea, ear-cleaning masters, and mahjong. The best place to experience tea as everyday life.
Cantonese "yum cha" morning tea pairs pu'er and tieguanyin with dim sum. A guided teahouse breakfast is the friendliest introduction to Chinese tea drinking customs.
The "skillful tea" ceremony uses a small clay Yixing teapot or gaiwan, generous leaves, and short successive infusions. Each round reveals a new layer — watch for the fragrance cups used in Fujian and Taiwan styles.
When someone refills your cup, tap two or three bent fingers on the table. Legend says Emperor Qianlong's servant, unable to kneel in disguise, tapped his fingers as a silent "kowtow" of thanks.
Tea is served to elders and guests first, from the seat of honor. Never point the teapot spout at anyone, and refill cups before they empty — an empty cup implies you should leave.
The quick first rinse "awakens" rolled oolongs and pu'er and is usually not drunk. Smelling the empty warm cup before the second infusion is half the pleasure.
Morning tea-picking at Longjing village, lunch at a farmhouse, pan-frying workshop, China National Tea Museum, and a West Lake sunset teahouse stop. Best March-May.
Day 1: Nine-Bend River rafting and Da Hong Pao valley hike. Day 2: rock tea tasting flight, roasting workshop, and a tea farmer's table dinner in the scenic area.
From Jinghong: ancient tea forests of Nannuo Mountain, a pu'er pressing workshop, Bulang village homestay, and the Sunday market at Menghun. Extend to Dali and Lijiang along the old caravan route.
Available in Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hangzhou: a guided gongfu cha tasting of six teas with snacks — the perfect rainy-day cultural activity.
The top picking season is spring: Mingqian tea (before Qingming, around April 5) is the most prized, especially for green teas like Longjing. Autumn yields excellent oolong and pu'er. Summer harvest is used mostly for everyday tea.
Start with a guided six-tea flight: one green, one white, one yellow, two oolongs, and a ripe pu'er. Note body, sweetness, and aftertaste rather than trying to name flavors. Slurping is allowed and helps!
Yes — loose tea travels well. Buy from reputable farms or brand shops in tea regions, keep it airtight and away from odors, and check your country's customs limits. Pu'er actually improves with age.
Most working tea farms and master roasters don't speak English and aren't open to walk-ins. A licensed guide arranges workshops, translates with farmers, explains craft steps, and keeps tastings authentic — not tourist shops.
Our licensed English-speaking guides can take you from tea field to teacup — picking, roasting, brewing, and tasting with real tea masters.
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