Ten Great Teas of China

I started the tea of the month blog posts some time ago, if you recall, with the intentions of sampling the different kinds of Chinese teas while I had the perfect access here in Shanghai and maybe learning a little more about tea. I found a market with a couple floors dedicated to every imaginable type of tea and tea paraphernalia. In that market, I have now also found a real good quality merchant who is supremely knowledgeable. I write this to let you know that it was recently, after more than a year’s worth of posts on the subject that I found an entry on the internet that listed China's Famous Teas (中国名茶) or The Ten Great Chinese Teas (中国十大名茶). So imagine my pleasure at discovering that even without this list, I managed to taste, research and write a little about most of the items on the list. I will now be looking to complete the list the next time that I am at the tea market.


Here is the list for your erudition: it includes the Chinese writing (useful for me at the tea houses!), the translated name, the region of origin and the type of tea.


Tea Name     Tea Name-translated                Origin                            Type

1. 西湖龙井 Xi Hu Long Jing Dragon Well ,Hangzhou (Zhejiang) , Green tea

2. 洞庭碧螺春 Dong Ting Bi Luo Chun, Green Snail Spring ,Suzhou (Jiangsu), Green tea

3. 安溪铁观音 An Xi Tie Guan Yin, Iron Goddess, Anxi (Fujian), Oolong tea

4. 黄山毛峰 Huang Shan Mao Feng, Fur Peak, Huangshan (Anhui), Green tea

5. 君山银针 Jun Shan Yin Zhen ,Silver Needle, Yueyang (Hunan), Yellow tea

6. 祁门红茶 Qi Men Hong Cha Qi Men, Red Tea, Qimen (Anhui) , Black tea

7. 武夷岩茶 Wu Yi Yan Cha, Big Red Robe, Wuyi (Fujian), Oolong tea

8. 六安瓜片 Liu An Gua Pian, Melon Seed ,Jinzhai (Anhui), Green tea

9. 白毫银针 Bai Hao Yin Jan, White Fur Silver Needle, Fuding (Fujian), White tea

10. 云南普洱 Pu'er, Puerh tea ,Simao (Yunnan), Post-fermented tea