Chinese Tea Categories

Chinese tea evolved from a palace treat to a common beverage during the Jin Dynasty and Nan Bei Zhao (265 AD - 589 AD). Later during the Tang Dynasty (618 AD - 907 AD), Chinese tea trading had became extremely busy. Techniques in tea plantation and processing advanced in great speed. Lots of famous teas were developed.

As the hometown of tea, there are many kinds of tea in China. The following will offer some information about 8 kinds of Chinese tea. When you come to China, you may have a try.

Chinese Green Tea
Don't expect green tea to taste like your regular tea. All the different kinds of green tea have different flavors, but they do have a taste in common. The flavor of green tea can be described as: fresh, light, green, or grassy. Some varieties of green tea are have a bit of sweetness to them, and some are a little astringent. Green tea is not usually served with milk or sugar, but you can decide that for yourself.

Chinese Oolong Tea
For over seven centuries, oolong has been enjoyed by tea connoisseurs in China. Myths surround the many varieties of these teas. Regional competitions are dedicated to selecting and recognizing the best farmers every season. Oolong teas are full bodied in flavor and aroma ranging from green and floral to dark and roasted with many notes between. Many oolongs undergo a unique roasting process which can last from 12 to 36 continuous hours under the careful eye of a tea master. This category of tea contains moderate quantities of caffeine.

Chinese Black Tea
Black tea is a variety of tea that is more oxidized than the oolong, green, and white varieties. All four varieties are made from leaves of Camellia sinensis. Black tea is generally stronger in flavor and contains more caffeine than the less oxidized teas. Two principal varieties of the species are used, the small-leaved Chinese variety plant (C. sinensis sinensis), also used for green and white teas, and the large-leaved Assamese plant (C. sinensis assamica), which was traditionally only used for black tea, although in recent years some green has been produced.

Chinese White Tea
White tea is similar to green tea, in that it's undergone very little processing and no fermentation. But there is a noticeable difference in taste. Most green teas have a distinctive 'grassy' taste to them, but white tea does not. The flavor is described as light, and sweet. You should steep white tea in water that is below the boiling point.

Chinese Blossoming/Flower Tea
Chinese Flower Tea is a unique class of Chinese tea. It subdivides into Flower Tea and Scented Tea. Flower Tea is a simple concept that dried flowers are used, without much processing, to make tea. Scented Tea uses green tea, red tea as base and mix with scent of flowers. Chinese Flower Tea has light to medium flavor and medium to strong aroma.