West Lake Longjing
West Lake Longjing from Hangzhou, Zhejiang, is a pan-fired green tea with flat, smooth leaves and a yellow-green cast. The infusion is mellow and sweet, often with notes of toasted beans and a light floral aroma.
2026 Top Grade West Lake Dragon Well Pre-Qingming Green Tea 50g Tin[GT01]
The Best Green Tea
From
$65.00 USD
$75.00 USD
2026 Guzhang Maojian 古丈毛尖 Green Tea 50g Tin[GT09]
Silver down, fresh, mellow, sweet
$25.00 USD
$29.00 USD
What is Chinese green tea?
Chinese green tea comes from tea leaves heated early in processing to limit oxidation. Learn how familiar styles differ, how to brew them and how to keep the leaves fresh.
Key points
- Key step · Early heat fixation
- Hot brewing · 80–90°C
- Storage · Sealed, dry and away from light
The origins of green tea
Growing tea, picking the leaves, making tea by hand and sharing a cup have a long history in China. Over time, tea makers developed six broad categories, including green, white, yellow, oolong, black and dark teas.
What sets green tea apart is that the fresh leaves are heated early to slow oxidation. This helps preserve a fresh character. The aromas and shapes vary with the tea plant, the growing area, the picking standard and how the leaves are worked.
Four ways of making green tea
Pan-fired styles such as West Lake Longjing can have a toasted bean or chestnut aroma. Enshi Yulu is a well-known steam-fixed green tea with a fresh, clean profile. Oven-dried styles such as Huangshan Maofeng can have a gentle floral aroma. Yunnan Dianqing is a sun-dried example made from larger leaves. These four styles reflect different steps in processing, from early heating to final drying.
Compare the flat leaves of Longjing, the curls of Biluochun and the broad leaves of Taiping Houkui.
12 famous Chinese green teas
Biluochun
Dongting Biluochun comes from the hills around Lake Tai near Suzhou, Jiangsu. The fine, downy leaves curl like little spirals. Once brewed, the pale-green liquor is fresh and mellow, with floral and fruity notes.
Mengding Ganlu
This curled, pan-fired green tea comes from Mengding Mountain near Ya’an, Sichuan. The clear yellow-green liquor has a fresh sweetness and a fragrant finish. Its name Ganlu means ‘sweet dew’.
Huangshan Maofeng
This baked green tea from the Huangshan area of Anhui has downy, pointed buds and sometimes small golden leaves at their base. The clear, lightly yellow liquor is mellow and sweet, with a delicate orchid-like aroma.
Taiping Houkui
From the Taiping area of Huangshan, Anhui, this green tea is easy to recognize by its long, broad, flattened leaves. Two leaves cradle a bud and open visibly in a glass. The liquor is clear green, with a gentle orchid note and lingering sweetness.
Xinyang Maojian
From Xinyang in Henan, this green tea has slender, needle-like leaves and fine white down. The bright-green liquor is fresh and rounded. Its aroma can range from fresh green notes to cooked chestnut, with a clear sweet finish.
Lu’an Guapian
This green tea from Lu’an, Anhui, is made from individual leaves after the buds and stems are removed. The broad leaves open fully when brewed. The liquor is clean and fresh, sometimes with a gentle seaweed-like note.
Anji Bai
Anji Bai comes from Anji, Zhejiang, and is made from the cultivar Baiye No. 1, whose young leaves are notably pale. The leaves are processed as green tea. The liquor is light, fresh and gently sweet.
Queshe
The name Queshe means ‘sparrow’s tongue’ and describes the slender, flat, pointed shape. Sichuan, including the Emei Mountain area, has examples of this pan-fired style. The yellow-green liquor is bright and refreshing, with a lingering aroma.
Guzhang Maojian
From Guzhang County in Hunan’s Wuling Mountains, this green tea has slender, straight leaves and tender, downy buds. Its aroma is pronounced, with a mellow and sweet cup.
Enshi Yulu
Enshi Yulu comes from Enshi, Hubei. The leaves are heated with steam early in processing. The dry tea is slender and jade green, and the infusion has a clear green color and a fresh, gently vegetal character.
Yunnan Dianqing
Dianqing is a sun-dried green tea made from large-leaf tea plants in Yunnan, including growing areas around Lincang and Dali. Its substantial leaves brew a bright yellow-green liquor with a fuller body, a light floral aroma and a sweet finish.
From fresh leaf to finished tea
Picking. Producers choose buds and leaves according to the style. Tender spring growth is prized for many teas, while some styles rely on larger, more developed leaves.
Heat fixation. A hot pan or steam slows oxidation. Shaping. The leaves may be pressed flat, twisted or rolled as the style requires. Drying. Heat or sunlight lowers moisture and stabilizes the finished leaves. Timing and handling influence the final fragrance and texture.
Brew in a cup, a gaiwan or cold water
Glass, 80–90°C. Use 1–2 g per 200–300 mL and taste after 1–2 minutes. For delicate curled Biluochun, add the water before the leaves. For flat Longjing, pour in part of the water, add the leaves and top up. Refill while the flavor still suits you.
Gaiwan or small teapot. Use 3–5 g per 120–150 mL. Pour off after about 10–20 seconds at first, then adjust. Cold infusion. Refrigerate 1.5–2 g in 200–300 mL of cold water for 3–5 hours, then strain.
Five things to look for when tasting
Dry leaf. Look at shape and color, from flat yellow-green leaves to dark green curls. Liquor. Look for clarity, from pale yellow to light green. Taste. Notice freshness, texture and sweetness after swallowing.
Aroma. Look for floral, fruity, bean or chestnut notes. Infused leaf. Look at how the leaves open and whether you can see buds, whole leaves or thin leaf pieces. Use these clues to compare styles and track your own preferences.
Try jasmine, osmanthus or lemon
Jasmine. Choose a jasmine-scented green tea for a soft floral cup. Osmanthus. Add a small pinch of food-grade dried flowers to a cup of green tea for a mellow, fruity fragrance. Lemon. Let the tea cool a little, then add a thin slice and, if you like, a little honey.
Keep green tea fresh
Keep leaves sealed, dry and protected from light and strong odors. Close the pouch or tin immediately after use. For longer storage, some unopened, tightly sealed green teas can be refrigerated if the package allows it. Keep them away from strongly scented food, and let the sealed package reach room temperature before opening to avoid condensation.
Chinese and Japanese green tea, side by side
Start with Longjing and sencha. Pan-fired Longjing often has flat leaves and bean or chestnut notes. Steamed sencha is typically rolled, with a fresh grassy fragrance. Shaded gyokuro can have a fuller savory taste. Chinese green teas also include steamed Enshi Yulu, and some Japanese greens are pan-fired.
Brew two styles separately, following the temperatures on their packaging. Compare leaf shape, aroma and how the flavor changes from the first sip to the finish.
How to choose a green tea
Choose by the aroma you enjoy and how you like to brew. For toasted bean or chestnut notes, try Longjing. If you want a delicate floral and fruity cup, consider Biluochun. For a bright, fresh profile, consider Anji Bai or Enshi Yulu. Compare the origin, picking season and pack size on the product page, and use the photos to see how the leaves differ.
Questions and answers
Is Anji Bai white tea?
Anji Bai is green tea. Its name refers to its pale young leaves, and the tea is made using green tea processing.
Why does my green tea taste bitter?
Try a shorter steep first. You can also use slightly cooler water or fewer leaves.
How do Chinese and Japanese green teas differ?
Many Chinese green teas are pan-fired, and steaming is common in Japan. Each country has exceptions. Enshi Yulu is a Chinese steamed green tea.
