Chinese Tea Culture Experience: Where to Drink, How to Drink, What to Buy

Six Major Types of Tea (by Fermentation Level)

• Green Tea (Non-fermented): Longjing (West Lake, Hangzhou), Biluochun (Taihu, Suzhou), Huangshan Maofeng, Xinyang Maojian. Fresh and light, best in spring.
• White Tea (Lightly fermented): Baihao Yinzhen, Bai Mudan (Fuding, Fujian). Mild, with the saying "Tea in one year, medicine in three years, treasure in seven years."
• Yellow Tea (Slightly fermented): Junshan Yinzhen (Hunan). Low yield, relatively rare.
• Oolong / Qing Tea (Semi-fermented): Tieguanyin (Anxi), Dahongpao and Yancha (Wuyi Mountains), Phoenix Dancong (Chaozhou), Dongding Oolong. The aroma is the richest in layers.
• Black Tea (Fully fermented): Zhengshan Xiaozhong (Tongmu Pass, Wuyi Mountains), Qimen Black Tea (Anhui), Dianhong (Yunnan).
• Dark Tea (Post-fermented): Pu'er (Yunnan, Raw/Shou), Anhua Dark Tea, Liu Bao Tea. Can be stored for a long time.

Tea Houses Worth Visiting

• Chengdu: Heming Teahouse in People's Park (century-old teahouse, bamboo chairs, gaiwan tea, ear-picking experience available), Pengzhen Guanyinge Old Teahouse (original condition). This city has the best-preserved Chinese teahouse culture.
• Hangzhou: Farmhouse tea in Longjing Village, Lakeside Residence (by the lake), Qingteng Teahouse.
• Chaozhou: Gongfu tea is part of daily life; small street shops all drink it. In Phoenix Town, you can visit tea mountains.
• Wuyi Mountains, Fujian: Wander the Yan Gu Hua Xiang walkway; tea factories allow visitors to observe the production process.
• Yunnan: Pu'er tea mountains (Menghai, Yiwu, Jingmai), with tea-picking and tea-making experiences available.
• Beijing: Lao She Teahouse (tourist-oriented), various New Chinese-style tea spaces.

Experience Process

• Gaiwan Tea (Sichuan): Pour water with a long-spout teapot, three-piece gaiwan set (lid, bowl, saucer). A half-covered lid indicates a refill request; an upside-down lid indicates the bill.
• Gongfu Tea (Chaoshan, Minnan): Small teapot and cups; "Guan Gong Patrols the City" and "Han Xin Reviews Troops" are tea-serving methods. The first brew from the teapot is usually poured out and not drunk.
• Tea Art House: First-tier cities have professional tea art houses; tea sessions with explanations and tastings can be reserved, suitable for in-depth understanding.
• Tea Mountain Experience: The tea picking season in spring (March to April) is the most interesting. You can participate in plucking, withering, fixing, and rolling the tea leaves.

Key Points for Buying Tea

• Channels: Direct stores at the origin > Brand specialty stores (Ba Ma, Tenfu, China Tea, Da Yi) > Wholesale tea markets > Scenic area shops.
• Don't blindly believe in "pre-Qingming": Pre-Qingming Longjing tea is indeed good, but its price is 3–5 times that of pre-rain tea. For daily drinking, pre-rain tea offers much better value for money.
• Try before buying: Reputable stores always offer tastings. Don't buy without trying.
• The pitfalls of Pu'er: Old tea (especially those claimed to be decades old) is hard to verify. Beginners should start with mid-age teas from major manufacturers (Da Yi, China Tea, Xiaguan).
• Storage: Green tea needs refrigeration; Pu'er and white tea can be kept at room temperature in a dark, ventilated place.
• Transport: Most countries allow tea for personal use when entering, but pay attention to the regulations of the destination country.