The culture of Chinese tea has a long history and profound depth, with each famous tea carrying the weight of millennia of history and unique local customs. However, when it comes to the ranking of the “Top Ten Famous Chinese Teas,” opinions vary widely鈥攄ifferent lists and different eras always see “newcomers emerging and old favorites being replaced.” Who truly holds the C position, the undisputed king of tea?
馃嵉 Top Ten Famous Chinese Teas
TOP 1 Longjing (Dragon Well) Tea (Green Tea 路 Hangzhou, Zhejiang)
– Reason for C Position: Recognized as the “Queen of Green Tea,” backed by a thousand years of history. In the 2025 weighted evaluation, it scored a high 23 points, conquering the world with its four exceptional qualities: “green color, rich aroma, sweet taste, and beautiful shape.”
– Characteristics: Flat like a sparrow’s tongue, the soup color is tender green and bright, with a lasting and high bean fragrance, fresh and sweet on the palate. Core production areas like Shifeng and Meijiawu are rare and precious, with prices for pre-Ming tea in 2025 easily exceeding five figures per pound.
– Anecdote: During Nixon’s visit to China in 1972, Zhou Enlai gifted him Longjing tea, which instantly gained international fame.
TOP 2 Biluochun (Green Tea 路 Suzhou, Jiangsu)
– Characteristics: Curled like a spiral, densely covered with white hairs, with a rich floral and fruity aroma that is “stunningly fragrant.” Grown in the Dongting Mountain area of Taihu Lake, it has a unique fruity flavor due to the interplanting of tea and fruit trees.
– Story: Named by Emperor Kangxi, the hand-frying process requires “hands never leaving the tea,” with each pound of dry tea containing 60,000 to 80,000 tender buds, making the craftsmanship comparable to art.
TOP 3 Huangshan Maofeng (Green Tea 路 Huangshan, Anhui)
– Characteristics: Shaped like a sparrow’s tongue, with silver tips visible, the soup color is clear green with yellow, and the orchid fragrance is long-lasting. Grown in granite terrain, its high amino acid content gives it a fresh taste.
TOP 4 Tieguanyin (Oolong Tea 路 Anxi, Fujian)
– Characteristics: Dragonfly head, sand green and lustrous, with a prominent orchid fragrance known as “Guanyin rhyme,” and a lingering aroma after seven infusions. The semi-fermented process involves shaking the leaves 5-6 times, resulting in its rich and sweet flavor.
TOP 5 Liu’an Guapian (Green Tea 路 Liu’an, Anhui)
– Uniqueness: The only flat tea without buds or stems, shaped like melon seeds, with a bright amber soup color. It uses mature leaves rather than tender ones, showcasing a unique craftsmanship.
TOP 6 Qimen Black Tea (Black Tea 路 Qimen, Anhui)
– International Aura: Known as the “Queen of Black Tea,” with a honey aroma known as “Qimen fragrance” famous worldwide, and a bright red and sweet soup color. It won a gold medal at the Panama Expo in 1915.
TOP 7 Junshan Yinzhen (Yellow Tea 路 Yueyang, Hunan)
– Aesthetic Appeal: Straight like a needle, with a “three rises and three falls” brewing method, the apricot-yellow soup carries a muted corn aroma. The only representative of yellow tea, it has been a tribute tea since the Tang Dynasty.
TOP 8 Xinyang Maojian (Green Tea 路 Xinyang, Henan)
– Northern Star: Fine, round, and straight, with a strong chestnut aroma and sweet aftertaste. Winner of the Panama Gold Medal in 1915, it represents the northern tea region.
TOP 9 Wuyi Rock Tea (Oolong Tea 路 Wuyishan, Fujian)
– Rock Bone Floral Aroma: Da Hong Pao as the ancestor, with an orange-red soup color and rich rock flavor. Zhengyan tea carries the “rock rhyme,” making it a top-quality oolong.
TOP 10 Duyun Maojian (Green Tea 路 Guizhou)
– Historical Significance: Named by Chairman Mao, with a green hue tinged with yellow, clear and fresh. In recent years, it has replaced traditional rankings of Lushan Yunwu or Fuding White Tea.
馃弳 Why is Longjing Tea First?
The C position of Longjing Tea is not accidental, but a result of favorable timing, location, and harmony:
1. Historical Legacy: Emperor Qianlong visited Longjing Village four times, bestowing it the title of “Imperial Tea.” Modern diplomacy added to its prestige, with the 1972 event solidifying its international status.
2. Quality Benchmark: It has no shortcomings in the four exceptional qualities of color, aroma, taste, and shape鈥攊ts flat tea shape is neat, with a fresh and lively bean fragrance, and a sweet aftertaste like spring water.
3. Scarcity and Value: The annual production in core areas is limited; industry statistics for 2025 show that Shifeng Longjing has a premium of 20%, becoming a collectible.
While other famous teas have their “killer features”鈥攕uch as the floral and fruity aroma of Biluochun and the orchid rhyme of Tieguanyin鈥擫ongjing Tea wins with its comprehensive strength: it represents the essence of Chinese green tea, a cultural symbol, and a pinnacle of quality. However, this does not diminish the diversity of tea preferences鈥攕ome love the richness of rock tea, while others enjoy the warmth of black tea. Although the C position is set, there is no absolute first in tea; it all depends on the palate!