Chinese Green Tea: The Famous Teas and How to Brew Them Without Bitterness
The famous Chinese green teas, why spring harvests matter, and how to brew green tea sweet, not bitter.
Chinese green tea is tea that's heated soon after picking to stop oxidation, so the leaf stays green and fresh. Most Chinese green teas are pan-fired in a wok or drum rather than steamed like Japanese ones, which gives them nutty, toasty and sweet notes. The most famous include Longjing (Dragon Well), Bi Luo Chun, Huangshan Mao Feng, Lu An Gua Pian and Tai Ping Hou Kui. The best are picked in early spring, before Qingming (around 4–5 April). Brew with water at 75–85 °C and short steeps: boiling water and long steeps are why green tea tastes bitter.
I'll be upfront: green tea was the category I understood last. For years I brewed it like everything else, with water off the boil and a long steep, and every time I got a cup of bitter, stewed spinach. I decided green tea just wasn't for me. What changed my mind was a glass of spring Longjing brewed at 80 °C by a friend who wouldn't let me touch the kettle. It was sweet, nutty and gentle, and I realised I'd never actually tasted green tea before, only my mistakes.
Most of my year is still sheng pu-erh and oolong. But every spring, when the first green teas of the year arrive, they take over my tea table for a few weeks. This page is the map of the Chinese green teas I write about, and the one thing you need to know to brew them well.
What makes a tea green#
All tea comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. What makes it green, white, oolong or red is what happens after picking. For green tea, the answer is: as little as possible, as fast as possible.
- Picking. Buds, or a bud with one or two young leaves, mostly in spring.
- Spreading. The leaf rests briefly to lose a little moisture.
- Kill-green (sha qing). Heat in a wok or drum stops the enzymes, so the leaf doesn't oxidize.
- Shaping. Rolled, twisted, pressed flat or left whole, depending on the tea. The shape is often the easiest way to recognise a famous green.
- Drying.
Because there's no oxidation or long withering to soften the leaf, green tea keeps the most fresh, grassy and vegetal character of any category, and it's also the easiest to make bitter if you brew it too hot or too long. For all six categories, see types of Chinese tea.
The famous Chinese green teas#
| Tea | Province | Name means | Leaf shape | Taste |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longjing (龙井) | Zhejiang (Hangzhou) | "Dragon Well" | Flat, smooth, sword-shaped | Toasted beans, chestnut, sunflower seeds |
| Bi Luo Chun (碧螺春) | Jiangsu (Lake Tai) | "Green Snail Spring" | Tiny, tightly curled, covered in white down | Fruity and floral, very aromatic |
| Huangshan Mao Feng (毛峰) | Anhui | "Fur Peak" | Small bud and leaf, downy | Honey, flowers, a light fruity tang |
| Lu An Gua Pian (六安瓜片) | Anhui | "Melon Seeds from Lu'an" | Single rolled leaves, no buds or stems | Toasted seeds, a little smoke, orchid; long sweet finish |
| Tai Ping Hou Kui (太平猴魁) | Anhui | "Monkey Chief" | Very long, flat, pressed leaves | Orchid, gentle, very smooth |
| Anji Bai Cha (安吉白茶) | Zhejiang | "Anji White Tea" | Thin, pale leaves | Sweet, brothy, almost never bitter; a green tea despite the name |
| Xinyang Mao Jian (信阳毛尖) | Henan | "Hairy Tips" | Thin, straight, downy | Grassy, watermelon, peach; changes from steep to steep |
| Zhu Ye Qing (竹叶青) | Sichuan | "Bamboo Leaf Green" | Flat, needle-like buds | Full-bodied, a little bitter, honeyed finish |
Jasmine tea is usually a green tea too, scented with fresh flowers. It has its own guide: jasmine tea.
If you're new to Chinese green tea, I'd start with Longjing for its gentle nutty sweetness and Anji Bai Cha for how forgiving it is. Bi Luo Chun is the one to try when you want aroma.
Harvest times: why spring matters#
China's first green teas of the year come from the south and west, starting as early as February in Yunnan, then Sichuan, then the famous eastern provinces. The most valued harvests are:
| Harvest | When | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Ming Qian (明前, pre-Qingming) | Before about 4–5 April | The first, most tender buds: sweetest, most delicate, most prized |
| Yu Qian (雨前, pre-Grain Rain) | Up to about 20 April | Still spring tea, a little fuller; often the best balance |
| Later spring and summer | After Guyu | Bigger leaves, more robust and astringent; everyday tea |
There's a Chinese saying about early tea: for three days it's a treasure, and after that it's just grass. It exaggerates, but it's true that spring freshness is what you pay for with green tea.
How to brew Chinese green tea#
Gongfu#
| Leaf / 100 ml | Water | Rinse | 1st steep | Then | Steeps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4–5 g | 75–85 °C | No | 15 s | +5 s | 5–7 |
Use the cooler end (75–80 °C) for bud-heavy teas like pre-Qingming Longjing, and the warmer end (up to 80–85 °C) for bigger leaves like Tai Ping Hou Kui. Bi Luo Chun is the exception: 70–80 °C and only 1–1.5 g per 100 ml. Leave the lid off or tilted between steeps so the leaves don't stew. Full chart: gongfu brewing chart.
In a glass (the Chinese everyday way)#
About 3 g of leaf in a tall 200–250 ml glass. Pour a splash of water at about 80 °C, wait 20–30 seconds for the leaves to wake up, then fill the glass. Top up when a third is left. This is essentially grandpa style, and it's how most green tea is drunk in China.
Western#
About 2–3 g per 250 ml, water at 75–85 °C, no longer than 1.5 minutes.
Why your green tea is bitter#
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Boiling water | Cool it to 75–85 °C; without a kettle setting, let boiled water stand with the lid open for about 10 minutes, or pour it into a pitcher first |
| Steeping too long | Short steeps; in a mug, 1.5 minutes at most |
| Too much leaf, measured with a spoon | Weigh it: 4–5 g per 100 ml for gongfu, 2–3 g per 250 ml in a mug |
| Stale or low-grade tea | Buy fresh spring tea from sellers who state the harvest date |
| Hard water | Filtered or soft water: see water for tea |
The full list of causes, with a side-by-side test: why green tea is bitter.
One more habit: don't drink strong green tea on an empty stomach. Many people find it unpleasant, and Chinese tea drinkers advise against it.
My side-by-side: the same Longjing, two ways#
Same leaf, same timing. Only the water temperature changed, and it was the difference between a lovely tea and one I'd never buy again.
How to store green tea#
Green tea is the most fragile tea there is. Light, heat, moisture and smells all damage it; in a clear jar on a sunny shelf it can start tasting like hay within weeks. Keep it in an opaque, airtight container at a cool room temperature, away from spices and strong smells, and drink it within about 10–12 months. Unopened packs can go in the fridge. If you store opened tea there, divide it into small sealed portions and let each come to room temperature before opening, so condensation doesn't form on the leaf.
Myths about Chinese green tea#
"Green tea is always bitter." Good green tea brewed at the right temperature is sweet. Bitterness is almost always boiling water, long steeps or stale leaf.
"All green tea is steamed." That's Japanese green tea. Chinese green tea is mostly pan-fired.
"Anji Bai Cha is a white tea." It's a green tea made from a pale-leaved bush. The name means "Anji white tea" because of the leaf colour.
"Green tea keeps for years." It's at its best within months. Unlike pu-erh or white tea, it doesn't improve with age.
My honest take#
If you think you don't like green tea, try one fresh spring Longjing or Anji Bai Cha, weighed properly, at 80 °C, in a glass. If it's still not for you, fine. But give it that one fair chance; I nearly didn't, and I'd have missed one of the great pleasures of spring.
The bottom line#
Chinese green tea is fresh, pan-fired and at its best in spring. Learn the famous names, buy recent harvests, weigh the leaf, keep the water at 75–85 °C and the steeps short. For a softer, sweeter relative made by an extra yellowing step, see yellow tea.
FAQ#
What is the most famous Chinese green tea?#
Longjing (Dragon Well) from Hangzhou is the best known. Bi Luo Chun, Huangshan Mao Feng, Lu An Gua Pian and Tai Ping Hou Kui are also among China's most famous teas.
What's the difference between Chinese and Japanese green tea?#
Chinese green tea is mostly pan-fired, which gives nutty, toasty notes. Japanese green tea is mostly steamed, which gives grassier, more marine and umami notes.
What temperature should I brew Chinese green tea at?#
Around 75–85 °C. Cooler for bud-heavy teas, warmer for bigger leaves.
Why is my green tea bitter?#
Usually boiling water, a long steep, too much leaf or stale tea. Cool the water, shorten the steep and weigh the leaf.
What is pre-Qingming green tea?#
Tea picked before the Qingming festival, around 4–5 April. It's the earliest and most prized spring harvest.
How long does green tea stay fresh?#
Best within a few months of harvest and ideally within a year. Keep it airtight, dark and cool.
All green tea guides
Guide
Xinyang Mao Jian: Henan's Award-Winning Green Tea
Xinyang Mao Jian (信阳毛尖, "Downy Tips of Xinyang") is a green tea from Henan with thin, straight, downy needles. It tastes of fresh grass and green beans, then watermelon and ripe peach, changing from steep to steep; brew it at 80–85 °C.
Guide
Zhu Ye Qing: Sichuan's "Bamboo Leaf Green" Tea
Zhu Ye Qing (竹叶青, "bamboo leaf green") is a bud green tea from the Emei Mountain area in Sichuan, named for its flat buds that stand upright in a glass like tiny bamboo leaves. It's dense and fresh, with a gentle bitterness that turns into a honeyed finish; brew it at 75–80 °C.
Guide
Why Is My Green Tea Bitter? 7 Causes and How to Fix Each
Bitter green tea is almost always a brewing problem: water that's too hot, steeping too long, too much leaf, stale or broken tea, or hard water. Use water at 75–85 °C, short steeps, weighed leaf and fresh, whole-leaf tea.
Guide
Huangshan Mao Feng: The Yellow Mountain Green Tea
Huangshan Mao Feng (黄山毛峰, "Yellow Mountain Fur Peak") is one of China's most famous green teas, from the Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) area of southern Anhui. It's made from a bud and one young leaf, lightly twisted and covered in fine down, which gives it its name.
Guide
Tai Ping Hou Kui: The Green Tea with the Longest Leaves
Tai Ping Hou Kui (太平猴魁, often translated "Monkey King" or "Monkey Chief") is a famous green tea from Taiping in southern Anhui, near Huangshan, with huge, flat, straight leaves pressed by hand. It tastes smooth and gentle: orchid, fresh greens, a light sweetness and very little bitterness.
Guide
Bi Luo Chun: The Green Snail Spring Tea from Lake Tai
Bi Luo Chun (碧螺春, "Green Snail Spring") is one of China's most famous green teas, grown around Lake Tai in Jiangsu province. It's made from a tiny bud and one leaf, rolled into tight spirals covered in white down, and it's known for an intensely fruity and floral aroma.
Guide
Anji Bai Cha: The "White Tea" That's Really a Green Tea
Anji Bai Cha (安吉白茶, "Anji white tea") is a green tea, not a white tea, from Anji county in Zhejiang. It's called "white" because it's made from a special tea bush whose young spring leaves come out very pale, almost white-green.
Guide
Lu An Gua Pian: The Melon Seed Green Tea With No Buds
Lu An Gua Pian (六安瓜片, "Melon Seeds from Lu'an") is a green tea from western Anhui made only from single leaves, with no buds and no stems, rolled into shapes like melon seeds and dried over fire in bamboo baskets many times over. It tastes fuller than most green teas: toasted seeds, a light smokiness, orchid and a long, sweet finish.
Guide
Jasmine Tea: How Real Jasmine Tea Is Made and How to Tell It From Flavoured
Real jasmine tea is green tea (sometimes white tea or oolong) scented with fresh jasmine blossoms. The flowers are mixed with the tea at night, when they open and release their fragrance, and then removed; good teas are scented several times over several nights.
Guide
Longjing (Dragon Well) Tea: Taste, Grades and How to Brew It
Longjing (龙井, "Dragon Well") is China's best-known green tea, made around Hangzhou in Zhejiang province. Its leaves are pan-fired and pressed flat in a hot wok, which gives them their smooth, sword-like shape and a flavour of toasted beans, roasted chestnut and fresh greens.