Chinese TeaGuide
China's Ten Famous Teas: The Classic List, Explained by a Tea Drinker
China's "Ten Famous Teas" (中国十大名茶) isn't one official list. Different sources over the decades name different teas, and all the versions together add up to around 17–18 names. The most widely quoted version lists: West Lake Longjing, Dongting Bi Luo Chun, Huangshan Mao Feng, Lu An Gua Pian, Junshan Yinzhen, Xinyang Mao Jian, Wuyi rock tea (Da Hong Pao), Anxi Tieguanyin, Keemun and Lushan Yunwu. Other lists swap in Tai Ping Hou Kui, pu-erh, Duyun Mao Jian or Bai Hao Yin Zhen. What they have in common: each is tied to one place, and each is a benchmark of its style.
I'll be upfront: I'm a little wary of "top 10" lists in tea, including this one. The list says more about which teas were famous and well-connected when it was written than about what you'll enjoy. More than half of it is green tea, and there's usually no pu-erh at all, which, as a pu-erh drinker, I take slightly personally. But as a map of China's tea classics, it's genuinely useful. Tasting my way through it, one or two teas a month, taught me more about the country's tea regions than any book.
The classic ten#
| Tea | Type | Province | What it's like |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Lake Longjing | Green | Zhejiang | Flat pan-fired leaves; toasted beans, chestnut |
| Dongting Bi Luo Chun | Green | Jiangsu | Tiny downy spirals; fruity, floral |
| Huangshan Mao Feng | Green | Anhui | Downy bud and leaf; honey, flowers |
| Lu An Gua Pian | Green | Anhui | Single leaves, fire-dried; toasty, smoky-sweet |
| Xinyang Mao Jian | Green | Henan | Thin, downy; grassy, fruity, changes from steep to steep |
| Lushan Yunwu ("Cloud and Mist") | Green | Jiangxi | Misty-mountain green; fresh, sweet, orchid |
| Junshan Yinzhen | Yellow | Hunan | Buds from a lake island; soft, sweet, corn and honey |
| Wuyi rock tea / Da Hong Pao | Oolong | Fujian | Roasted, mineral "rock rhyme" |
| Anxi Tieguanyin | Oolong | Fujian | Rolled balls; orchid, cream, or roasted in the traditional style |
| Keemun | Red (black) | Anhui | Orchid, plum, honey, winey finish |
Teas that appear on other versions#
| Tea | Type | Why it's often included |
|---|---|---|
| Tai Ping Hou Kui | Green (Anhui) | Very long, flat leaves; orchid, smooth |
| Pu-erh | Sheng and shou; shou counts as dark tea (Yunnan) | China's most collected tea |
| Bai Hao Yin Zhen | White (Fujian) | The benchmark bud-only white tea |
| Duyun Mao Jian | Green (Guizhou) | Tiny curled leaves, fresh and sweet |
| Meng Ding Gan Lu | Green (Sichuan) | Floral, from one of China's oldest tea mountains |
| Fenghuang Dan Cong | Oolong (Guangdong) | China's most aromatic oolong |
If I were writing my own list, Dan Cong and pu-erh would be on it without question.
How to taste your way through the list#
Trying ten teas at once is overwhelming. Here's the order I'd suggest, grouped so you can compare similar teas side by side:
- Two greens from different provinces: Longjing and Bi Luo Chun. Nutty vs fruity.
- Two Anhui greens: Huangshan Mao Feng and Lu An Gua Pian. Delicate buds vs toasty single leaves.
- Green vs yellow: a green tea next to Junshan Yinzhen or another yellow tea, to taste what the yellowing stage does.
- Two oolongs: Tieguanyin and a Wuyi rock tea. Floral and light vs roasted and mineral.
- Keemun on its own, or next to a Dian Hong if you have one.
For green teas, water at 75–85 °C; for oolongs and Keemun, 80–95 °C. My gongfu brewing chart covers every type of tea.
My experience with the list#
A few years ago I set myself a small project: one or two of the ten each month, bought from sellers who could tell me exactly where the tea came from, tasted side by side where it made sense. A few honest notes from that year:
- The surprise: Lu An Gua Pian. A green tea with no buds that tasted fuller than some oolongs.
- The hardest to find genuine: Junshan Yinzhen. The island's harvest is tiny, and much of what's sold under the name isn't from there.
- Of these ten, the one I drink most today: Wuyi rock tea, by a long way.
- The one that changed my brewing: Bi Luo Chun, which taught me to keep the water cool.
Why the list is not a ranking#
The "ten famous teas" became famous partly through history, partly through regional pride, and partly through promotion. Chinese provinces and counties have long promoted their teas as regional brands, and a place on a famous list is valuable. That doesn't make the teas any less good, but it's why the list changes between sources, and why some excellent teas, like Dan Cong or pu-erh, are sometimes missing.
Myths about the ten famous teas#
"There's one official list." There isn't. Several versions exist, with overlapping but different names.
"These are the ten best Chinese teas." They're ten famous, historically important teas. "Best" depends on your taste.
"If it's on the list, any tea with that name is good." Famous names are the most imitated. Origin, harvest and the seller matter more than the name.
My honest take#
Use the list as a travel itinerary through Chinese tea, not a leaderboard. Taste them in pairs, write down what you notice, and you'll come out knowing which regions and styles are yours. Then go beyond the list: some of my favourite teas aren't on it.
The bottom line#
China's Ten Famous Teas are a classic map of the country's tea regions: six greens, one yellow, two oolongs and one red tea in the best-known version, with pu-erh, Dan Cong and Silver Needle close behind. Taste them in pairs and buy genuine origin. For the six categories behind them, see types of Chinese tea.
Read next: where to buy Chinese tea online, Green vs White vs Black Tea, Blooming Tea.
Questions people ask
What are China's ten famous teas?
The most widely quoted list: West Lake Longjing, Dongting Bi Luo Chun, Huangshan Mao Feng, Lu An Gua Pian, Junshan Yinzhen, Xinyang Mao Jian, Wuyi rock tea, Anxi Tieguanyin, Keemun and Lushan Yunwu.
Is there an official list of China's ten famous teas?
No. Several versions exist, and together they include around 17–18 teas.
What is the most famous Chinese tea?
West Lake Longjing is usually named first, though Tieguanyin, Da Hong Pao and pu-erh are equally famous abroad.
Why isn't pu-erh on the list?
It appears on some versions but not the most quoted one. Lists vary by source and era.
Which famous Chinese tea should I try first?
Longjing if you like green tea, Tieguanyin if you like floral teas, Keemun if you drink black tea (red tea in China), and a Wuyi rock tea if you like roasted, deep flavours.