The Six Types of Chinese Tea
What Are The Six Types Of Chinese Tea?
There are six traditional types of tea in Chinese tea culture: red, white, green, oolong, yellow, and dark.
Surprisingly, all six come from the same plant — Camellia sinensis. The difference isn’t the leaf itself, but how it’s processed after being picked. Are the leaves roasted? Fermented? Heat-fixed? Each choice changes the chemistry, the flavor, and even the color of the tea.
Red Tea
Red Tea (known as “black tea” in the West) – Fully oxidized leaves, creating a deep red brew with rich, malty, or honeyed notes.
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Green Tea
The least processed. Leaves are quickly heated to stop oxidation, keeping them fresh, grassy, and bright green.
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Yellow Tea
Very rare and lightly fermented, gently steamed and wrapped to create a smooth, mellow taste without the grassiness of green tea.
White Tea
Withered and dried naturally with minimal handling, giving it a soft, sweet, delicate flavor.
Try the Gongmei White Tea Balls!
Dark Tea
Post-fermented with microbial aging, developing earthy, woody, or fruity depth over time.
Oolong Tea
Partially oxidized and often roasted, sitting between green and red tea in flavor—floral, creamy, or toasty depending on the style. To learn more about what Oolong tea is and how it is made, click here!
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It’s worth noting that these six categories don’t include flower teas or herbal teas — just tea-leaf tea.
While Chinese tea drinkers certainly enjoy floral and herbal infusions, the traditional “tea world” in China focuses on the craft of transforming a single kind of leaf. After all, the lessons learned from mastering the tea leaf don’t necessarily apply to a flower or herbal tea.