Why Tea Is China’s National Drink
Tea was discovered in China, cultivated along imperial trade routes, and codified into daily ritual. From the Tang dynasty tea horse road to today’s boutique tea houses, the drink anchors hospitality, diplomacy and wellness culture.
5,000 years
Myth credits Emperor Shen Nong with discovering tea in 2737 BCE; written records appear in the 8th-century Classic of Tea.
3.35M tons
China produced 3.35 million metric tons of tea in 2023, leading global supply (China Tea Circulation Association).
700M+
Estimated domestic consumers enjoy loose-leaf brews, bottled tea, and emerging wellness infusions.
US$2.3B
2023 tea exports reached US$2.3 billion, shipping green, black and jasmine teas worldwide.
The six classic tea categories
Tea processing defines flavour and colour. Knowing the six categories helps you build tasting menus, retail assortments and storytelling arcs.
Unoxidised. Famous for grassy freshness. Icons include West Lake Longjing, Huangshan Maofeng and Biluochun.
Lightly withered buds such as Fuding Baihao Yinzhen. Low caffeine, delicate sweetness, growing in wellness popularity.
Rare and gently heaped (menhuang) to mellow grassy notes. Junshan Yinzhen from Hunan is the marquee example.
Semi-oxidised teas like Tieguanyin (Anxi) and Da Hong Pao (Wuyi Mountains) deliver floral and roasted aromas.
Fully oxidised, yielding amber liquor. Keemun (Qimen) and Dianhong (Yunnan) headline export blends.
Post-fermented teas including pu’er from Yunnan and brick teas traded along the ancient Tea Horse Road.
Signature tea regions to visit
Pair location scouting with harvest calendars to capture tea at its freshest.
| Region | Flagship tea | Best season | Experience highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hangzhou, Zhejiang | West Lake Longjing | Late March – April (pre-Qingming pick) | Hand-pluck shoots, roast in woks, sip in tea master’s courtyard. |
| Wuyishan, Fujian | Rock oolong (Yancha) | May – June | Walk UNESCO Danxia cliffs and traditional charcoal-roasting workshops. |
| Yunnan Pu’er Prefecture | Pu’er tea | March – October | Visit ancient tea forests, press cakes with local cooperatives. |
| Anxi, Fujian | Tieguanyin oolong | Spring and autumn flushes | Experience fragrance evaluation sessions led by tea sommeliers. |
| Guangxi & Guizhou highlands | Organic green teas | April – August | Combine with ethnic minority festivals for cultural footage. |
Modern tea trends worth tracking
Tea is steeped in tradition but constantly reinvented. These trends define 2025 planning.
Brands like Heytea and Nayuki blend premium loose-leaf with fruit, cheese foam and sparkling water—fueling mall traffic.
Cold-brew concentrate, kombucha and functional tea pods target health-conscious urbanites.
Villages in Zhejiang and Fujian develop boutique homestays, tea museums and immersive picking workshops.
Luxury fashion and spirits brands release limited tea-infused editions for Lunar New Year gifting.
The term “chai” in many languages traces back to Chinese “cha.” Tea spread via both overland routes (cha) and maritime trade (te/tea), shaping global vocabulary.
Travel and production checklist
Use these tips to keep tea-focused projects on track.
Reserve guides and accommodations 45 days before the first flush. Many villages cap daily visitor numbers.
Wear provided gloves and aprons. Avoid perfumes or hand creams that can taint leaves.
Film roasting and rolling with high-frame-rate cameras to capture tea leaf movement and colour changes.
Store loose-leaf in foil pouches with desiccants. For export, declare botanical products at customs.