1. The most suitable tea for spring: Jasmine tea
The best flower teas for spring are: jasmine tea (calming and beautifying), chrysanthemum tea (detoxifying), honeysuckle tea (clearing heat), rose tea (activating blood circulation), and pagoda tree flower tea (cooling blood).
2. Summer: Green tea, yellow tea, raw Pu-erh, lightly fermented white tea and oolong tea
Green tea is the best choice for summer heat relief. White tea and yellow tea also work well for clearing heat. Those with strong constitutions can try 3-5 year aged raw Pu-erh.
Summer green tea options include: West Lake Longjing, Biluochun, Xinyang Maojian, Duyun Maojian, Lushan Yunwu, Mengding Ganlu, Liuan Guapian, Huangshan Maofeng, Taiping Houkui, Anji white tea, etc. Adding chrysanthemums or honeysuckle flowers enhances the cooling effect.
Yellow tea options: Junshan Yinzhen, Mengding Huangya, Huoshan Huangya, etc.
White tea options: Taimu Silver Needle, White Peony, Gongmei, Shoumei, etc.
Oolong options: Light fragrance Tieguanyin, Taiwanese Dongding oolong, etc.
3. Autumn: Highly fermented white tea and oolong tea
Oolong tea is perfect for autumn as it's neither too cold nor too warm, helping clear residual heat while nourishing yin. Recommended are spring-harvested Tieguanyin and last year's Wuyi rock tea (like Da Hong Pao, Shui Xian, Rou Gui). Also suitable are highly fermented white teas and roasted oolongs.
4. Winter: Southerners drink black tea and ripe Pu-erh, northerners drink jasmine tea
Black tea warms yang energy in winter. Recommended are Keemun black tea and Lapsang Souchong. Adding sugar or milk makes it stomach-warming.
Ripe Pu-erh warms the stomach, aids digestion, and helps with weight loss. It forms a protective layer in the stomach, making it ideal for those with stomach issues.
Jasmine tea, being neutral-to-warm, suits northern winters perfectly - warming without causing excessive heat.
Additional tips: Year-round green tea drinkers should switch to lighter brews in cooler seasons, possibly adding jasmine or pagoda flowers (but not cooling chrysanthemums). Ginger slices can balance green tea's cold nature.
For white tea lovers: spring - Silver Needle; summer - White Peony; autumn - Gongmei/Shoumei; winter - new process white tea.
Oolong enthusiasts: spring/autumn - rich fragrance Tieguanyin; summer - light fragrance; winter - Da Hong Pao.
Pu-erh drinkers: summer - raw Pu-erh (if healthy); other seasons - ripe Pu-erh.