1. Southwest Tea Region
The Southwest Tea Region is located in southwestern China, encompassing Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan provinces, and southeastern Tibet. It is the oldest tea region in China, with abundant tea plant varieties. It produces black tea, green tea, Tuocha, compressed tea, and Pu'er tea, and is one of the primary bases for large-leaf black broken tea in China.
The Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau is the center of tea plant origin. The terrain is complex, with significant altitude variations in some areas at the same latitude, leading to considerable climate differences. Most areas have a subtropical monsoon climate, with mild winters and cool summers. The soil conditions are also suitable for tea plant growth. In Sichuan, Guizhou, and southeastern Tibet, yellow soil dominates, with some brown soil; in Yunnan, lateritic red soil and mountainous red soil are predominant. The organic matter content in the soil is generally richer than in other tea regions.
2. South China Tea Region
The South China Tea Region is located in southern China, including Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, Hainan, and other provinces (regions). It is the most suitable area for tea plant growth in China. With various types of tea plants such as arbor, small arbor, and shrubs, tea resources are extremely abundant. It produces black tea, oolong tea, scented tea, white tea, and Liubao tea. The large-leaf black broken tea produced here has a strong tea liquor concentration.
Except for a few areas such as northern Fujian, northern Guangdong, and northern Guangxi, the annual average temperature is 19°C–22°C, and the average temperature of the coldest month (January) is 7°C–14°C. The tea growth period exceeds 10 months annually. The annual precipitation is the highest among Chinese tea regions, generally ranging from 1200 mm to 2000 mm. Taiwan Province, in particular, has exceptionally abundant rainfall, often exceeding 2000 mm annually. The soil in the tea region is mainly laterite, with some areas having red soil and yellow soil. The soil layer is deep, and the organic matter content is rich.
3. Jiangnan Tea Region
The Jiangnan Tea Region is located south of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China, including Zhejiang, Hunan, Jiangxi provinces, and southern Anhui, southern Jiangsu, and southern Hubei. It is the main tea-producing area in China, with an annual output accounting for about two-thirds of the national total. The main tea categories produced include green tea, black tea, dark tea, scented tea, and various specialty teas of different qualities, such as West Lake Longjing, Huangshan Maofeng, Dongting Biluochun, Junshan Yinzhen, and Lushan Yunwu.
Tea gardens are mainly distributed in hilly areas, with a few in high-altitude mountainous regions. These areas have distinct four seasons, with an annual average temperature of 15°C–18°C. Winter temperatures generally drop to around -8°C. Annual precipitation ranges from 1400 mm to 1600 mm, with the most rainfall occurring in spring and summer, accounting for 60%–80% of the annual precipitation, while autumn is dry. The soil in the tea region is primarily red soil, with some yellow soil or brown soil, and a small amount of alluvial soil.
4. Jiangbei Tea Region
The Jiangbei Tea Region is located on the north bank of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, including Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Shandong provinces, and northern Anhui, northern Jiangsu, and northern Hubei. The Jiangbei Tea Region mainly produces green tea.
The annual average temperature in the tea region is 15°C–16°C, with relatively low winter temperatures generally around -10°C. Annual precipitation is relatively low, ranging from 700 mm to 1000 mm, and it is unevenly distributed, often causing drought stress to tea plants. The soil in the tea region is mostly yellow-brown soil or brown soil, which is a transitional type between northern and southern soils in China. However, in many mountainous areas, favorable microclimates result in tea quality that is not inferior to other tea regions, such as Liuan Guapian and Xinyang Maojian.