Yellow tea is characterized by "yellow leaves and yellow liquor." This yellow color results from the smothering and yellowing process during tea production. Yellow tea is divided into three categories: Huangya tea (yellow bud tea), Huangxiao tea (small yellow tea), and Huangda tea (large yellow tea). Yellow tea has tender buds and leaves, visible pekoe, and a fresh, mellow aroma. Due to different varieties, there are significant differences in leaf selection and processing techniques. For example, "Junshan Silver Needle" tea from Junshan Island in Dongting Lake, Yueyang, Hunan Province, uses only plump buds. Its production process is meticulous, involving ten steps: pan-firing, spreading, initial drying, re-spreading, initial wrapping, re-drying, re-spreading, re-wrapping, final drying, and grading. The processed "Junshan Silver Needle" tea has a hairy appearance and a bright golden-yellow color.

Yellow tea has the distinctive feature of "yellow leaves and yellow liquor" and belongs to the lightly fermented tea category. This yellow color is mainly the result of the piling and smothering process during production. Yellow tea can be classified into Huangda tea, Huangxiao tea, and Huangya tea.

Huangda tea: Famous varieties include Huoshan Huangda tea from Anhui and Dayeqing from Guangdong.

Huangxiao tea: Famous varieties include Weishan Maojian from Ningxiang, Hunan; Beigang Maojian from Yueyang, Hunan; Yuan'an Luyuan from Hubei; and Pingyang Huangtang from Zhejiang.

Huangya tea: Famous varieties include Junshan Silver Needle from Yueyang, Hunan; Mengding Huangya from Mingshan, Sichuan; Huoshan Huangya from Huoshan, Anhui; and Mogan Huangya from Deqing, Zhejiang.

Various famous yellow teas: Junshan Silver Needle; Mengding Huangya; Beigang Maojian; Luyuan Maojian; Huoshan Huangya; Weijiang White Maojian; Wenzhou Huangtang; Wanxi Huangda Tea; Guangdong Dayeqing; Haimagong Tea.