Although China is a major producer and consumer of tea, many people are still unfamiliar with the categories and representative products of tea. Currently, most tea professionals are accustomed to classifying teas by their processing techniques, which is commonly referred to as the "Six Major Tea Categories": Green Tea, Black Tea, Oolong Tea (Qingcha), Dark Tea, White Tea, and Yellow Tea. Products that are reprocessed using these basic tea categories as raw materials are collectively called reprocessed teas, mainly including scented teas, fruit-flavored teas, and medicinal health teas.

Green Tea

Green tea is the most produced category in China, accounting for about 80% of the world's green tea trade volume. The basic processing steps for green tea are fixation, rolling, and drying. Fixation methods include heat fixation and steam fixation. Green tea made with steam fixation is called "steamed green tea." Drying methods vary, resulting in different types: pan-fired green tea ("chaoqing"), baked green tea ("hongqing"), and sun-dried green tea ("shaiqing").

Representative products: West Lake Longjing, Huangshan Maofeng, Dongting Biluochun, Nanjing Yuhua Tea, etc.

Black Tea

The basic processing steps for black tea are withering, rolling, fermentation, and drying. The characteristic red liquor and red leaves of black tea are primarily formed through "fermentation." Fermentation essentially involves the oxidation of originally colorless polyphenols in the tea leaves, catalyzed by polyphenol oxidase, forming red oxidation polymers—black tea pigments. Some of these pigments are soluble in water, creating the red tea liquor after brewing, while others are insoluble and accumulate in the leaves, turning them red. This is how black tea achieves its red liquor and red leaves.

Representative products: Lapsang Souchong, Keemun Black Tea, Dianhong, Sichuan Black Tea, Jin Jun Mei, Tan Yang Gong Fu, etc.

Oolong Tea (Qingcha)

Oolong tea, also known as Wulong tea, is a semi-fermented tea. It falls between non-fermented tea (green tea) and fully fermented tea (black tea). Its appearance is bluish-brown. When brewed, oolong tea leaves show both red and green colors. Traditionally processed oolong tea has green centers and red edges, often described as "green leaves with a red border." The liquor is yellowish-red with a natural floral aroma, a rich taste, and a unique charm. Oolong tea is mainly produced in Fujian, Guangdong, and Taiwan. Due to varietal differences, it is categorized into Northern Fujian Oolong, Southern Fujian Oolong, Guangdong Oolong, and Taiwan Oolong.

Representative products: Tieguanyin, Wuyi Rock Tea (Da Hong Pao, Shui Xian, Rou Gui, Bai Ji Guan, Short Leg Oolong, etc.), Phoenix Dan Cong, Dong Ding Oolong, etc.

Dark Tea

The basic processing steps for dark tea are fixation, rolling, pile fermentation (wodui), and drying. Dark tea typically uses coarser raw materials and undergoes a longer pile fermentation period, resulting in dark brown or blackish leaves, hence the name "dark tea." Historically, dark tea was mainly supplied to ethnic minority regions in border areas, so it is also called "border-sale tea." Dark raw tea is the primary material for compressing various tightly pressed teas. These compressed dark teas are daily essentials for ethnic groups like Tibetans, Mongolians, and Uyghurs, with a saying: "Rather go without food for a day than without tea for a day."

Representative products: Yunnan Pu-erh Tea, Hunan Dark Tea, Hubei Lao Qing Cha, Guangxi Liupao Tea, Sichuan Border Tea, etc.

White Tea

White tea is a lightly fermented tea. Its basic process involves withering and then sun-drying or baking. White tea often uses tea varieties with abundant fine hairs on the buds and leaves, such as Fuding Da Bai Cha. The buds are robust and hairy, resulting in finished tea covered with white hairs, elegant in appearance, with a light liquor color and a fresh, mellow taste. White tea is mainly produced in Fuding, Zhenghe, Songxi, and Jianyang in Fujian Province.

Representative products: Baihao Yinzhen, Baimudan, etc.

Yellow Tea

The processing steps for yellow tea are fixation, rolling, heaping for yellowing (menhuang), and drying. The characteristic of yellow tea is "yellow liquor and yellow leaves," a result of the heaping and yellowing process during production.

Representative products: Mengding Huangya, Huangshan Huangya, Junshan Yinzhen, etc.