Lin Yutang once said, “Wherever the Chinese have a Tea pot, they are happy.” Liang Shiqiu also said, “Wherever there are Chinese people, there is tea.” It can be seen that tea, for the Chinese, is an indispensable drink in daily life. There are over a hundred kinds of Green Tea, so what are the ones suitable for summer drinking?

1. West Lake Longjing

West Lake Longjing is the top tea in China, renowned worldwide for its “green color, and unique aroma.” West Lake Longjing is produced in the Lion Peak, Longjing, Wuyun Mountain, and Hupao areas near West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province.

Dry Tea Shape: Flat and straight, smooth and uniform.

Infusion Color: Yellowish green, clear and bright.

Aroma: Rich and fresh, delicate but not vulgar.

Taste: Full-bodied, sweet, and refreshing.

2. Huangshan Maofeng

Huangshan Maofeng belongs to the roasted green tea category and is renowned for its unique “high fragrance, rich taste, clear infusion, and lustrous color,” making it one of the ten most famous teas in China. Huangshan Maofeng is produced in the Huangshan, She County, and Xiuning areas in Anhui Province.

Dry Tea Shape: Delicate and slightly curled, shaped like a “sparrow's tongue,” with visible white down, and buds resembling “sharp peaks.”

Leaf Base: Fresh yellow-green, uniform and whole.

Infusion Color: Light green with a slight yellow tinge.

Aroma: Like orchids, with a rich fragrance.

Taste: Sweet and fresh, with a lingering sweetness.

3. Xinyang Maojian

Xinyang Maojian, also known as Yu Maojian, is one of the famous specialties in Henan Province, known for its unique style of “fine, round, glossy, straight, many white hairs, high fragrance, strong taste, and green infusion.” Xinyang Maojian is produced in Xinyang City, Henan Province.

Tea Shape: Uniformly fine and straight, with a verdant green color.

Leaf Base: Tender green and uniform.

Infusion Color: Bright yellow-green.

Tea Aroma: High and fresh, with a roasted chestnut fragrance.

Tea Taste: Rich and mellow, with a sweet aftertaste.

4. Dongting Biluochun

Dongting Biluochun is one of the ten most famous teas in China, renowned for its “beautiful shape, bright color, intense aroma, and rich taste” which are known as the four absolutes. Biluochun is produced on Dongting Mountain in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province.

Dry Tea Shape: Thin and coiled into a snail-like shape.

Infusion Color: Bright green and clear.

Aroma Type: Fresh and elegant.

Taste: The aroma fills the mouth upon entry, with a noticeable sweet aftertaste.

5. Lu'an Guapian

Lu'an Guapian, also known as leaf tea, is a special kind of green tea and a historically renowned national tea, as well as one of the ten classic green teas in China. It is produced in Lu'an, Jinzhai, Huoshan, and other places in Anhui Province.

Tea Shape: Single leaf shaped like a melon seed, flat and uniform.

Leaf Base: Fresh yellow and uniform in form.

Infusion Color: Bright green, clear and bright.

Tea Aroma: Fresh and lasting.

Tea Taste: Pure and sweet.

How to Distinguish Lu'an Guapian:

Color: Bright green with a frosted appearance is better, while dark or yellowish colors indicate low-grade tea or improper storage.

Shape: Uniform size, flat, and tightly knitted strands are of higher quality, while loose strands indicate lower grade tea.

Scent: Fresh scent indicates early-season tea, chestnut fragrance indicates mid-season tea, and high-fire aroma indicates late-season tea.

6. Anji White Tea

Anji White Tea is produced in Zhejiang and is a rising star among green teas.

Dry Tea Shape: Flat and smooth, straight and upright.

Dry Tea Color: Visible white down with a hidden green hue.

Infusion Color: Clear and bright, with visible down.

Aroma Type: High and long-lasting, with floral notes.

Taste: Sweet and fresh upon entry, with a noticeable sweet aftertaste.

Leaf Base: Tender green and uniform.

7. Taiping houkui

Taiping Houkui belongs to the roasted green tea category and is one of the ten most famous teas in China. It is produced in Xinming, Longmen, and San Kou in Huangshan City, Anhui Province.

Dry Tea Shape: Flat and straight, two leaves embracing a bud, naturally spread out, covered with white down, with green veins and red streaks, commonly known as “red silk threads.”

Leaf Base: Buds and leaves spread out in full, tender green and evenly bright.

Infusion Color: Freshly green and clear.

Aroma: Orchid fragrance, high and refreshing.

Taste: Sweet and refreshing, mellow and sweet with a unique “monkey flavor.”

How to Distinguish Taiping Houkui

Resilience to Infusion: Taiping Houkui is more resilient to infusions than general green teas, with a lingering fragrance even after the third or fourth infusion; those that are not resilient to infusions are often imitations.

Taste: Taiping Houkui has a fresh and refreshing taste, with a lingering sweetness. Generally, it has a lanary fragrance, and even when too much tea is used, it is not bitter or astringent.

8. Nanjing Yuhua Tea

Nanjing Yuhua Tea is a treasure among stir-fried green teas, excellent in color, aroma, taste, and shape, and ranks among the top ten famous teas in China. It is produced in the Yuhua Terrace area of Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province.

Tea Shape: Pine needle-like, sharp and upright.

Leaf Base: Uniformly tender and bright, with buds standing straight.

Infusion Color: Clear and bright green.

Tea Aroma: Rich and elegant.

Tea Taste: Fresh, sweet, and pleasant, invigorating the lungs.

9. Lushan Yunwu

Lushan Yunwu is a stir-fried green tea in strip form, produced in Lushan, Jiangxi Province. Lushan has a long history of tea cultivation, dating back to the Han Dynasty.

Dry Tea Shape: Tight and beautiful strips, with