The Famous Zhong Guo Shi Da Ming Cha List

Throughout the modern history of marketing Chinese tea, a list of teas, known as the Zhong Guo Shi Da Ming Cha (中国十大名茶), or “The Ten Famous Teas of China” is frequently mentioned. There is not just one list, but many of them, appearing in various forms throughout the last hundred years. Government agricultural bureaus, business associations, and magazines have all published their versions, with each list representing the standards and preferences of their time. To complicate things further, there are twenty-one provinces producing tea in China, and each one of these provinces is apt to promote its list of locally famous teas. Altogether, there are easily more than a thousand named teas in China produced to high standards of quality. In light of the staggering number of highly regarded Chinese teas today, it’s important to think of these lists as a starting point rather than an exhaustive survey of all Chinese tea.

The Criteria for Famous Chinese Teas

For a tea to appear on one of these lists, it usually has one or more of the following attributes:

1. It was once designated for tribute to the imperial court. (e.g., Longjing or Dragonwell)
2. It has a distinct shape, flavor, and aroma, easily discerned from other styles. (e.g., Lu’an Gua Pian)
3. It was awarded recognition in national or international competitions. (e.g., Tai Ping Houkui)
4. It was developed from a particular local variety of tea bush that has acquired strong and widespread appeal. (e.g., Tie Guan Yin or Tieguanyin, Qimen)

The 1959 List

The following teas are from the frequently referenced list of famous Chinese teas developed in 1959 by the Chinese government. Note that some teas which are now very popular, like Puer tea, are conspicuously absent from the list.

Xi Hu Long Jing 西湖龙井 (West Lake Dragon Well) – Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province

“West Lake” refers to all tea production in the villages surrounding the large lake in Hangzhou, including Mei Jia Wu and the most prestigious, Shi Feng, at the top of its mountain. This was a well-known tribute tea for centuries. A temple and emperor’s tea garden still exist there. Our Shifeng Longjing (Shifeng Dragon Well) comes from the Weng family, which has been making tea by hand for generations. This style has been replicated in other regions, notably in Xin Chang as Da Fo Long Jing.

Dong Ting Bi Luo Chun 洞庭碧螺春 – Tai Lake, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province

Tai Lake is the third-largest freshwater lake in all of China. Tea produced here is grown on the Dongshan (East Mountain) Peninsula and the Xishan (West Mountain) island. Tea from the island is considered superior because of its environment: mist from the lake shelters the tea bushes, while an abundance of fruit trees growing alongside them contributes to its flavor. Our Bi Luo Chun comes from the Lu Family living in Xishan.

Huangshan Maofeng 黄山毛峰 (Yellow Mountain) – Huangshan City, Anhui Province

Huang Shan (Yellow Mountain) is a site of tremendous natural heritage in China and is home to the highest peak on the country’s eastern side. Tea makers in this area were the first to make green tea in the modern style of frying the leaves and finishing them as loose leaf tea. Huang Shan has had an enormous influence on Chinese tea culture, exporting its tea-making style all over China. Our Huangshan Maofeng (Yellow Mountain) is made by a 5th generation tea maker, Wang Fang Shen, who invented the flowering display tea ball in 1986. His Huang Shan Mao Feng and display teas are frequently given as gifts from the Chinese diplomatic corps to leaders of other countries.

Lu Shan Yun Wu 庐山云雾茶 (Clouds and Mist) – Jiujiang City, Jiangxi Province

This is the most famous of the many teas named Yun Wu (Clouds and Mist). Today, the beauty of Lu Shan’s environment has eclipsed the popularity of its tea. The great poet Li Bai even wrote a poem about a waterfall here. The descriptive name “clouds and mist” refers to the constant cloud cover in this environment, which provides excellent shade and moisture for the tea plants. These growing conditions are known to produce good quality tea. Our Yun Wu (Clouds and Mist) is made from the popular Jiu Keng cultivar of tea bush.

Liu An Gua Pian 六安瓜片 (Sunflower Seed) – Jin Zhai County, Anhui Province

Gua Pian is commonly mistranslated as “Melon Seed” but is more appropriately translated as “Sunflower Seed.” This unique tea is the only green tea to use a one-leaf plucking standard that includes neither bud nor stem. Lu’an Gua Pian (Sunflower Seed) is also the only tea to be dried to completion by the unusual method of firing over an open flame. You can read about the special processing of this tea in more detail on our tea blog.

Xin Yang Mao Jian 信阳毛尖 Xin Yang Mao Jian – Xinyang City, Henan Province

Henan Province is in the farthest north region where tea can be cultivated. Since the climate is colder, the harvest occurs later than other green teas, and the leaves are comparatively small and tight. Many teas are produced in the Mao Jian style, like our Mao Jian (Misty New Top), but Xin Yang Mao Jian is the most famous. Mao Jian refers to the plucking standard of this tea: one bud that is both hairy (mao), straight, and pointy (jian).

Jun Shan Yin Zhen 君山银针 (Jun Island Silver Needle) – Yue Yang City, Hunan Province

Jun Shan is a mountain island in China’s second largest freshwater lake. Tea from this island was a tribute tea in the Qing Dynasty. Modern Jun Shan Yin Zhen is harvested during a very narrow window time, just seven to ten days at the end of March and beginning of April. At this particular time, the tea buds have grown close to three centimeters long and have not opened into leaves, though they are mature in flavor. As a yellow tea, Jun Shan Yin Zhen is time-consuming and complicated to produce. Our Junshan Yinzhen is made from 85% tea buds and 15% one bud to one leaf. For more about the meticulous production of this tea, refer to Junshan Yinzhen’s dedicated page.

Wuyi Yan Cha 武夷岩茶 (Wuyi Rock Tea) – Wuyishan City, Fujian Province

The skills of making wulong tea were first developed in Wuyishan (also written as Wuyi Mountain). The area’s yan cha (or “rock wulong”) is still the most conservative style wulong tea produced today. This tea is still made by the traditional method using open leaves that are naturally oxidized and dried over charcoal. The modern way of producing wulong tea now uses ovens. There are many varieties of yan cha developed from the diverse variety of tea bushes in Wuyishan. More information about these varieties and Wu Yi rock wulong, in general, can be found here.

Tie Guan Yin 铁观音 – Anxi County, Fujian Province

Wulong tea from Anxi exploded in popularity in the 1990s when it adopted a newer style of tea processing. In this newer style of making wulong tea, leaves are only lightly oxidized and then tightly rolled into a compact pearl shape. Many cultivars have been developed to suit this modern style of wulong making, but the most lauded continues to be the original Tieguanyin cultivar. The tart flavor of this original bush is best on display in our Jin Guanyin (Golden Guanyin).

Qimen Hong Cha 祁门红茶 (Keemun Black Tea) – Qimen County, Anhui Province

Though relatively few people in China consume black tea, Qimen (Keemun) is still highly regarded for its unusual floral character. Qimen gained a boost in popularity during the reform period when Deng Xiaoping suggested, “let Qimen be known to the world.” We carry Caixia Qimen (Sunrise Keemun), harvested at the unusually early one bud to one tender leaf plucking standard. Using leaves this young means this is a surprisingly difficult black tea to make.

Other lists of famous teas

For comparison’s sake, the following are other lists of famous Chinese tea that have appeared over the last century. It’s interesting to see the shifts in what is selected and what is passed over. For instance, Yunnan Puer tea only first appeared on the list in 1999, whereas the tea was not widely appreciated before then.

1915

Published for the Panama World Expo:

1. Xi Hu Long Jing
2. Bi Luo Chun
3. Xin Yang Mao Jian
4. Du Yun Mao Jian
5. Liu An Gua Pian
6. Jun Shan Yin Zhen
7. Tie Guan Yin
8. Huang Shan Mao Feng
9. Wuyi Yan Cha
10. Qimen Hong Cha

1999

Published in newsprint by a Chinese tea trade group:

1. Jiangsu Bi Luo Chun
2. Xi Hu Long Jing
3. Huang Shan Mao Feng
4. Liu An Gua Pian
5. Jiangxi Yun Wu Cha
6. [Hubei] En Shi Yu Lu (related to the Japanese made “Gyokuro”)
7. Fujian Tie Guan Yin
8. Fujian Yin Zhen (Bai Hao Yin Zhen)
9. Yunnan Puer Tea
10. Fujian Yan Cha

2001

Published by a Chinese governmental tea organization:

1. Xi Hu Long Jing
2. Huang Shan Mao Feng
3. Dong Ting Bi Luo Chun
4. Liu An Gua Pian
5. Meng Ding Gan Lu
6. Lu Shan Yun Wu Cha
7. Xin Yang Mao Jian
8. Du Yu Mao Jian
9. Anxi Tie Guan Yin
10. Suzhou Mo Li Hua

2002

Published by a Hong Kong Newspaper:

1. Xi Hu Long Jing
2. Jiangsu Bi Luo Chun
3. Huang Shan Mao Feng
4. Liu An Gua Pian
5. Fujian Bai Hao Yin Zhen
6. Qimen Hong Cha
7. Du Yu Mao Jian
8. Xin Yang Mao Jian
9. Wuyi Yan Cha
10. Fujian Tie Guan Yin