Updated: 2016-09-02 07:00:40
Whenever somebody talks about Hangzhou's tea, Longjing tea is the first name that springs to mind. But Longjing is not the only tea that Hangzhou produces. Many counties also have their own brands. Here are top 10 tea brands grown in Hangzhou.
West Lake Longjing tea
With a history of more than 1,200 years, West Lake Longjing tea (西湖龙井) is one of the most famous teas in China. The record of West Lake Longjing tea dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The tea gets its name from the place where it is grown: Longjing village, which is surrounded by mountains.
Jingshan tea
Jingshan tea (径山茶) is grown on Jingshan Hill in Yuhang district in Hangzhou. Also a kind of green tea, it became famous in the Tang Dynasty.
Qiandao Yu Ye
Qiandao Yu Ye (千岛玉叶) from Chun'an county in Hangzhou, was once named Qiandao Lake Longjing tea. It got its official name Yu Ye in 1983, literally meaning "jade leaves", after being assessed academically by the local university.
Xue Shui Yun Lv
Grown in Tonglu district in Hangzhou, Xue Shui Yun Lv (雪水云绿) is a sort of wild tea shaped like a lotus seed core.
Tian Mu Qing Ding
Tian Mu Qing Ding (天目青顶), green tea, is produced in Tianmu Mountain in Lin'an in Hangzhou. Tea grown in Tianmu Mountain rose to fame in the Tang Dynasty.
Qiandao Yin Zhen
Belonging to the category of green teas, Qiandao Yin Zhen (千岛银珍) is the pride of Jiande, China's first organic tea production base.
An Ding Yun Wu
The local people call An Ding Yun Wu (安顶云雾) as "shining pieces", because it has a shiny green color. It is grown in Fuyang in Hangzhou.
Xianghu Longjing tea
Unlike West Lake Longjing tea, Xianghu Longjing (湘湖龙井) is produced in Xiaoshan district in Hangzhou. It is not a different species, but a general name for all the Longjing tea grown in this district.
Tian Zun Gong Ya
Shaped like a sparrow's tongue, Tian Zun Gong Ya (天尊贡芽) it is a kind of green tea that is half-stirred and half-baked. It is also produced in Tonglu.
Jiukeng Mao Jian
Jiukeng Mao Jian (鸠坑毛尖) is produced in Chun'an in Hangzhou. It has a special fragrance and a taste of baked chestnuts. The earliest record of the tea is from annals written by Li Zhao in the Tang Dynasty.