What are the Six Tea Families?

/in ,

Author/ The Tantalums - Han-Yi Han-Yi

Updated: 2025/12/12

Please cite the source of the quote, please protect and respect copyright, unauthorised use, female thieves, male prostitutes, can not get paid, walking on nails.

Upcoming Events

▼▼▼Register for Upcoming Events▼▼▼

For course enquiries, multi-class packages, student tickets and group packages, please contact us at line@ in the lower right corner.

2026

How are tea leaves divided?

In Chinese tea culture, tea leaves are divided into six categories according to the colour of the tea broth, commonly known as the "Six Tea Systems", which can be divided into the basic six categories of "green, yellow, white, green, red and black", which are the most widely accepted and can be communicated around the world, and later on, there are also new classifications proposed by researchers, such as the variations of black oolongs and floral teas, which have emerged.

tea Fermentation Taste the highlights Representative goods
green tea

Non-fermentable

0%

 Green leaves in clear soup, refreshing taste.

(Grass. Bean. Vegetable. Seaweed Flavour)

 Biluochun, Longjing

Sencha, Yuru, Matcha
Yellow Tea

Micro fermentation

0~10%

 Yellow broth and yellow leaves, with a recessed inner taste.

(Soya bean. Rice Dumpling Leaves. Herb aroma)

 Junshan Silver Needle, Mengding Yellow Bud

Pingyang Yellow Soup
plain tea

Lightly fermented

10~30%

Dried leaves in a yellow broth for a rich, delicate flavour.

(Melon. Apple. Pear)

 White Hair Silver Needle, White Peony, Shou Mei

Fuding large white, moonlight white, pearl white
green tea

Partial fermentation

10~70%

Yellow broth with red rim, sweetness and varied taste.

(Herbaceous plants. Floral. Sweet. Fruity)

 Iced Oolong, Oriental Beauty, High Mountain Tea

Tieguanyin, Phoenix Single Stem, Rock Tea
black tea

Re-fermentation

70~90%

 Red soup and red leaves, rich and full of flavour.

(Saffron. Fruity. Sugar. (Candied)

 Assam, Ceylon, Darjeeling Tea

Sun Moon Lake Black Tea, Honey Scented Black Tea
black tea

Fully fermented

100%

 Red soup with brown leaves, warm and mellow.

(rosin, ripe fruit, wood sweet, herbs)

 Pu-erh Tea, Golden Flower Porch Brick, Liu Bao Tea

Fermentation i.e. oxidisation

The term "fermentation" has been misused, but it's actually oxidation.

Classified according to the different degrees of oxidation and fermentation, resulting in different colours of the tea broth, it is actually scientifically proven that the degree of oxidation of the tea polyphenols, together with the differences in local knowledge of the steps of the process, will be the same leaves of the tea tree, into six different flavours, and it is precisely this category of black tea that makes the Westerner tend to be attracted to the black tea.

Coffee is sun-dried, water-washed and honey-dried, and what are the classifications of tea?

Non-Chinese systems don't exactly follow this rule.

The colour of tea broth is closely related to the change of tea polyphenols.

Tea polyphenols contain catechins, which oxidise and turn into tea yellows and theobromine!

Tea Soup Colour Classification

The six tea families are differentiated according to the degree of fermentation, and the colour of the tea broth ranges from light to dark. Green tea is based on "0%" non-oxidised, non-fermented tea. Currently, tea is classified into "unfermented tea", "partially fermented tea" and "fully fermented tea".

Green tea is one of the many types of tea production methods that are categorised.

Some of the fermented teas are mainly green teas. There is no absolute fixed answer for the degree of fermentation and oxidisation in the market, and it covers a wider range because the degree of fermentation of the same tea item in different periods may change due to the mainstream market demand at that time, taking the current common commodities as an example:

Green tea is characterised by many variations in layering.

green tea

Green tea is the earliest type of tea, and from ancient times to the present day in China, there have been methods of "greening" such as sun-blossoming, steaming, stir-frying, and roasting, which simply means that after the tea leaves are plucked from the tea tree, there is no chance of oxidation before they enter the greening operation, and the high temperature is used to inhibit the oxidative fermentation process, so as to lock the fragrance and flavour in the moment when the leaves are at their best, and to maintain the green colour of the fresh leaves. At present, it is the category with the largest production volume, the most specialised varieties, and the most famous tea models in China.

Aroma: Fresh green tea with light grassy and vegetable flavour, high quality green tea with distinctive bean and seaweed aroma.

* Puerh Raw Tea is classified as Green Tea after ISO 20715:2023 Classification of Tea.

tea Fermentation Description Definition of production process Production Process Representative Commodities
green tea No Fried Green Tea Stir frying and killing tea, kneading, drying Tatsui
green tea No Sun-dried Green Tea Sun-dried Tea, Kneading and Drying Green Tea
green tea No Steamed Green Tea Steaming, kneading, drying Japanese Green Tea

More green tea reading:

The official website of Tantra has sourced a rare green tea. Unlike the common Biluochun green tea, Honey Spice Green Tea is made from the same tea green as Oriental Beauty Tea, with honey-sweet aroma of the raw materials, and the resulting sweet as a飴 green tea is screened many times for emerald, green jadeite, and the ultimate grade of green diamonds! Very tasty.

Click me

Yellow Tea

Yellow tea is an extremely slightly oxidised tea, but with the concept of post-fermentation, the craftsmanship in the processing means similar to green tea, there is also a theory that yellow tea may be the result of careless accidental mistakes in the production of fried green tea, created by the medicinal aroma, nectar taste, and occasionally there is a faint aroma of charcoal, rice dumpling leaf aroma, in the kneading, drying process before the action of the accumulation of a number of muffled yellow, the process resulting in the yellow soup and yellow leaves quality characteristics.

Aroma: Smells like beans and herbs, but not as fresh as green tea.

tea Fermentation Description Definition of production process Production Process Representative Commodities
Yellow Tea No Yellow Tea Killing, smothering, kneading, drying Junshan Silver Needle
Yellow Tea No, Micro Yellow Tea Killing, Breading, Dulling, Drying Mengding Yellow Bud

More yellow tea reading:

plain tea

White tea is a speciality of China. White tea has been around since the Song Dynasty. In the past, it was mainly made from the albino leaf tea tree, with stringent requirements for tea tree raw materials and tea plantation management, but nowadays there is micro-oxidation in the production process, and the process only involves a long time of withering and drying, which means that the tea is full of white hairs, as white as silver, and the tea broth is pale in colour, with an elegant and cooling aroma, and even some of the literature points to the fact that white tea has been documented to have been used as a Chinese herbal medicine.

Aroma: White tea is more tender, with a strong fluffy hairy fragrance, the freshness of green tea, and the sweetness of tree sap and melon fruit.

tea Fermentation Description Definition of production process Production Process Representative Commodities
plain tea light shou Mei or Shou Mei (facial expression) Withering and drying Taiwan White Tea
plain tea light White Peony. Silver Needle Tenderising, withering, sifting, drying Fuding white tea
plain tea light New Craft White Tea Withering, kneading, drying, sifting Darjeeling White Tea

More white tea reading:

green tea

Oolong tea, also known as green tea, originated in the Fujian region on the south-east coast of China. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, this method of production was commonly spread to theMinbei, Minnan, Guangdong and Taiwan are called the Four Wulongs.Green Tea is a partially fermented tea process between Green Tea and Black Tea, which has its own characteristics after localisation. The colour of the tea is greenish-brown, hence the name "green tea". After brewing, the tea leaves show a mixture of red and green, which has been known as "green tea" since ancient times.Green Leaves with Red EdgeThe word "Oolong" denotes the characteristics of its craftsmanship, with a yellowish-green colour and a natural fruity and floral aroma.Cultural Habits of Tea Roasting.

Aroma: orchid, gardenia, osmanthus, fruity aroma, but traditional cultural interpretations have more descriptions of the flavour of specific tea varieties, such as the rock bone flower aroma of rock tea.Iron Goddess of MercyThe iron flavour of the Sugarplum Rhythm.

tea Fermentation Description Definition of production process Production Process Representative Commodities
green tea light Bauhinia tea Sun exposure, withering, light stirring
Killing, twisting, drying		 Pinglin Type
green tea part high mountain tea Sun-drying, withering, medium mixing
Killing, twisting, drying		 Alishan tea
green tea part Cold Topped Oolong Sun-drying, withering, medium mixing
Killing, kneading, drying, baking		 Deer Valley Freeze Top
green tea part White Hair Oolong Sun exposure, heavy withering, heavy mixing
Killing, twisting, drying		 Oriental Beauty
green tea attach importance to Red Oolong Withering, heavy mixing, heavy kneading
Killing, twisting, drying		 Kano Red Oolong

More green tea reading:

Jin Xuan Oolong Tea, is a familiar classic in Taiwan, has a charming creamy aroma, mainly produced in Alishan and has a sunny taste with plenty of sunshine, sweet and warm sense of gentleness, so never tire of drinking, this is also the most recommended in the online shop to accompany the meal of the tea hot models.

Click me

black tea

The black tea method has been popular since the Ming and Qing Dynasties in China, it is a kind of tea that is close to complete oxidation, with a strong and deep flavour that is loved by the western market. In the 19th century, the production method was also transferred to India and Ceylon, in order to achieve a rapid release of flavour, the traditional style of Fu Fu black tea was improved by chopping up the tea leaves and then fermenting them to produce crushed type, C.T.C. and other black teas, and the oxidation process produces a fascinating ripened fruits aroma, with a red broth and red leaves, and high Highly aromatic and mellow flavour.

Aroma: The aroma of black tea is high and long-lasting, full and rich, with sweet candy, ripe flowers and fruits aroma.

tea Fermentation Description Definition of production process Production Process Representative Commodities
black tea attach importance to Kung Fu Tea Withering, kneading, oxidising and drying Sun Moon Lake Black Tea
black tea attach importance to C.T.C. Harvesting and withering,
Crushed, torn, rolled, dried.		 Assam Tea

More black tea reading:

Champagne black tea is the most desirable tea in the world! It is a high altitude honey flavoured black tea that combines the sweetness of the mountains with the sweetness of fruits and honey, like the beauty of a hundred flowers in full bloom, blooming in the mouth.

Click me

black tea

Black tea is a unique tea in China, with a long history related to the Silk Road and the Tea Horse Road. Compared to the other five types of tea, black tea is the only tea that has both oxidisation and fermentation, and it is also known as post-fermented tea because of the presence of bacteria. The raw materials in the production process, there is a longer period of time after the accumulation of fermentation, often so that the tea colour is black, the common type of tea is brick tea, cake tea, tuocha compact tea way to become a commodity. Typical tea products include Golden Flower Porcha, Qianlian Tea, Black Brick Tea, Green Brick Tea, Pu'er Tea, etc. The pressed brick tea is also a necessity for the ethnic minorities in the northwestern region of China.Making Ghee Milk TeaThe essential ingredient for the

Aroma: Black tea has a mellow sweet wine, mushroom and flower aroma, pine scent, tobacco, Chinese herbal medicine aroma, after a long time of storage conversion is also described by some people with aged aroma.

* Puerh Ripe Tea is classified as Black Tea after the standard classification of ISO 20715:2023 "Classification of Tea".

tea Fermentation Description Definition of production process Production Process Representative Commodities
black tea surname Quan black tea Killing, twisting and drying,
Warming, fermentation, drying		 Anhua Jiancha tea
black tea surname Quan Pu'er prefecture level city in Yunnan Sun-dried, killed, twisted and dried,
Warming, fermentation, pressing and drying.		 Yunnan Pu'er Cake

More yellow tea reading:

Taiwan Special Tea Flavour Wheel of the Six Tea Families and Eight Taiwan Special Tea Types (From Tea Industry Improvement Farm)

 

Invitation, Seminar, Tea Ceremony Experience

Welcome to write to us: hanyi2016tea@gmail.com
The series of tea courses kicked off with instructor HAN-YI arranging a series of experiential tea courses in professional fields, from understanding tea leaves, choosing utensils, brewing methods, analysing and adjusting, and staff skills, and so on.

Extended Reading:

You might also like
Xinbei│Ruifang] A-Mei Tea House, a gourmet afternoon tea with a view that you can't miss in Jiufen Old Street.
Attica AniKe, a tea bag cafe that has been cultivated in Dadaocheng for 20 years, will take you around the world.
How to brew Mariage Frères tea? The romantic essence of French flavoured tea in the simplest proportions｜Mariage Frères Brewing Guide
Milk Tea Festival | Pineapple Tea] Pineapple Honey Tea has become a favourite amongst experienced pineapple lovers!
German Tea Culture Ostfriesland tea Cream Tea
Tea Tree in Taiwan: Green Heart Oolong (Taiwan's mainstream small-leafed variety. High Mountain Oolong)
Taipei ︳ Zhongshan] Ru Tang Hand Shaken Drink, Refreshing Pineapple Green Tea, Hand Washed Love Jade Ice.
[Taichung | Western District] Jin Lu Tang Fresh Dessert Tea Shop, Muscatel Tea, Fresh Milk Tea with dreamy speciality.