Zhejiang Province, China – Tea Growing Region

Zhejiang Province, on China's eastern coast, is one of the country's most celebrated tea-growing regions. Known particularly for its green teas, Zhejiang has a long history of cultivation, with tea gardens spread across rolling hills, wooded mountains and fertile valleys.

The province is home to some of China's most recognisable teas, including Longjing (Dragon Well), Anji Bai Cha and Gunpowder Green Tea. Each has its own character, shaped by local growing conditions, the tea plants used and the methods employed to process the leaves.

Tea is closely connected to Zhejiang's landscape and culture. From the famous gardens surrounding West Lake in Hangzhou to the mountainous countryside of Anji, tea cultivation remains an important part of the province's agricultural heritage.

Where Is Zhejiang Province?

Zhejiang is situated in eastern China, south of Shanghai, with the East China Sea forming its eastern boundary. Its provincial capital, Hangzhou, is particularly famous for its association with Longjing tea.

Much of Zhejiang's landscape consists of hills and mountains, interspersed with river valleys and areas of cultivated land. These varied surroundings provide suitable conditions for growing different types of tea.

The province experiences a humid subtropical climate, with warm, wet summers and generally cool winters. Rainfall is plentiful, particularly during spring and early summer, helping to support the growth of tea plants.

In many tea-growing districts, the combination of well-drained hillside soils, regular rainfall and seasonal temperature changes creates favourable conditions for producing high-quality tea.

The History of Tea in Zhejiang

Tea has been cultivated in Zhejiang for well over a thousand years, and the province has played an important role in the development of Chinese tea culture.

During the Tang dynasty (618–907), tea drinking became increasingly established throughout China. The renowned tea scholar Lu Yu spent part of his life in the region and wrote The Classic of Tea, one of the earliest comprehensive works devoted to tea cultivation, preparation and appreciation.

Zhejiang's importance continued during the Song dynasty (960–1279), when tea culture flourished and methods of preparing and appreciating tea became increasingly sophisticated.

Over subsequent centuries, the province developed a reputation for producing distinctive green teas, particularly those associated with Hangzhou and the surrounding hills.

Longjing tea became especially highly regarded during the Qing dynasty, when it gained recognition through its association with the imperial court.

Today, Zhejiang remains an important centre of Chinese tea production, combining established cultivation practices with modern agricultural and processing techniques.

Famous Teas from Zhejiang Province

Although Zhejiang produces several types of tea, it is particularly well known for its green teas. These are generally processed soon after harvesting to limit oxidation, helping preserve the leaves' green colour and fresh character.

Some of the province's best-known teas include Longjing, Anji Bai Cha, Gunpowder Green Tea and Kaihua Longding.

Longjing Tea (Dragon Well)

Longjing, also known as Dragon Well tea, is one of China's most famous green teas and is closely associated with the hills surrounding West Lake in Hangzhou.

The tea is recognised for its distinctive flattened leaves, which are traditionally shaped during pan-firing. This process stops oxidation while helping develop the tea's characteristic aroma and flavour.

A well-made Longjing typically produces a clear, pale green to yellow-green infusion with a smooth, delicate taste. Depending on its origin and processing, its flavour may include fresh vegetal notes, gentle sweetness and a subtle roasted or chestnut-like character.

The most celebrated Longjing-producing areas are found around West Lake, although Longjing-style teas are also produced elsewhere in Zhejiang.

The spring harvest is particularly valued, with early-season leaves often prized for their tenderness and refined flavour.

Our Longjing Tea (Dragon Well) can be found here if you want to explore this wonderful green tea. 

Cloud Mist Green Tea

Cloud Mist Green Tea is another style of Chinese green tea associated with misty mountain growing regions. Its name reflects the cool, humid conditions often found in higher-altitude tea gardens, where mist and cloud cover can influence the development of the leaves.

The tea is generally appreciated for its fresh, delicate character, gentle vegetal notes and smooth finish. Its flavour can vary according to the growing location, harvesting season and processing methods.

Cloud Mist tea, also known as Yun Wu (云雾), is produced in several mountainous regions of China, including Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangxi. It is valued for its fresh aroma, gentle sweetness and smooth, refreshing character.

When brewed, the leaves produce a clear, pale yellow-green infusion with delicate vegetal notes and subtle hints of nuttiness or floral sweetness.

For those interested in exploring this style of Chinese green tea, Great Tea's Cloud Mist Green Tea (Grade A) offers an example of its distinctive flavour and character.

Anji Bai Cha

Despite its name, which translates as Anji White Tea, Anji Bai Cha is generally classified as a green tea.

It originates from Anji County in northern Zhejiang and is produced from a distinctive tea plant cultivar whose young spring leaves develop a pale appearance under suitable temperature conditions.

As temperatures rise, the leaves gradually become greener.

Anji Bai Cha is usually processed using green tea production methods, preserving its fresh character.

The finished tea is known for its delicate aroma, smooth texture and gentle sweetness. Its flavour is often described as fresh and mellow, with subtle vegetal notes and relatively little astringency when carefully prepared.

The unusual appearance of its young leaves and its distinctive flavour have made Anji Bai Cha one of Zhejiang's best-known speciality teas.

Gunpowder Green Tea

Gunpowder Green Tea has a long association with Zhejiang, particularly the tea-producing areas around Shaoxing.

Unlike the flat leaves of Longjing, Gunpowder Green Tea is rolled into small, tightly curled pellets.

The name comes from the appearance of the dried leaves, which resemble grains of gunpowder.

When placed in hot water, the pellets gradually unfurl, releasing a stronger, more robust flavour than many delicate Chinese green teas.

Depending on the grade and processing, Gunpowder Green Tea can have a full-bodied character with vegetal, lightly smoky or toasted notes.

It has historically been an important Chinese export tea and is widely used in traditional North African mint tea.

Kaihua Longding

Kaihua Longding is a green tea produced in Kaihua County, in western Zhejiang Province.

The region's mountainous landscape, abundant rainfall and wooded surroundings provide a distinctive setting for tea cultivation.

Kaihua Longding is recognised for its slender, upright leaves and fresh, aromatic character.

The tea typically produces a clear infusion with a gentle sweetness and a clean, refreshing finish.

Although less internationally recognised than Longjing, it is an important example of the diversity of green teas produced within Zhejiang.

Tea Growing Conditions in Zhejiang

Zhejiang's reputation as a tea-growing region is closely connected to its geography and climate.

The province contains numerous hills and mountain ranges, many of which provide suitable locations for tea gardens. Elevation, slope orientation, soil conditions and local weather patterns all influence how tea plants develop.

Climate and Rainfall

Zhejiang has a humid subtropical climate, with rainfall distributed throughout much of the year.

Spring is especially important for tea production, as rising temperatures encourage new shoots to emerge after the slower winter growing period.

Cooler spring conditions can support relatively gradual leaf development, while sufficient moisture helps maintain healthy growth.

However, conditions vary across the province, and individual tea-growing districts can experience noticeably different temperatures and rainfall patterns.

Soil and Elevation

Many tea gardens are situated on hillsides where drainage is good and the soil is naturally suited to tea cultivation.

Tea plants generally favour acidic, well-drained soils, although soil composition and fertility vary between growing areas.

Elevation can also influence the development of the leaves. In cooler locations, slower growth may affect the concentration and balance of compounds that contribute to a tea's aroma and flavour.

The interaction between climate, soil, cultivar and cultivation methods helps explain why teas produced in different parts of Zhejiang can taste quite different.

Tea Harvesting and Processing

Spring is the most celebrated harvesting season for many of Zhejiang's premium green teas.

As temperatures begin to rise, tea plants produce fresh shoots that are carefully picked according to the requirements of the particular tea.

For some high-grade teas, the harvest may consist of a tender bud and one or two young leaves.

Early spring teas are often particularly sought after, although the precise harvesting period depends on local weather, elevation and the tea variety.

Traditional Green Tea Processing

After harvesting, green tea leaves are processed relatively quickly to prevent significant oxidation.

One of the most important stages is heating the leaves, often described as fixing or kill-green processing.

In Zhejiang, traditional pan-firing methods remain closely associated with teas such as Longjing.

The leaves are heated in a pan while being carefully moved and shaped. The heat deactivates enzymes responsible for oxidation, helping preserve the tea's green character.

For Longjing, the shaping process also creates the characteristic flat appearance of the finished leaves.

Other Zhejiang teas may be rolled, shaped or dried using different techniques.

These processing choices influence the appearance, aroma, texture and flavour of the finished tea.

What Does Zhejiang Tea Taste Like?

There is no single flavour that defines every tea produced in Zhejiang.

The province's green teas range from delicate and sweet to more robust and vegetal, depending on the growing area, cultivar, harvesting season and processing method.

Longjing is often appreciated for its smooth texture, gentle sweetness and subtle toasted or chestnut-like notes.

Anji Bai Cha generally offers a lighter, more delicate flavour, with fresh vegetal characteristics and a soft finish.

Gunpowder Green Tea tends to produce a stronger infusion, while speciality teas such as Kaihua Longding have their own distinctive aromatic qualities.

Water temperature and brewing time also make a considerable difference. Green teas brewed with excessively hot water or steeped for too long can develop unwanted bitterness and astringency.

For many Zhejiang green teas, water at approximately 75–85°C provides a useful starting point, although the ideal temperature varies according to the tea.

Tea Culture in Hangzhou and Zhejiang

Tea is an important part of everyday life and regional identity in Zhejiang.

Hangzhou, in particular, has a longstanding association with tea drinking, cultivation and appreciation.

The hills surrounding West Lake contain historic tea-growing villages, including Longjing Village and Meijiawu, where tea gardens form an integral part of the landscape.

Visitors to these areas can see how tea cultivation has shaped the local countryside and continues to influence the region's cultural traditions.

Tea houses are also an established feature of Hangzhou's social life, providing places where people can meet, relax and enjoy locally produced teas.

For many visitors, the connection between the tea gardens, surrounding scenery and traditional tea culture is an important part of understanding Zhejiang's place in Chinese tea history.

Why Is Zhejiang Important to Chinese Tea?

Zhejiang holds a significant position in Chinese tea production because of its history, established growing regions and diversity of green teas.

Its reputation is particularly closely connected to Longjing, which has become one of the most widely recognised names in Chinese tea.

However, the province's contribution extends well beyond a single variety.

From the distinctive pale spring leaves used to produce Anji Bai Cha to the tightly rolled pellets of Gunpowder Green Tea, Zhejiang demonstrates how different cultivars, growing conditions and processing techniques can produce remarkably varied results.

For anyone interested in understanding Chinese green tea, Zhejiang offers an excellent introduction to the relationship between place, cultivation and flavour.

Frequently Asked Questions About Zhejiang Tea