China is both the birthplace of tea and the birthplace of green tea. Although Japan has become one of the world’s most famous green tea producers, the country originally received its tea-producing skills from China. Like Japanese green tea, Chinese green teas are also unoxidized, but the process by which oxidation is arrested is different.

Whereas Japanese teas are steamed, Chinese green tea leaves are pan-fired shortly after plucking. During pan firing, the fresh leaves are pressed briefly against a wok fired at high heat. The heat from the wok is high enough to kill the enzymes in the tea leaves, rendering them unable to react to oxygen and continue through the chemical process that would lead to an oolong tea or a black tea.

It is important to note that the correct terminology for this processing is “firing,” NOT “frying,” as it is sometimes incorrectly referred to. Frying is a cooking process that involves oil or fat, and tea leaves are most definitely not processed in cooking oil!

This fixation step is very short; afterward, the heat in the wok is turned down to a much lower temperature and the leaves are manipulated by hand until the moisture content is reduced to the point that the leaves are ready for sale. Depending on the type of green tea that is being produced, the hand manipulation varies widely. For the famous Dragonwell tea, the leaves are pressed flat against the wok and end up looking like flat, green spears. For a tea like

Gunpowder, the leaves are rolled tightly into balls, which end up resembling gunpowder pellets. For other teas, like a White Monkey Paw style, the hand rolling is less intense and the finished tea leaves take on a fluffier, less dense shape.

The most delicate expensive types of green tea from China is harvested before a festival day in early April called Qing Ming. Although teas harvested after this date are often very high quality, their price will almost always be a fraction of early harvested teas. The flavor profile of Chinese green teas varies widely; regardless of your flavor preferences, chances are there is a great Chinese green tea to fit your needs!