--- title: 'Tea Foundations' url: 'https://howtotea.me/' markdown: 'https://howtotea.me/index.md' lang: en date: '2026-11-03' description: 'An encyclopedia of tea and teaware: the six types of Chinese tea, named teas and their regions, gaiwans and Yixing teapots, water, storage and brewing.' --- # Tea Foundations An encyclopedia of tea and teaware: what tea is made from, how the types and named teas differ, and how to brew them and in which vessels. 6 types · 21 teas · 89 guides on teaware and brewing ## The six types of tea [All tea types](https://howtotea.me/teas) The six types of Chinese tea: green, white, yellow, oolong, black and dark. What sets them apart is how the leaf is processed and how far it oxidizes. - [ 绿茶 Green tea lǜ chá ](https://howtotea.me/teas/green) water 75–85° · 3–4 g per 150 ml - [Longjing](https://howtotea.me/teas/green/longjing)龙井 - [Bi Luo Chun](https://howtotea.me/teas/green/bi-luo-chun)碧螺春 - [Huangshan Mao Feng](https://howtotea.me/teas/green/huangshan-mao-feng)黄山毛峰 - [ 白茶 White tea bái chá ](https://howtotea.me/teas/white) water 85–90° · 5 g per 100 ml - [Bai Hao Yin Zhen](https://howtotea.me/teas/white/bai-hao-yin-zhen)白毫银针 - [Bai Mu Dan](https://howtotea.me/teas/white/bai-mu-dan)白牡丹 - [Shou Mei](https://howtotea.me/teas/white/shou-mei)寿眉 - [ 黄茶 Yellow tea huáng chá ](https://howtotea.me/teas/yellow) water 80–85° · 3 g per 150 ml - [Jun Shan Yin Zhen](https://howtotea.me/teas/yellow/jun-shan-yin-zhen)君山银针 - [Meng Ding Huang Ya](https://howtotea.me/teas/yellow/meng-ding-huang-ya)蒙顶黄芽 - [Huo Shan Huang Ya](https://howtotea.me/teas/yellow/huo-shan-huang-ya)霍山黄芽 - [ 乌龙茶 Oolong wū lóng chá ](https://howtotea.me/teas/oolong) water 95–100° · 7 g per 100 ml - [Tie Guan Yin](https://howtotea.me/teas/oolong/tie-guan-yin)铁观音 - [Da Hong Pao](https://howtotea.me/teas/oolong/da-hong-pao)大红袍 - [Feng Huang Dan Cong](https://howtotea.me/teas/oolong/feng-huang-dan-cong)凤凰单丛 - [Rou Gui](https://howtotea.me/teas/oolong/rou-gui)肉桂 - [Dong Ding](https://howtotea.me/teas/oolong/dong-ding)凍頂烏龍 - [ 红茶 Black tea hóng chá ](https://howtotea.me/teas/black) water 90–95° · 4–5 g per 100 ml - [Dian Hong](https://howtotea.me/teas/black/dian-hong)滇红 - [Qimen](https://howtotea.me/teas/black/qimen)祁门红茶 - [Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong](https://howtotea.me/teas/black/zheng-shan-xiao-zhong)正山小种 - [Jin Jun Mei](https://howtotea.me/teas/black/jin-jun-mei)金骏眉 - [ 黑茶 Dark tea hēi chá ](https://howtotea.me/teas/dark) water 95–100° · 6 g per 100 ml - [Pu-erh](https://howtotea.me/teas/dark/puer)普洱茶 - [Liu Bao](https://howtotea.me/teas/dark/liu-bao)六堡茶 - [Anhua dark tea](https://howtotea.me/teas/dark/anhua)安化黑茶 ## Teaware, brewing tea, tea science and tea traditions - [ 茶具 Teaware chá jù ](https://howtotea.me/teaware) 36 guides - [Brewing vessels](https://howtotea.me/teaware/brewing-vessels) - [Gaiwan](https://howtotea.me/teaware/brewing-vessels/gaiwan)盖碗 - [Yixing teapot](https://howtotea.me/teaware/brewing-vessels/yixing)宜兴紫砂壶 - [Teapot anatomy](https://howtotea.me/teaware/brewing-vessels/teapot-anatomy)茶壶结构 - [Fair cup (chahai)](https://howtotea.me/teaware/brewing-vessels/chahai)公道杯 - [Cups](https://howtotea.me/teaware/brewing-vessels/cups)品茗杯 - [Tea tray (cha pan)](https://howtotea.me/teaware/brewing-vessels/tea-tray)茶盘 - [Utensils](https://howtotea.me/teaware/utensils) - [Water kettles](https://howtotea.me/teaware/utensils/kettles)煮水壶 - [Tea tools](https://howtotea.me/teaware/utensils/tea-tools)茶道六君子 - [Strainers and tea bags](https://howtotea.me/teaware/utensils/strainers)茶滤 - [Heat sources](https://howtotea.me/teaware/utensils/heat-sources) - [Scales and thermometers](https://howtotea.me/teaware/utensils/measuring-tools) - [Tea caddies](https://howtotea.me/teaware/utensils/tea-caddies)茶叶罐 - [Whole section](https://howtotea.me/teaware) - [ 泡茶 Brewing pào chá ](https://howtotea.me/brewing) 12 guides - [Methods](https://howtotea.me/brewing/methods) - [Gongfu cha](https://howtotea.me/brewing/methods/gongfu-cha)工夫茶 - [Western brewing](https://howtotea.me/brewing/methods/western)西式冲泡 - [Glass and grandpa](https://howtotea.me/brewing/methods/grandpa-style)杯泡法 - [Cold brew](https://howtotea.me/brewing/methods/cold-brew)冷泡茶 - [Boiling tea (zhu cha)](https://howtotea.me/brewing/methods/zhu-cha)煮茶 - [Matcha](https://howtotea.me/brewing/methods/matcha)抹茶 - [Sencha and gyokuro](https://howtotea.me/brewing/methods/sencha-gyokuro)日本茶 - [Basics](https://howtotea.me/brewing/basics) - [Leaf dose and time](https://howtotea.me/brewing/basics/leaf-ratio)投茶量 - [Water for tea](https://howtotea.me/brewing/basics/water)水 - [Warming and rinsing](https://howtotea.me/brewing/basics/preheating-and-rinsing)温壶烫杯 - [Storage](https://howtotea.me/brewing/basics/storage)存茶 - [Leaf size](https://howtotea.me/brewing/basics/leaf-grades) - [Whole section](https://howtotea.me/brewing) - [ 茶学 Science chá xué ](https://howtotea.me/science) 13 guides - [Chemistry](https://howtotea.me/science/chemistry) - [Caffeine](https://howtotea.me/science/chemistry/caffeine)咖啡碱 - [Polyphenols](https://howtotea.me/science/chemistry/polyphenols)茶多酚 - [Theanine and umami](https://howtotea.me/science/chemistry/theanine)茶氨酸 - [Aroma](https://howtotea.me/science/chemistry/aroma)香气 - [Tea safety](https://howtotea.me/science/chemistry/tea-safety)茶汤安全 - [Water and extraction](https://howtotea.me/science/water-and-extraction) - [Extraction](https://howtotea.me/science/water-and-extraction/extraction)浸出 - [Water chemistry](https://howtotea.me/science/water-and-extraction/water-chemistry) - [Additives](https://howtotea.me/science/water-and-extraction/additives) - [Evaluation](https://howtotea.me/science/evaluation) - [Shenping](https://howtotea.me/science/evaluation/shenping)审评 - [Tea tasting](https://howtotea.me/science/evaluation/tea-tasting) - [Tasting vocabulary](https://howtotea.me/science/evaluation/tasting-vocabulary) - [Whole section](https://howtotea.me/science) - [ 茶文化 Traditions chá wénhuà ](https://howtotea.me/traditions) 28 guides - [China](https://howtotea.me/traditions/china) - [History](https://howtotea.me/traditions/china/history) - [Living traditions](https://howtotea.me/traditions/china/living-traditions) - [Japan and Korea](https://howtotea.me/traditions/japan-and-korea) - [Chanoyu](https://howtotea.me/traditions/japan-and-korea/chanoyu)茶の湯 - [Senchadō](https://howtotea.me/traditions/japan-and-korea/senchado)煎茶道 - [Furicha](https://howtotea.me/traditions/japan-and-korea/furicha)振り茶 - [Darye](https://howtotea.me/traditions/japan-and-korea/darye)茶禮 - [Europe and Russia](https://howtotea.me/traditions/europe-and-russia) - [Russian tea](https://howtotea.me/traditions/europe-and-russia/russian-tea) - [Britain and Ireland](https://howtotea.me/traditions/europe-and-russia/british-tea) - [Continental Europe](https://howtotea.me/traditions/europe-and-russia/european-tea) - [Middle East and Central Asia](https://howtotea.me/traditions/middle-east-and-central-asia) - [Turkey and Azerbaijan](https://howtotea.me/traditions/middle-east-and-central-asia/turkey) - [Whole section](https://howtotea.me/traditions) --- ## Navigation - Next: [Tea types](https://howtotea.me/teas.md)