Tea has been produced in China
for thousands of years and is grown in eighteen of the twenty-two provinces of China. This
rich tradition and geographic diversity has created a cornucopia of tea
varieties. The phrase "Chinese Tea" is almost meaningless because there are so
many types and variations of Chinese tea.
Fujian province (also
spelled Fukien) is located on the southeast coast of China on the Taiwan Straight. It
has a subtropical climate and mountainous terrain - conditions which are ideal
for growing tea.
Anhui province is in the eastern part of China. It has been producing tea for hundreds if not thousands of years and has been exporting tea since at least the 7th century.
Yunnan province is located in the south west corner of China. It shares borders with Tibet and Vietnam, and is crossed by the Tropic of Cancer. Tea is grown at elevations between 1,200 to 2,000 meters, and conditions are ideal for tea trees.
Tea Growing Areas