Yellow Tea

Yellow tea (黄茶, huáng chá) is one of China’s rarest traditional teas. Known for its smooth taste, bright golden liquor, and elegant aroma, it’s sometimes described as a “softer green tea” due to its similar processing—yet with a unique mellow character thanks to its signature slow oxidation step.

Cherished by emperors and scholars throughout history, yellow tea is a refined experience for those seeking depth, subtlety, and heritage in every sip.

What Is Yellow Tea?

Yellow tea is made from the same Camellia sinensis leaves as green tea but undergoes an additional step called “men huang” (闷黄) or sealed yellowing—a gentle steaming and slow oxidation process. This reduces the grassy taste found in green tea and gives yellow tea its signature smoothness and golden hue.

Famous Types of Chinese Yellow Tea

  • Junshan Yinzhen (君山银针): From Hunan’s Junshan Island, known for its slender silver buds and imperial history.
  • Huoshan Huangya (霍山黄芽): A mellow and slightly nutty tea from Anhui province.
  • Meng Ding Huang Ya (蒙顶黄芽): From Sichuan, offering a delicate floral aroma and bright yellow infusion.
  • Da Ye Qing (大叶青): A larger-leaf variety with a mild yet complex character.

These teas are rare, highly regional, and often hand-crafted in small batches.

Health Benefits

While less studied than green or pu-erh tea, yellow tea shares many overlapping benefits:

  • Rich in antioxidants that support cellular health
  • Gentle on the stomach, compared to green tea
  • Supports digestion without heaviness
  • Enhances mental focus with smooth caffeine content
  • Aids in detoxification and clearing internal heat in TCM

It’s ideal for those seeking a lighter alternative to green tea with added smoothness.

Yellow Tea in Traditional Chinese Medicine

In TCM, yellow tea is:

  • Nature: Mildly cooling
  • Taste: Sweet and slightly bitter
  • Meridians affected: Stomach and spleen
  • Recommended for: Clearing heat, supporting digestion, calming the mind

Because it’s less “cold” than green tea, it’s often suitable for those with weak digestion or sensitive stomachs.

Brewing Tips

  • Water temperature: 75–85°C
  • Steeping time: 2–4 minutes
  • Teaware: Use glass to observe the beautiful golden liquor
  • Ratio: 1 tsp per 150ml water

Don’t over-steep—yellow tea shines when brewed gently and patiently.

Fun Facts

  • Junshan Yinzhen was once designated as a “tribute tea” for Chinese emperors.
  • The yellowing process was historically a closely guarded secret, and only a few villages still practice it today.
  • Yellow tea is often produced in such small quantities that it rarely reaches international markets.

Yellow tea is tea for the patient and curious. Subtle, rare, and crafted with care, it offers a sensory and cultural journey into one of China’s most refined tea traditions. If green tea is vibrant and fresh, yellow tea is calm and wise.