How to Buy Chinese Tea Online Directly from China

If like me, you love quality Chinese tea but aren’t about to pay an arm and a leg to buy it from the fashionable boutiques in the center of Milan nor drive 200 km to get some, then this article should appeal to you.

For some time, I buy Chinese tea online on TeaVivre, a website created by a group of passionate tea lovers that live in China.

The prices, as you’ll see as I continue with the article, are more than acceptable, especially if you consider that we’re talking about certified tea, often organic. As far as shipping goes, once you place your order the tea will arrive at your house within 6-10 days (if you decide to pay 8.9 American Dollars) or 12-20 days (if you opt for free shipping).

To finish, TeaVivre offers a “satisfaction or money back” guarantee for 15 days.

Keep reading to find prices and characteristics of the most popular Chinese teas (note that the prices are all in American Dollars)!

Green tea

Thanks to its high antioxidant content green tea helps to reduce the onset of a few types of cancer, as well as the risk of heart attack and coronary disease. It also helps to fight the effects of aging and pollution.

Longjing green tea

With a history that goes back more than 1200 years, Xi Hu Longjing tea (literally tea from the well of the dragon of West Lake) is perhaps the most delicious and surely, the most famous green tea produced in China. It was famously offered to President Richard Nixon when, in the ’60s, he visited China. Moreover, it has an extraordinarily sweet taste, without the bitter flavor that characterizes other types of green tea, the significant difference of Xi Hu Long Jing compared to other green teas is in its smooth appearance when it’s dried.

Price: 12.90 Dollars (100 grams)
Price (premium quality): 18.90 Dollars (100 grams)
Price (organic tea): 21.90 Dollars (100 grams)

Cultivated in the Xihu region(西湖), Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Harvest time: April
Caffeine level: Low, less than 10% of a cup of coffee

Click here to learn more about Longjing green tea

Pearl of the jasmine dragon green tea

The pearl of the jasmine dragon is a green tea exquisitely sweet that joins the most highest quality green tea with the aroma and taste of jasmine. Obtained from the un-blossomed shoots of the smallest leaves, this tea is rolled by hand forming little balls that open slowly during the infusion, releasing a combination of taste and smell of green tea and sweet jasmine. To prepare a cup of this sweet-smelling tea you’ll only need a pair of little pearls!

Price (premium quality): 18.90 Dollars (100 grams)
Price (“superfine” quality): 22.90 Dollars (100 grams)

Cultivated in the Fuding area (福鼎), Fujian
Harvest time: April
Caffeine level: Low, less than 10% of a cup of coffee

Click here to learn more about pearl of the jasmine dragon tea

Huang Shan maofeng green tea

Gathered and worked with care to offer a sweet tea Huang Shan Maofeng tea – like Longjing green tea – is close to the top of the top ten list of Chinese teas. Huang Shan Maofeng is cultivated very close to the top of Mount Huang, in Anhui province. These beautiful mountains manage to produce fantastic tea, since the high hills create a better aroma. Huang Shan Maofeng by TeaVivre is cultivated in an area of altitude of about 1,200 and 1,400 meters that enjoys great exposure to the sun and is covered by clouds and fog.

Price: 17.90 Dollars (100 grams)

Cultivated in the Huang Shan (黄山) region, Anhui
Harvest time: April
Caffeine level: Low, less than 10% of a cup of coffee

Click here to learn more about Huang Shan maofeng tea

Black tea

Completely oxidized, black teas have black leaves and produce a darker color tea with a strong and intense flavor, very different than non-fermented teas.

Dianhong black tea from Yunnan

Dianhong black tea, also known as the black tea of Yunnan, is one of the most famous Chinese black teas. The one offered by TeaVivre is the best of the dianhong teas generally available in China and is called the “golden tip dianhong”. In dried tea there’s a large quantity of orange “pekoe” that give life to a golden color that develop an aroma and flavor that is extraordinarily intense.

Price: 22.90 Dollars (100 grams)

Cultivated in the Fengqing region, Yunnan
Harvest time: April
Caffeine level: Moderate, less than 20% of a cup of coffee

Click here to learn more about dianhong black tea

Bailin gongfu black tea

Bailin gongfu is a completely oxidized black tea. It’s a type of “gongfu” (o “congou”) black tea, which means that the tea is made by hand with leaf buds that are twisted into tight thin strips. Once dried, the tea emanates a sweet caramel scent and its appearance is characterized by a mix of “pekoe” leaf buds of black and orange-gold colors.

Price: 17.90 Dollars (100 grams)

Cultivated on Mount Taimu, Fujian
Harvest time: April
Caffeine level: Moderate, less than 20% of a cup of coffee

Click here to learn more about dianhong black tea

Pearl of the Fengqing dragon black tea

Using black tea from the county of Fengqing, situated in Yunnan, pearl of the dragon black tea is worked by hand and given the shape of a pearl that allows it to preserve the aroma of black tea. The workers manage to produce 1 kg of tea an hour. The leaves of the pearl of the dragon black tea are harvested only with the approach of the famous Qingming festival going back to the Pre-Ming period. It’s a Spring tea of the highest level, characterized by a white fuzz. The pearl of this tea has a diameter that varies between 8 and 12 millimeters.

Price: 13.90 Dollars (100 grams)

Cultivated in the Fengqing district, Yunnan
Harvest time: April
Caffeine level: Low, less than 10% of a cup of coffee

Click here to learn more about pearl of the dragon black tea

Oolong tea

Oolong tea is positioned between non-oxidized green tea and completely oxidized black tea. This type of tea is produced by the largest, most-seasoned leaves that, during the process, are shaken, after which their edges are “crushed” several times. This results in the edges assuming a brown or red color, while the middle part of the leaf remains green.

Taiwan milk oolong tea

Milk oolong tea on Teavivre is a prized type of classic oolong tea from Taiwan and belongs to a category of tea that’s also called “milk oolong”. Despite this, this tea is unique since its milk aroma is natural because you don’t manually add the milk during the process such as is the case with other milk teas. The first three infusions of this tea are characterized by a light scent of milk that gradually reduces in other preparations.

Price: 13.90 Dollars (100 grams)

Cultivated in Alishan, Nantou, Taiwan
Harvest time: April
Caffeine level: Low, less than 10% of a cup of coffee

Click here to learn more about milk oolong tea

Tieguanyin oolong tea (iron goddess)

Tieguanyin tea is a lightly-fermented tea and falls between highly-fermented black tea and non-fermented green tea. This characteristic allows it to combine the best parts of two varieties of tea: the floral taste and aroma of black tea with all the health benefits of green tea. During production, this tea is rolled by hand giving it the shape of little balls of compact leaves. It’s here that it gets its name: in Chinese tieguanyin means “iron”, because when you put the balls of tea in a teapot or a cup, these make the metallic noise of an iron ball when it hits the bottom.

Price: 13.90 Dollars (100 grams)

Cultivated in Anxi, Fujian
Harvest time: May
Caffeine level: Low, less than 10% of a cup of coffee

Dahongpao of Wuyi oolong tea

Wuyi oolong tea, also known as rock tea or yan cha, is produced in the northern part of Fujian Province. Tea leaves of this family are long and curly, not in a spherical shape, and are more oxidized and roasted compared to their “southern cousins” tieguanyin. Wuyi tea is not just a single variety of tea, but a series of teas grown on Mount Wuyi.

Price: 16.90 Dollars (100 grams)

Cultivated in the Wuyi region, Fujian
Harvest time: April
Caffeine level: Low, less than 10% of a cup of coffee

Click here to learn more about Wuyi oolong tea

Pu’er tea

An extraordinary tea that takes its name from the city of Pu’er, situated in Yunnan Province, is characterized by a method that usually, with just one taste, is completely different compared to other tea. Made with large tea leaves cultivated in Yunnan, Pu’er is initially processed like green tea. Nevertheless, things change drastically! Dried tea gets aged in a dark place, often for many years. During this period the tea undergoes a sort of oxidation caused by its own fermentation, exactly in the same way that wine is produced.

Aged and matured Pu’er Tuocha

Aged Pu-erh tea stems from a secondary oxidation and post-fermentation of the tea. This type of tea is considered like a matured Pu-erh, characterized by a smooth, rich, earthy flavor. Unlike many other teas that should be consumed right after being made, such as white and green teas, Pu-erh can be prepared immediately or be saved and aged for many years, just like a good wine. The majority of Pu-erh teas are classified on the basis of the year of production and region of cultivation, just like with vintage wines.

Price: 8.90 Dollars (100 grams)

Cultivated in Simao, Pu’er, Yunnan
Harvest time: April
Caffeine level: Low, less than 10% of a cup of coffee

Click here to learn more about matured and aged Pu’er Tuocha tea

Matured and Aged Pu’er Tuocha (loose leaves)

Pu’er belongs to post-fermented teas and, as such, is classified as a black tea (in China black tea is one of six classes of tea). It’s interesting to note that in China there exists a certain amount of debate on whether Pu’er is truly a “tea”, since it undergoes a completely different aging process. We’re inclined to share the position that Pu’eh is made with tea leaves and is prepared with water, so it’s a tea! There are various types of Pu’er that are distinguishable by their packaging (or in leaves or various compact blocks). Generally, Pu’er a foglie, like those on TeaVivre, it is considered the tea with the best taste and smell, is stimulating to drink and lasts for 9 infusions.

Price: 10.90 Dollars (100 grams)

Cultivated in Simao, Pu’er, Yunnan
Harvest time: July
Caffeine level: Low, less than 10% of a cup of coffee

Click here to learn more about matured and aged Pu’er Tuocha tea

“Raw” Pu’er Tuocha of Fengqing

“Raw” Tuocha, a hollow, hemispherical-shaped compressed tea primarily produced in Yunnan. Tuocha has its origins in Fengqing district. The teas that make up Tuocha come from the species that come from Fengqing. The leaves of this tea, after the harvest, are dried in a traditionally-crafted method: it is for this that they are pressed into the shape of a nest. The appearance of Tuocha tea is reminiscent of a mountain shape.

Price: 12.90 Dollars (100 grams)

Cultivated in the Fengqing district, Yunnan
Harvest time: July
Caffeine level: Low, less than 10% of a cup of coffee

Click here to learn more about “raw” Pu’er Tuocha of Fengqing

Flower tea

Flower teas, also called flowering teas, are a combination of tea leaves and various types of flowers like marigold, lily, jasmine, osmanthus and carnations, wisely tied together in little bundles accurately arranged to open in beautiful and original shapes when they are being infused. It’s for this reason that this type of tea is infused directly into a high container of transparent glass, or a glass teapot, to be able to enjoy both the taste and marvelous aesthetic appearance.

Mix of 12 different flower teas

To prepare the infusion, insert a ball of flower tea in container of transparent glass or teapot, then carefully add boiling water. Keep the tea in infusion for 2 or 3 minutes. After a little, when you add more water, avoid pouring it too quickly. I recommend that you pour the water slowly along the side of the teapot instead of directly into the tea. Flower tea can be infused for 2 or 3 times.

Price: 14.90 Dollars (12 pieces)

Cultivated in Hulin, Fuding, Fujian
Caffeine level: Low, less than 10% of a cup of coffee

Click here to learn more about the mix of 12 different flower teas

“True Love” flower tea

“Ture Love” flower tea, once inserted into water, dissolves into two little balls of Amaranth and two small branches of jasmine, giving the sensation that it’s really two people who have fallen in love like a bolt of lightning. The scent is rich and refreshing, the flavor is strong and the fragrance is lasting. You can perceive the sweet nature of the tea and flowers.

Price: 12.90 USD (10 pieces)

Cultivated in Hulin, Fuding, Fujian
Caffeine level: Low, less than 10% of a cup of coffee

Click here to learn more about “True Love” flower tea

“Two dragons and a pearl” flower tea

When you infuse two dragon tea, two branches of jasmine and a ball of Amaranth petals will slowly expand toward the top forming a unique chrysanthemum flower: it’s from here that it gets its name of two dragons and a pearl. Thanks to the jasmine and Amaranth, this tea has an extraordinary floral aroma and a marvelous sweet taste that lasts for two or three infusions.

Price: 12.90 Dollars (10 pieces)

Cultivated in Hulin, Fuding, Fujian
Caffeine level: Low, less than 10% of a cup of coffee

Click here to learn more about “two dragons and a pearl” flower tea.

Frequently asked questions

Have you tried buying tea from TeaVivre?

Not only have we tested the service; I personally buy about 250 grams of tea from the TeaVivre website every 3-4 months for years now, and I’ve always been satisfied with the service and quality of the tea.

Can TeaVivre ship tea even if I don’t live in China?

Yes, they’ll ship tea to just about everywhere on the planet. Personally, I’ve had them send tea to various countries, and as I said have never had a problem.

Can I make a purchase online?

Yes, click on one of the links in this article and buy the tea directly online. You can pay with a credit card or also Paypal.

If a problem occurred – with shipping for example, – is it possible to contact TeaVivre?

Yes, customer service is excellent, and – in the event of shipping problems, – they are usually the ones to contact you (once I wasn’t home when the delivery man came and they alerted me to retrieve the package from the post office).

In what languages does TeaVivre offer customer service?

Personally, I’ve only communicated with them in English.

Photo Credits: Photo by Alice Pasqual on Unsplash