China is the birthplace of tea, where it was accidentally discovered by Emperor Shen Nong over 5,000 years ago. In the next centuries, green tea is the only type of tea and the world's finest one. Tea leaves (raw material of green tea) are steamed or pan-dried immediately after picking, which can arrest bacterial growth and prevent oxidation. Then they are rolled by hand to squeeze out excess moisture and release flavor enzymes. Leaves are finally dried in large
driers and packed. When brewed, tea turn into a light green color, with a delicate and somewhat tangy flavor.
Green teas are rich in vitamin C. Experts contend that green teas stimulate the spirit better than any other drink, claiming that it improves their abilities to meditate for a prolonged period without fatigue.

Young Hyson (Reference Price,$13/lb)

Chinese for "before rains" Young Hyson is prepared using young leaves twisted in a long, thin style. The flavor is more full-bodied and pungent that other green teas. It has a golden liquor with a hint of sweetness. Use spring water at a temperature well below boiling.

Temple of Heaven Gunpowder Tea   (Reference Price,$15/lb)
Gunpowder tea gets its name from the appearance of the leaves, which are rolled tightly into small, round pellets. The tight roll helps Gunpowder remain fresher longer than other teas.This example, "Temple of Heaven," has a sweet and slightly smoky character. Use spring water at a temperature well below boiling.
 
Emerald Tips Green      (Reference Price,$24/lb)
This tasty tea has a dark emerald green longish leaf with some silver, and brews a liquor with full sweet flavor. Use spring water at a temperature well below boiling.

Dragon Well (Lung Ching)    (Reference Price,$28/lb)
This hand-picked and -processed green tea from the hills west of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, is well famous since the 8th century. It is known for its full, round flavor,unique nutty taste, pleasant jade-green color, and wonderful aroma. Hand fired in a large wok, it takes on a flat shiny appearance. Use spring water at a temperature well below boiling. This quality tea will even steep at room temperature (takes a half hour or longer).

Organic Dragon Well (Lung Ching)     (Reference Price,$30/lb)
Flat and long, the dry leaf has a slight chocolate aroma. The golden liquor yields a sapid brew with a pleasant nutty aftertaste. Use spring water at a temperature well below boiling.

1st Grade Dragon Well (Lung Ching)    (Reference Price,$70/lb)
This is our first grade Dragon Well (Lung Ching). Its leaves are flat, long, and vibrant green and will yield several infusions of delicate, flowery aroma and flavor from its yellow-green liquor.

Super Fine Dragon Well (Lung Ching)      (Reference Price,$105/lb)
This is our finest Super Fine Dragon Well. A pound of dry Super Fine Dragon Well contains 25,000 bud-and-leaf sets, each snipped off individually by skilled fingers. Pan-frying the leaves requires great skill to match the temperature to the tenderness of the leaves.

Zhejiang Mao Feng Tea     (Reference Price,$28/lb)
Grown in an old established tea garden in southern Zhejiang province, this tea has a good taste and a rich green color. It is a very strong tea with lots of mileage per pot. Best flavor is obtained by steeping with water temperature well below boiling. Infuse one to three minutes.

Bubbling Spring Rolled Green    (Reference Price,$28/lb)
Rolled into small pellets, this deep green tea is very different from Gunpowder greens. When brewed, these pellets are transformed to reveal tender, yellow-green budsets. The dark green pellets belie the fresh sweet flavor of this tea, which makes a very drinkable, satisfying cup. Use spring water at a temperature well below boiling and infuse one to three minutes.

Three Cups Fragrance (San Bei Xiang)  (Reference Price,$28/lb)
This small-leafed green tea from Zhejiang province has a golden-green liquor and a refreshing aroma. Known for its satisfying flavor with a slightly astringent aftertaste, it can stand up to multiple steeps. Use spring water at a temperature well below boiling and infuse one to three minutes.

Citrus Green Organic  (Reference Price,$28/lb)
This is an organic green tea mixed with pieces of dried ginger, orange and peach. It yields a light golden-green liquor with fragrant aroma, refreshing citrus flavor, and can be re-steeped. Use 1 teaspoon dry leaf per 6-ounce cup and spring water at a temperature well below boiling. Infuse two minutes.

Organic Golden Bamboo Hairpoint     (Reference Price,$33/lb)
Buds are long, pointed and twisted and produce a golden liquor that's smooth and full with a subdued green finish. Best taste is obtained by steeping with water temperature well below boiling, infusing one to three minutes.

Organic Jing Mai Green    (Reference Price,$33/lb)
Produced from old-growth tea plants in the Jing Mai mountain area of southern Yunnan province, this tea has dark green buds that are long and twisted. They produce a slightly aromatic pale golden liquor with complex, full flavor and a refreshing finish. Use 1 teaspoon dry leaf per 6-ounce cup and spring water at a temperature well below boiling. Infuse two minutes.

Green Snow    (Reference Price,$36/lb)
This is another of Anhui province's prized green teas. The dark green and white leaves are long, pointed and feathery. It brews a pleasant and complex infusion with a full-flavored and smooth finish. Steep with the water temperature well below boiling, infusing one to three minutes.

Organic Gold-flecked Green      (Reference Price,$33/lb)
With almost Tung Ting-like leaves, this organic tea from Anhui province has a floral fragrance. The tawny golden liquor has vegetal tones that lie full on the tongue with a multifaceted finish. Steep with the water temperature well below boiling, infusing one to three minutes.

Snow Monkey    (Reference Price,$40/lb)
This tea has thick white strands among darker green leaves that are slightly twisted. The budsets show after brewing. This is a rich-tasting green tea but without harshness or bite.Steep with the water temperature well below boiling, infusing one to three minutes.

Mist on the Gorges     (Reference Price,$40/lb)
This tea grown in the rugged highlands of Dashennongjia mountain in Hubei province produces a tawny cup with vegetal top notes, full flavor and slightly astringent aftertaste. Steep with the water temperature well below boiling, infusing one to three minutes.

Organic Mountain Orchid Green    (Reference Price,$40/lb)
This certified organic production green tea is easy to enjoy. The hand-sorted, pretty bud sets brew a light golden infusion with a pleasant taste and vegetal finish that lies full on the tongue. Steep with the water temperature well below boiling, infusing one to three minutes. 

Green Mist    (Reference Price,$45/lb)
These forest-green tea leaves from Anhui province yield a liquor with fresh, grassy aroma and a playful, vegetal taste with plenty of flavor. Steep with the water temperature well below boiling, infusing one to three minutes.

Organic Clouds of Green    (Reference Price,$50/lb)
The dry leaf of this organic green tea has silver spirals which produce a deep and intense green tea flavor with a smooth finish. Best taste is obtained by steeping with water temperature well below boiling, infusing one to three minutes.

Organic Lu'An Melon Seed Green    (Reference Price,$50/lb)
This organic green tea is grown in Lu'An county located in the Dabie Mountains of Western Anhui province. Its partly open leaves, when brewed, yield a tea liquor with a light spicy fragrance that is nectar sweet in the cup and rich in the finish. Best taste is obtained by steeping with water temperature well below boiling, infusing one to three minutes.

Green Pearls (Silk Balls)    (Reference Price,$50/lb)
Rolled "pearls" unfurl into three or four leaves that include a delicately pale tea-leaf bud. These pearls, also called balls or pellets, yield a lovely aromatic brew of a golden liquor with at least three infusions. The "agony of the leaf" is spectacular, and the ensuring drink always satisfying. Best flavor is obtained by steeping with water temperature well below boiling, infusing one to three minutes.

Peach Blossom Green      (Reference Price,$50/lb)
Peach Blossom Green is a "display" tea. It is meant to be enjoyed not only for its taste,but for its appearance as well. This tea is made from quality spring-picked leaves, then hand-tied into beautiful blossoms surrounding a central pink-dyed chrysanthemum flower. It is a fool-proof tea to prepare. Simply place an entire blossom in a glass, add hot water and enjoy. An 8-12 oz. wineglass will show the tea at its best, and is ideal for savoring its delicate taste. Peach Blossom Green can be enjoyed throughout a meal, simply adding additional hot water as needed. It won't become bitter from over-steeping, even after several hours of infusion.

Purple Bamboo (Reference Price,$50/lb)
Years ago we could detect faint hues of purple, where the leaf meets the stem, but no longer. But there are still many budsets, and this is still a prized tea. Sold out in recent years, we are proud to be offering this Zhejiang specialty again. The tea has open type leaves in a vibrant green, and a sweet mouth-filling, fresh flavor. Use spring water at a temperature of 80- 90℃. and multiple short steeps.

Golden Buds (Jing Zhen Li)    (Reference Price,$50/lb)
This green tea from Fujian province features tiny golden buds with silver downy hairs that smell mildly nutty and sweet in the dry leaf. It brews an enormously satisfying and pleasant fragrant cup. Best flavor is obtained by steeping with water temperature well below boiling, infusing one to three minutes.

Thousand Island Green Needle    (Reference Price,$70/lb)
From the renowned Green Thousand Island Lake in Zhejiang province (also known as Qingxi Lake) comes this fine tea harvested in early spring and composed of beautiful green buds that stand upright in the hot spring water like so many blades of grass. The tea's fresh flavor and sweet finish are a product of this region where the water is crystal clear and
the islands are interwoven with branching streams and beautiful scenery all over the lake. Best flavor is obtained by steeping with water temperature well below boiling, infusing one to three minutes.

Organic Emerald Sprouting    (Reference Price,$70/lb)
This organic green tea from the Huang Mountain area of Anhui province has very long, straight, pretty bud sets with a silvery sheen which yield a delicate-colored liquor with pleasing aroma and excellent sweet flavor. It is among the earliest teas produced in the spring, and the profusion of bud-sets is evident in the brewed tea. It is at its best with
water temperature below boiling, and the leaves are good for several infusions.

Mt. Emei Green Mao Feng    (Reference Price,$70/lb)
One of China's four mountains sacred to Buddhism, Mt. Emei in Sichuan province is often toured by travelers visiting its historic temples and luxuriant scenery. The mountain mists make many areas around Mt. Emei famous tea producers. Tea-picking takes place about ten days before Qingming Festival in early April. The dried leaf is dark green and eyebrow-shaped, and brews a golden cup with a smooth finish and long-lasting aftertaste. The beverage lifts the spirits while imparting a feeling of relaxation. Best flavor is obtained by steeping with water temperature well below boiling, infusing one to three minutes.

Super Spiral Green     (Reference Price,$70/lb)
From Anhui province, home to the famous tea-growing region of the Huangshan mountains, comes this flavorful tea. At first glance the very dark and uniform pellets appear much like Gunpowder swirled with silver tips, but this is a very different tea. It brews tawny golden liquor with a clean and bracing flavor that can accompany meals and will not be overpowered, even by spicy foods. Steep with water temperature well below boiling, infusing one to three minutes.

Bi Luo Chun, "Green Snail Spring"      (Reference Price,$70/lb)
This is one of China's rare green teas of exceptional quality known all over the world. It grows on only two mountains near Wuxi. One mountain forms a peninsula of the lake, another an island. They are often shrouded in mist, thus the leaves are especially moist and tender. Peach, apricot and plum trees are planted among the bushes. When these fruit trees bloom, the tender sprouts and buds of tea absorb the aromas to be passed on to those who drink their infusion. This rare tea is made only once a year from the most tender shoots of the first spring flush, and the Chinese have developed special manufacturing equipment to process it. Plucking takes only the bud and a single leaf half unfurled, called the "sparrow's tongue." The leaf is full of fine white hairs. A mere pound of it contains sixty to seventy thousand leaf-bud sets. Processing is done by hand and takes great skill. The leaf is tiny and comes out spiral shaped; the brew is clear and golden and of exceeding delicacy. Steep with water temperature well below boiling, infusing one to three minutes.

Bi Luo Chun "Green Snail Spring", Competition Grade    (Reference Price,$105/lb)
This is our finest Competition Grade Bi Luo Chun. The tiny wirey leaves are interspersed with white downy tips and produce a slightly sweet, velvety yellowish liquor with a lovely buttery aftertaste. Plucked very early in the season, this tea is much in demand among Shanghainese, who are aficionados of many good things. The delicate leaf appearance belies the depth of flavor to be savored in this tea, and the wet leaves show the numerous unopened buds. This tea can take multiple infusions.

Snow Dragon (Xue Long)     (Reference Price,$72/lb)
From Taishun province comes this famous tea, Xue Long, grown in an environment of pure air and water. This organic tea is delicate and refreshing to the palate and is cherished for its earthy aroma and mellow taste. Steep with water temperature well below boiling, infusing one to three minutes.

Green Sea Anemone (Lu Mudan)  (Reference Price,$80/lb)
We call this one Green Sea Anemone because that's just what it looks like after steeping. It is a "display" tea. It is meant to be enjoyed not only for its taste, but for its appearance as well. This tea is made from quality spring-picked leaves, then hand-tied into beautiful rosettes. This tea is from southern Anhui province on a remote mountain where virtually every family grows tea. It is a fool-proof tea to prepare. Simply place an entire rosette in a glass, add hot water and enjoy. An 8-12 oz. wineglass will show the tea at its best, and is ideal for savoring its sweet and delicate taste. Green Sea Anemone can be enjoyed throughout a meal, simply adding additional hot water as needed. It won't become bitter from over-steeping, even after several hours of infusion.

Curled Dragon Silver Tip Green    (Reference Price,$90/lb)
This green tea has thick, twisted, downy whitish leaves that yield a pale golden liquor with complex, wonderful flavor and slightly sweet overtones. Use spring water at a temperature of 80-90℃. (180- 195℉.) and multiple short steep.