Tieguanyin is not a green tea; it belongs to the semi-fermented oolong tea category.

Tieguanyin is not a green tea but an oolong tea, also known as qingcha (blue-green tea). It originated in Anxi, Fujian, and is one of China's traditional famous teas, belonging to the semi-fermented tea category. Green tea is unfermented and focuses on fixing the leaves to preserve their green color, whereas Tieguanyin must go through processes such as withering, leaf shaking, and shaking green, with a fermentation level between that of green tea and black tea. The two are fundamentally different in their processing methods.

Many people mistake Tieguanyin for green tea, mostly because the light-aroma type of Tieguanyin has a tightly rolled, emerald-green appearance, and after brewing, the liquor is golden and translucent, looking somewhat similar to green tea. In addition, Tieguanyin has a distinct orchid fragrance and a fresh taste, making it even easier to associate with the style of green tea. However, judging which tea category a tea belongs to mainly depends on the processing technique and fermentation level, not on the color of the dry tea.

According to different processing methods, Tieguanyin is roughly divided into light-aroma, strong-aroma, and aged-aroma types. The light-aroma type is lightly fermented with a fresh, brisk flavor and is the most common type on the market; the strong-aroma type is traditionally roasted over charcoal, giving it a mellow taste; and the aged-aroma type is aged through long-term storage, with a steady, sweet, and smooth flavor. All three aroma types belong to oolong tea and are not the same category as green tea.

Compared with green tea such as Longjing, Tieguanyin emphasizes the "Guanyin charm" and is more resistant to repeated brewing; it is generally brewed with boiling water and can be infused multiple times, whereas green tea is suited to slightly lower water temperatures and should be drunk as soon as possible. For storage, light-aroma Tieguanyin is best kept sealed and refrigerated to stay fresh, while strong-aroma and aged-aroma types are relatively more shelf-stable. When selecting, you can judge the quality by considering the appearance, aroma, and taste together.