Tianshan Tea Market is a sprawling three-story market. All three floors contain mostly tea, but there are also some random art and curio shops on the third floor.
Tea vendors are eager to talk to you about tea, so if you can, go to a Chinese speaker. If you can’t, just give yourself enough time. Some of the vendors speak a little English, at least enough to be understood. Be sure to sit down and taste the teas, ask questions, and learn about the different varieties. Some of the famous teas available include Long Jing (green) tea from Hangzhou and Pu’er tea from Yunnan, but different varieties and blends abound. Get ready to haggle.
How to visit a tea market
You can learn a lot about Chinese teas on tea related tours. If you are interested in tea and learning about Chinese tea in particular, then it is worth signing up for a tour with a travel agency that specializes in educational and cultural tours. If you only have an afternoon and want to explore a market, then Tianshan Tea Market is a good start.
Prepare before your trip
Do some homework before your visit; If you have time, it is not a bad idea to read a little about the different teas that come from China. It would be a bit disappointing if you expect to try Darjeelings and Pekoes only to find that they are not available when you go to market because they are not from China.
There are many delicious teas that come from China. They all have health benefits. Here are a few for your consideration:
- Oolong Tea: Oolong, also spelled Wulong, is a type of black tea that has a variety of varieties. Famous varieties come from Fujian province.
- Green Tea – You haven’t had green tea until you’ve tried delicious hand-roasted loose leaf green teas from China.
- Fermented Tea: Pu’Er tea is considered the first tea in China and is processed by fermentation.
- Flower Teas: These are fun tea mixes that are sold in small balls. They open in hot water and form a kind of flower. You can see them in glasses on the displays of tea vendors. These are not considered classic teas, but they are fun and tasty souvenirs.
Allow enough time
If you’re just going to have a souvenir tea, the market may not be the best place to go as it really takes a little time. Vendors expect customers to sit down and taste the teas, even have a little chat. So if you can handle this, wait 2-3 hours to wander the market, take your time stopping at the shops and sitting down to taste.
While there is an expectation that you will buy something if you have sat for a long time, it is not required. But keep this in mind. When you’ve figured out what kind of tea is for sale, first make a decision before you sit down, if you are at least interested in buying that kind of tea. If you know you are not, you do not feel. But if you think you could, then do it. Sit down, taste the teas and decide what you like. The tea vendor is likely to serve you gongfu cha-style tea, which requires a little ceremony.
Decide what you like and do your shopping
Teas are sold loose (except for some Pu’er teas that are sold in round discs), so you will buy tea for 50g or 100g. Therefore, the price that the supplier will quote will be for the minimum unit. You can haggle in these stores, and there is nothing wrong with trying. But some premium teas, like da hong pao oolong tea (大 红袍 乌龙茶), are quite expensive, so if you find the price to be astronomical, you can ask if they have a lower grade of the same tea.
