Table of Contents
Ba Bao Cha {八宝茶} or Eight Treasures Tea is a traditional Chinese tea which has a delicate, semi-sweet flavor. Particularly popular as an accompaniment to Cantonese dim sum {Zao Cha 早茶}, this tea blends loose tea leaves with a harmonious mix of dried flowers, fruits, and leaves. Each ingredient is chosen not only for its taste but also for its visual appeal and health benefits, creating a tea experience that is both flavorful, culturally rich and therapeutic .
Chinese Tea Fun Facts
Chinese tea is rooted in thousands of years of culture and is truly complex, even for native Chinese people. Tea culture is especially strong in coastal regions such as Jiangsu {江苏}, Zhejiang {浙江}, Anhui {安徽}, Fujian {福建}, as well as the mountainous region of Yunnan {云南}. Each region has its own iconic tea traditions and specialties.
Green tea (绿茶, lǜchá)
Unoxidized, with leaves pan-fired with low heat. The classic Long Jing (龙井) from Hangzhou in Zhejiang province is my all-time favorite green tea. Since I was born in Suzhou, in the Yangtze River Delta where green tea predominates, I grew up knowing mainly green tea. Biluochun {碧螺春] from Xi Mountain {Xi Shan 西山} in Suzhou is another iconic green tea directly from my hometown.
Oolong tea (乌龙茶, wūlóngchá)
Partially oxidized, falling between green and black tea. Wuyi Rock Tea (Wuyi Yan Cha 武夷岩茶) grown in the famous Wuyi Mountains {武夷山} represents this category beautifully. Da Hong Pao {大红袍} has a rich yet mild flavor, making it perfect to combine with herbs and dried fruits for Eight Treasures Tea.
Red tea (红茶, hóngchá)
Fully oxidized, with a dark brown hue. This is what Westerners call “black tea.” Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong {正山小种} and Jin Jun Mei {金骏眉} are among the most beloved teas in this category. Both have a rich smooth flavor and are excellent for milk tea.
- Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong (正山小种) is known in the West as Lapsang Souchong. It has a deep black-tea flavor with a subtle floral note. Zheng Shan (正山) means “proper/authentic mountain,” referring to Wuyi Mountain. Xiao Zhong (小种) means “small variety/small leaf,” referring to the cultivar. When European traders brought this tea to the West in the 17th–18th century, they gave it the name Lapsang Souchong. “Lapsang” comes from a Fujian dialect word for “pine wood” or “smoke,” and “Souchong” refers to the smaller leaves used in the tea.
- Jin Jun Mei {金骏眉} tastes similar to Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong {正山小种} but is usually more expensive or considered more exotic, as it is made from the tender tips of the tea leaves.
Dark tea (黑茶, hēichá)
Both fully oxidized and fermented, often aged over time. Fermentation is a microbial process involving bacteria and fungi over time. Pu Er (普洱) and Zhuan Cha (砖茶) from Yunnan province are the most well-known hei cha.
What Are the Eight Treasures in Traditional Ba Bao Cha?
Naturally, the first treasure is loose tea leaves. Da Hong Pao {大红袍}, which literally means “Big Red Robe” is a famous Chinese Wuyi Rock Tea {Wuyi Yan Cha 武夷岩茶} and is especially suited for Ba Bao Cha. It has a rich yet mild flavor that blends beautifully with the other treasures, creating a harmonious and flavorful herbal tea.
Legend has it that only a few ancient tea trees in specific areas of Wuyi Mountain produce the most authentic Da Hong Pao. Its story dates back to the Ming Dynasty {1368 – 1644}, when a grateful scholar is said have honored these trees for their life-saving tea. This reminds me of Champagne – only sparkling wine made in the Champagne region of France can be called Champagne; everything else is simply sparkling wine.
By contrast, many traditional Chinese green teas or black teas have a sharper profile that can easily overpower the delicate flavors of dried fruits and herbs. Green tea, in particular, often carries a subtle bitterness. Don’t get me wrong – I absolutely love Chinese green tea and am a huge fan of Dragon Well {Long Jing 龙井}. But in my opinion, green tea shines best when enjoyed on its own rather as a base for Eight Treasures Tea.
Besides loose tea leaves, red jujubes, chamomile tea, Goji berries, dried hawthorn, and rock candy are among the most popular ingredients in traditional Eight Treasures Tea. Together, they create a beautiful balance of sweetness, fragrance, and gentle herbal notes.
I also love adding dried mandarin orange peel, dried loquat leaf, and golden berries. These extras bring layers of citrus aroma, soothing herbal depth, and a touch of bright tartness, making each cup even more flavorful and nourishing.
Hawthorn Berry Fun Facts
Hawthorn Berry, or Shan Zha {山楂} in Chinese, comes from a fruit tree widely grown in northern China and Russia, among other places. I remember listening to the Russian folk song “Hawthorn Tree” while growing up in China in the 1970s. Needless to say, I was thrilled to discover these organic all-natural, wholesome dried hawthorn berries.
The hawthorn tree is one of Mother Nature’s wonder trees. Its tender leaves sprout out during the early spring and can be enjoyed as delicious leafy vegetables. It is one of the few edible greens that grown on a tree, alongside Toona Sinensis. In late spring, the tree bursts into breathtaking blossoms, and as the season progresses, those flowers transform into nutrient-rich hawthorn berries.
The Chinese hawthorn berries often reminds me of the Montmorency Cherries. Both share a vibrant red color and a bold tart-and-tangy flavor. Because of this intense taste, people rarely eat fresh hawthorn berries on their own. Instead, they are commonly added to hot tea or turned into a beloved candied treats.
One of the most traditional hawthorn berry treats is Tang Hu Lu (糖葫芦), a classic street snack. Tang Hu Lu is especially popular in Beijing during Chinese New Year. Vendors dip fresh hawthorn berries into hot, melted sugar, which quickly hardens into a shiny, translucent candy shell. They often thread the coated berries onto skewers, creating a beautiful sweet-and-tart street snack that both kids and adults love.
Hawthorn Berry Health Benefits
These bright red hawthorn berries are an impressive superfood. They are loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. People believe the hawthorn berry is especially instrumental in improving heart-related health.
For instance, hawthorn can potentially help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It can also support digestion.
Loquat Leaf Health Benefits
Loquat is another wonderful fruit tree. Growing up in China’s Yangtze River Delta, I enjoyed many fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables . Loquat – called Pi Pa {枇杷} in Chinese, was one of my favorites. These sunny yellow fruits look similar to the size to plums and usually contain one or several large seeds.
Loquat leaves contain abundant and essential nutrients. For centuries, people in China have used these leaves in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to make cough and cold syrups and other soothing remedies.
This may be the most potent and flavorful Eight Treasures Tea
Superfoods like goji berries, golden berries, hawthorn berries, jujubes, loquat leaf, dried mandarin orange peel, and chamomile flowers deliver a wide range of essential nutrients. For example, powerful antioxidants and natural anti-inflammatory compounds. Together, they hydrate, sooth, and support the body at the same time. The tea boosts the immune system and helping strengthen respiratory health.
These treasures also work wonderfully in harmony, creating a tea that tastes just as good as it makes you feel – warm, comforting, and irresistibly delicious.
How to Brew Eight Treasures Tea at home – Easy, Tasty, and Healthy
Tip No.1: Prepare your Eight Treasures tea packs in advance
I like to use small snack bags to portion all the ingredients for one pot of Ba Bao Cha {Eight Treasures Tea 八宝茶}. I usually prepare about a dozen packs at a time. this simple step makes it easy to brew a fresh, nourishing pot of Eight Treasures Tea anytime I want – no measuring, no hassle, just pure convenience.
Tip No.2: Use a large tall teapot to brew the perfect Eight Treasures Tea
For brewing Ba Bao Cha {八宝茶}, I love use a French Press. Its tall, spacious design gives all the beautiful treasure ingredients plenty of room to full expand and infuse. Even better, the clear glass lets you enjoy the stunning visuals of the tea as it brews – half of the joy is watching the magic happen.
Ba Bao Cha {八宝茶} Eight Treasures Tea Recipe
Ba Bao Cha {八宝茶} or Eight Treasures Tea is a traditional Chinese tea which has a delicate, semi-sweet flavor. Particularly popular as an accompaniment to Cantonese dim sum {Zao Cha 早茶}, this tea blends loose tea leaves with a harmonious mix of dried flowers, fruits, and leaves. Each ingredient is chosen not only for its taste but also for its visual appeal and health benefits, creating a tea experience that is both flavorful, culturally rich and therapeutic .
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp loose tea leaves, such as Da Hong Pao {Grand Red Rope}
- 1 large dried loquat leaf
- 1 dried mandarin orange peel
- 1 tbsp chamomile tea flowers
- 1/2 tbsp dried Goji berries
- 1/2 tbsp dried hawthorn berries slices, or golden berries
- 2 red jujubes
- 1/2 -1 tbsp rock candy
Instructions
- Fill a tea kettle with about 80% full of filled water and bring it to a boil.
- Wash and rinse the loquat {Pi Pa 枇杷} leaf, red jujubes, and orange peel. Goji berries and chamomile are usually clean, but feel free to rinse too if prefer.
- Add all the ingredients to a French Press, then slowly pour in the boiling water.
- Use a long chop stick to give it a thorough stir to fully mix and hydrate all the ingredients. Cover with the lid, gently press down the plunger, and let the tea brew for about 10 minutes.
- Pour out in a cup and enjoy!
- Tip: For added convenience, pre-portion and pack the Eight Treasure Tea ingredients ahead of time.
Notes
- A partially oxidized oolong tea is especially well suited for Eight Treasures Tea. Wuyi Rock Tea {武夷岩茶}, such as Da Hong Pao {大红袍} are among my favorites. They offer a mild, balanced flavor that blends beautifully with the other "treasures", allowing the flowers, fruits, and herbs to shine without being overpowered.
- Loquat leaves have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicines {TCM} for centuries and are commonly incorporated into cough and cold syrup and herbal remedies.
- Hawthorn is rich in anxioxidants and contain anti-inflammatory compounds. It has traditionally been used to support ehart health and may help maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount of commission from the qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 50Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 4mgCarbohydrates 12gFiber 2gSugar 8gProtein 1g
Nutrition calculation is provided by Nutritionix to the best knowledge per ingredients description and isn't always accurate.