Tips for Shopping in Wuyutai

Tea is a good option for souvenir since it embodies China’s colors. It is in light weight and small size thus easy to carry.

There are various tea stores and markets in Beijing. Wu Yu Tai (吴裕泰 in Chinese) is one of them and is ideal if you do not have enough time to stroll in tea markets. It is a time-honored brand in Beijing founded in 1887 with many branches. Although it is an old shop it enjoys high popularity among young people for its ice cream and other tea drinks. 

The tea leaves are sold in two ways, in bulk or packaged. Usually, the tea in bulk is more expensive than the packaged. And among the tea in bulk, excellent tea leaves are sold by the liang (unit of weight in China, it equals to 50 g) while ordinary tea leaves sell by the catty (unit of weight in China, it equals to 500g). If you do not have enough time or know little about tea, the packaged tea is the better choice.

Green tea and flower tea are most popular tea of Wu Yu Tai. Bi Luo Chun (碧螺春 in Chinese) is the signature green tea while Jasmine tea (茉莉花茶 in Chinese) has highest sales volume due to its fragrant smell among flower teas. Bi Luo Chun usually costs 60 RMB every 50g (about 9 dollars) and Jasmine tea costs 30 RMB – 100 RMB every 50g for different types (about 4.5 dollars – 15 dollars).