Abstract: Fresh tea leaves (a bud and 2～3 leaves) plucked in the spring from 3 varieties (i.e., Fuyun 6, Fuan Dabaicha, and Fuding Dahaocha) and the processed green and white teas were compared on their chemical compositions. Analyses on the water extract (WE), tea polyphenols (TPs), free amino acids (FAAs), flavones (Fs), water soluble sugar (WSS), catechins and alkaloids, as well as the scavenging activity of the samples were carried out to study the correlations among them. Among the samples, the white tea had the lowest amounts of WE, TPs and catechins, the greatest contents of FAAs, Fs and gallic acid, the most varieties of amino acids, and the highest contents of the scarce amino acids, such as γ-aminobutyric acid, tyrosine, and cystine. WSS was highest in the fresh leaves. The alkaloids, mainly caffeine, did not significantly differ among all. A DPPH scavenging test showed that among Fuyun 6 and Fuding Dahaocha green tea was stronger in the activity than the fresh leaves or white tea; and, Fuan Dabaicha was the strongest among 3 tea varieties. A regression analysis indicated that the DPPH scavenging activity significantly correlated to TPs and epigallocatechin gallate in the leaves or the processed teas (P＜0.05).