The amount of water addition used in making Chinese steamed bread (CSB) plays an important role in determination of CSB quality. Six flours differing in gluten strength and five water addition (WA) levels ranging from 70 % to 90 % of Farinograph Water Absorption (FWA) were used to understand the relationship between WA and CSB quality. An optimized laboratory procedure was used to process northern style CSB The texture CSB was evaluated by a Texture Analyzer TA2XT2i and by trained panelists, and its color was measured by a Minolta CR2310 colormeter. The results showed that, in the range of water absorption measured by the Farinograph, quality parameters of CSB made from different flours responded differently to various WA levels (Table 4). WA was significantly and negatively correlated with steamed bread weight, loaf volume, width, height, specific volume and spread ratio. It also had a significant and negative influence on shininess, skin and crumb color, smoothness, structure, stress relaxation (SR) and total score of steamed bread made from weak gluten flours [ r = ( - 0.663) - ( - 0.962), Table 3 ]. In the stated range, increasing WA significantly improved smoothness and structure of CSB made from strong gluten flours ( r = - 0.877, 0.768, Table 3). The optimum water addition was 70 % - 75 %, 80 % and 85 % of FWA for weak, medium and strong gluten flours, respectively (Table 4). SR had significant and positive correlation with total score of northern style CSB made from flours with different gluten strength (Fig. 01), and determination coefficients were 0.94, 0.88 and 0.72, respectively. It is recommended as a major parameter in evaluating northern style CSB quality.