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April 29, 2015

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Home » City specials » Hangzhou

Refreshing choices for appreciating tea

Source: Shanghai Daily | April 29, 2015, Wednesday | Print Edition

ANJI County

For centuries, Anji County in the north of Zhejiang Province has been known as the “home to bamboo.” Mountain ranges are covered with lush bamboo forests. This fertile soil not only fosters undulating bamboo forests, but also fragrant tea.

Traditionally, the green tea produced from Anji County is white tea. Unlike other Chinese white tea varieties, Anji white tea is dried according to the green tea making process, which makes it more valuable.

The vegetation cover of Anji County can reach 70 percent, humidity remains around 81 percent all year around, plus the low winter temperatures don’t last long — creating an ideal natural environment for white tea.

In addition, tea gardens within Anji County are surrounded by bamboo forest that infuse local tea tasting with a refreshing bamboo flavor.

In recent years, Anji white tea has won great fame across the country thanks to its high quality and distinctive taste. Now, visitors can drink freshly made white tea at family-run guesthouses, buy bamboo-made knickknacks, sample local food and experience country life.

If you go: Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway — Hangzhou-Changxing Expressway

Songyang County

Songyang natives began to plant tea in the Three Kingdoms Period (AD 220-280), but it was in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) that Songyang tea started to find fame across the country. It is said that its popularity was owed to a folk story.

During the Tang Dynasty when west Zhejiang Province suffered from plague, local residents turned to doctors and Taoists for help. A Taoist named Ye Fashan brewed tea picked from Mao Mountain in Songyang County for 49 days and distributed it to locals.

People suffering from plague recovered after drinking the tea every day, and the disease was eventually eradicated in Songyang County. In order to commemorate Taoist Ye, locals erected a tianshi — Taoist master — temple across the county. The story was handed down generation to generation. Today, such tianshi temple can still be seen within the county.

At Damushan Tea Garden there is an 8-kilometer route flanked by tea bushes. Visitors can ride bikes through tea plantations. If they tire, they can stop at a teahouse along the road. Visitors can also experience tea farmer’s life by picking their own tea.

If you go: Shanghai-Kunming Expressway — Changchun-Shenzhen Expressway — Hangzhou-Xin’anjiang-Jingning Expressway — Longyou-Lishui-Wenzhou Expressway

Kaihua County

Kaihua County is noted for its Longding tea that mainly grows in Baiyun, Dalong and the Shi’er Mountains, an area known as the “golden triangle of Chinese green tea.”

Misty areas offer the best environment for tea. Kaihua’s hills are shrouded with mist even on sunny days, creating ideal condition for tea growing.

Kaihua is also where the Qianjiang River originates. With vegetation cover of more than 80 percent, the county is considered “China’s Amazon.”

A high-quality environment of fresh air and fertile soil in turn produces high-quality tea. Kaihua tea found favor with the royal court during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), especially leaves picked before Qingming Festival. This is characterized by tender leaves and a fragrant aroma.

If you go: Shanghai-Kunming Expressway — Changchun-Shenzhen Expressway — Hangzhou-Xin’anjiang-Jingning Expressway — Beijing-Fuzhou ExpresswayDatian Village

Datian Village, situated in Suichang County, has a long history of growing tea since ancient times, thanks to its favorable environment and fresh air.

Today, the village boasts 194 hectares of tea fields with more than 1,500 villagers engaged in the industry. According to statistics from the local authority, each villager owns an average 1,333 square meters of tea production area. A total of 67 tea workshops are established in the village and certified by China’s quality supervision department.

In addition to tea, the village has a natural hot spring. The local village committee took advantage of the resource by building a hot spring resort. Visitors can now relax in the hot spring while sipping tea there.

As more and more visitors drive to the village to purchase freshly-made tea, villagers have sensed the business opportunity and converted their homes into family-run guesthouses.

So visitors needn’t worry about food and accommodation when touring the village as homey inns and local delicacies are available.

If you go: Shanghai-Kunming Expressway — Hangzhou-Jinhua-Quzhou Expressway — Changchun-Shenzhen Expressway — Longyou-Lishui-Wenzhou Expressway

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