Some pictures of Longjing tea plantations
Presentation of Longjing Tea Plantations
Short introduction to Longjing Tea (Lóngjǐng chá – 龙井茶)
Longjing tea is a green tea that is over 1200 years old and grows in the vicinity of the famous Xi Lake in Hangzhou, and it is also the No. 1 among the top 10 teas in China. With its lush green leaves, strong fragrance, sweet taste and elegant shape, Longjing tea is known as the “green queen” and “golden card” of Hangzhou city. As the surrounding area is full of fertile land, multiple high mountains and very good climate, Longjing tea could grow naturally. As for the places of origin, Longjing tea is divided into Shi (Lion, 狮), Long (Dragon, 龙), Yun (Cloud, 云) and Hu (Tiger, 虎) to indicate the plantations of Shifeng, Longjing, Yunqi and Hupao. Travelers can visit the Longjing tea plantations and learn how precious tea is in Chinese culture.
Where to discover Longjing tea?
Longjing village (Lóngjǐng cūn – 龙井村)
Longjing Village, located to the west of Xi Lake, is the birthplace of Longjing tea and is called the No. 1 tea village. The Longjing tea produced here is called Long and is considered the best tea. Surrounded by high mountains, the village is home to 800 people, and contains nearly 320 hectares of Longjing tea plantations. You can visit the vast tea garden to admire the lush green scenery of the Longjing tea trees planted in rows, which some have compared to a beautiful green jewel. The fresh air you breathe here will be filled with the delicate aroma of tea. You can also walk to the Hugong Temple to admire the “Emperor’s 18 Tea Trees” that Emperor Qianlong selected for their tea leaves. These trees, over 250 years old, are in a carved stone enclosure.
Longjing Mountain Park (Lóngjǐng shān yuán – 龙井山园)
Longjing Mountain Park located in Longjing Village is a beautiful place to escape from the city noise. In this 50-hectare garden, you can visit many attractions specially designed for tea culture, drink Longjing tea in centuries-old teahouses, enjoy the art of serving a cup of tea which in China expresses purity, elegance, sincerity and harmony. In addition, at the time of picking, you can join local farmers to pick tea. Or, for a local experience, enjoy Longjing tea in the garden, to learn about the tea culture and practices from ancient China more than 1,000 years ago. In addition, the park is home to the largest butterfly area in Eastern China, as well as a street offering a wide variety of tea to taste and many folk performances.
Meijiawu village (Méi jiā wù cūn – 梅家坞村)
Meijiawu Village is full of Longjing tea and is famous for the 5 visits of Premier Zhou Enlai. Many dignitaries from other countries such as the USA, Vietnam and Cambodia have also visited Meijiawu Village. You can go there to admire the beautiful mountain there, dotted with houses and green tea fields. In the town, there is a shop selling duty-free tea, which is a good opportunity to buy valuable tea. You can pick tea leaves from tea growers in March and April, and visit Meijiawu Village in April and May to taste the Longjing tea of the year.
Longjing Tea Exploration Program
If you want to learn more about tea and are interested in tea culture, you should not miss this exploration program. In the morning, visit Longjing tea fields, equipped with a bamboo basket to pick tea leaves with the farmers. After that, visit the farmer’s family to learn how to dry tea leaves. Then, sit down quietly to watch the tea ceremony and finally tea time. Then, why not enjoy a lunch made of delicate and authentic local dishes?
Experiences to include in your Hangzhou tour
There are many opportunities for tea tasting in the Hangzhou region. These activities can be tailor-made according to your request and availability. Do not hesitate to contact us for more information. Here are some examples of activities:
- “Yaji” Elegant GatheringLearn how to create and manage a tea tasting (organization of a meeting, a gathering) under the instructions of a tea masterDuration: 2/3hVenue: Linquan Villa – Kaiyuan Hotel – Xixi – Xilinyingshe
- Song Period Tea Ceremony “Diancha” (点茶) is a traditional Chinese tea preparation technique that dates back to the Tang and Song dynasties (618-1279). It has a great influence in Japan. The tea master will teach you how to create your own cup of tea with this technique.Duration: 2hVenue: Linquan Villa – Kaiyuan Hotel – Xixi – Xilinyingshe
- Tea and Wine Conversation Based on the concept of “terroir”, you will compare tea culture with wine culture.Duration: 2-3hVenue: Shessiney Cellar – Linquan Villa – Kaiyuan Hotel
