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Longjing: It’s not just a tea, it’s a culture
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TWO thousand years ago, the Silk Road took Chinese tea to the West. Today, the Belt and Road Initiative is looking at reviving the flow of tea leaves.
The First China International Tea Expo last weekend in Hangzhou featured 1,700-plus tea merchandisers from 20 provinces of China and 47 foreign countries in Asia, South America and Africa.
Almost 10,000 types of teas were showcased, according to the expo committee. In addition, tea ware, tea-processing machines, as well as some coffees were exhibited and sold.
The expo was part of the Belt and Road policy, a development strategy that focuses on connectivity and cooperation among countries — stretching all the way from China to Africa and Europe.
“It is aimed at promoting international tea technology cooperation and a worldwide tea culture exchange,” Han Changfu, minister of China’s Ministry of Agriculture, said on a forum.
Chinese love tea. But to develop the country’s tea industry, both government and enterprises must seek business opportunities for Chinese tea in the rest of the world.
The Belt and Road Initiative covers 64 percent of the world’s population, and many of the countries in the region plant or consume tea, and therefore there is a huge market potential,” said Wang Xufeng, the dean of the Tea Culture College of Zhejiang Agriculture and Forest University.
Participating in the expo’s forums and sessions were ministers, diplomats and international organizations from over 20 countries.
“Tea is consumed a lot in Uganda, and China’s tea is very welcome,” said Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, president of the Ugandan Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.
He hoped that further tea cooperation between the two nations would create more job opportunities in Uganda.
The deputy minister of Sri Lanka’s ministry of plantation industries, Lakshaman Wasantha Perera, invited Chinese investors to visit his country as it is pushing its tea industry by developing new technology.
At the fair, Hangzhou tea companies showed their signature product — different sorts of Longjing tea.
Hangzhou is home to the country’s best-known green tea, Longjing, or Dragon Well.
It was served to heads of state during the G20 Summit held in Hangzhou last September, and the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Mid-May in Beijing.
The Hangzhou Longguan Industrial Company supplied both events. “Some Belt-and-Road countries have been buying our tea for long time,” said Jiang Aiqin, the general manager.
“For almost two decades, the Omani royal family every year purchases around 500 kilograms of Longjing tea from us.
“Tea is more than a piece of leaf. It also combines traditional culture and modern technology.”
At her company, it takes 26 production processes and 12 quality control procedures to make raw tea into the final product.
The international expo will be now held annually in Hangzhou.
Where to buy Longjing tea if you visit Hangzhou?
• China National Tea Museum
The China Tea Museum was built to showcase the city’s long and rich tea culture. It is divided into three parts — an exhibition hall, a reception hall and a teahouse.
In addition, visitors can participate in an authentic tea ceremony with freshly brewed tea; or buy tea at the exit of the museum.
Address: 88 Longjing Rd
• Longjing Pavilion of the China National Tea Museum
Two years ago the China National Tea Museum opened its new pavilion in hilly Longjing Village. Considering most of the area is outdoors, it is better to say tourists need to “hike” the museum rather than “visit” it.
Walking up and down the hills, visitors pass chic, modern teahouses and tea stores that are hidden under lofty trees, or dotting shaded paths.
Address: 268 Wengjiashan
• Youshengguan Road
The strip serves as the city’s tea market, and most shops sell Longjing tea. The price varies a lot, so here is some advice:
Longguan, Gongpai and Yupai are three well-known brands; it is okay if you don’t understand how to select tea, just try and then buy; if you cannot try, pick those that look good, with complete leaves, not too dark, and smelling fresh.
Address: Go to the crossing of Jiefang Road and Youshengguan Road, you will find the market.
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