Tieguanyin, a type of oolong tea, is made in an earthenware pan. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Endowed with natural advantages of coastal climes, abundant rainfall and fertile soils, southeast China's Fujian Province is home to more than 3 million mu (200,000 hectares) of tea gardens planted with various types of tea trees, including the well-known Fuding White Tea, Lapsang Souchong, Wuyi Rock Tea, Fuzhou Jasmine Tea and Anxi Tieguanyin Tea. If you love exploring the huge range of tea flavors, be it rich black tea or light, delicate white tea, then Fujian is somewhere that's worth getting to know.

Workers process tea leaves at a workshop in Junying, a small village and home of tieguanyin (Iron Goddess of Mercy), a variety of oolong, a dark tea, in Xiamen, Fujian province. He Dongfang / for China Daily

Farmers in Fujian province plucking tea leaves. /CGTN Photo

Fujian is a significant contributor to tea production. Data from the China's General Administration of Customs shows that the country exported 375,300 tonnes of tea in 2022 and in terms of tea export value, Fujian ranked first in the country, accounting for over a quarter of the country's total. In recent years, thanks to the innovative growing models and scientific management practices, the province has made strides in advancing construction of ecological tea gardens. According to the provincial department of agriculture and rural affairs, the total area of ecological tea gardens across the province is expected to reach over 3 million mu (200,000 hectares) by 2025, of which over 95 percent would be covered with organic fertilizers. This way, the total tea output value is expected to be more than 200 billion yuan (approximately $28.2 billion) by that time.

Oolong tea leaves. /CGTN Photo

Fujian is also among the places where tea culture originated. The tea ceremony, as the major embodiment of tea culture, is well preserved there. It is not just a method toprepare tea in the best possible way to enhance the taste of the beverage to the fullest, but also a meditative, aesthetic and refined ritual that requires precise codified rules, adept skills as well as peace of mind.

If you are a big fan of tea, then don't miss a local tea ceremony to embark on a journey into Chinese tea culture in Fujian, where you can see the unfurling leaves hint at the tea's bold and robust character as well as having a taste of its subtle sweetness and fragrance.

Source: CGTN
Editor: Lyu Yun