The Spirit of Tea in the Chinese Tea Mountains
During
my tea trips to the hillsides of the Chinese tea mountains, I had the privilege of meeting many farmers, tea masters, tea lovers, and tea merchants. I loved their smiles, warmth and generosity.
These photos are from my October 2015 trip to Anxi, Fujian province, the origin of the most famous Chinese Oolong tea, Tie Guan Ying, or Iron Goddess of Mercy. The two farmers seen in the first picture were so happy to see us stop by and to chat with them about this year’s harvest. Throughout the conversation, their happy expression remained unchanged. At that moment, I felt they were the most beautiful people in all the earth. The second picture is of the tea master Zhou who accompanied me on the rustic hidden mountain roads in search for the wild tea tree. We were very happy to see many such tea trees with blooming flowers. These are the precious moments that keep me upbeat and help me to understand another important aspect of tea. Tea is more than just a healthy drink. It carries with it the caring and joyous spirit of its growers and has deepened my appreciation and respect for tea.
Leave a comment
December 15, 2015
Recent Articles
- Previous Articles
- Top Green Tea FAQ's
- “Three Thousand Weak Waters, Only One Scoop” – Introducing Yixing Teapot Shi Piao (石瓢)
- A Perfect Circle: Tasting the 2013 Fuding White Peony Natural Beauty Cake
- The Joy of Tasting a Pu'erh: Lao Man'E Ancient Tree, Sheng
- Enjoying the Process: The Four Stages of Pu’erh Tea Tasting
- The Hidden Price of Tea: How Trump’s Tariffs Could Cost You Your Cup
- Caffeine and Your Tea: Myths and Misconceptions
- Green Tea Steeping FAQ: How Long You Should Brew, Resteeping, Water Quality and More
- Why is West Lake Dragonwell Green Tea More Expensive Than Other Dragonwells? Long Jing and The Hidden Factors of Tea Pricing
- Beyond the Tea Sourcing Trips – Why Terroir Matters, An Interview with Victoria Wu (Part 2)
- Beyond the Tea Sourcing Trips – An Interview with Victoria Wu (Part1)
- Wuyi Rou Gui: What’s the Difference between Shui Lian Dong and Ma Tou Yan?
- Meet Fo Shou Zhen Yancha, a Buddha’s Hand Wuyi Rock Oolong
- How to Season a Yixing Teapot
- How to Drink Tea from a Gaiwan
- What’s Right for You, the Gaiwan or the Teapot?
- Choosing the Right Utensils: The Gaiwan
- A Brief History of the World’s Oldest Tea: White Tea
- The Complete Guide to Iced Tea, Pt. II: Cold Brewing
- The Complete Guide to Iced Tea, Pt. I: Flash Chilling
- What Makes for a Good Green Tea?
- Why Tea Lovers Look Forward to the Tea Harvest
- Meet the Legendary “Mother of All Teas”
- A Brief Guide to Steeping Loose Leaf Teas
- Understanding Pu’erh and Appreciating the Importance of Terroir
- What is Gan Pu Tea and Why Should You Be Drinking It?
- What is Teng Tiao Cha (“Rattan” or “Vine” Tea), and What Makes It So Unique?
- Pu’erh You Should Know: A Brief Introduction to Mengku Pu’erh
- Tea Tasting Guide: How to Taste and Appreciate Wuyi Rock Oolongs
- Bai Ji Guan: One of the Four Famous Wuyi Rock Oolongs and Why You’ve Never Heard Of It
- Pu’erh Tea Benefits: What You Need to Know about the Next Big Superfood
- A Brief History of Tea: How Curiosity Accidentally Created the Drink that Conquered the World
- Should You Use Bottled Water or Tap Water for Your Tea? It’s Complicated.
- The Difference between Sheng Pu-Erh and Shu Pu-Erh
- Family, Friends, and Community: The Importance of the Chinese Lunar New Year and What it Means for You
- How Can You Get the Most Out of your Pu-erh?
- What Makes Wuyi Rock Oolong Tea So Unique?
- Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Teacup Shapes
- Pairing Your Tea and Teaware, A Regional Approach
- What You Need to Know about Anxi Tieguanyin
- Four Reasons We Love Yixing Teapots
- Say Hello to Jian Shui Zi Tao Purple Clay Teapots!
- Meet the Intoxicating, Enchanting Long Yuan Mark, a Fire-Roasted Puerh
- The 2018 MeiMei Fine Teas Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide, Pt. II (Teaware)
- The 2018 MeiMei Fine Teas Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide, Pt. I (Teas)
- Recipe: Move Over Coffee, the Eggnog Tea Latté has Arrived
- A Look at the Latest Award-Winning Teas, pt. II: Wuyi Rou Gui Rock Oolong
- A Look at the Latest Award-Winning Teas, pt. I: Long Jing Dragonwell
- What is Lapsang Tea? Just the Best Tea You can Drink in the Fall Season!
-
A Letter to Our Valued Customers and Tea Lovers
- Top Green Tea FAQ's
- “Three Thousand Weak Waters, Only One Scoop” – Introducing Yixing Teapot Shi Piao (石瓢)
- A Perfect Circle: Tasting the 2013 Fuding White Peony Natural Beauty Cake
- The Joy of Tasting a Pu'erh: Lao Man'E Ancient Tree, Sheng
- Enjoying the Process: The Four Stages of Pu’erh Tea Tasting
- The Hidden Price of Tea: How Trump’s Tariffs Could Cost You Your Cup
- Caffeine and Your Tea: Myths and Misconceptions
- Green Tea Steeping FAQ: How Long You Should Brew, Resteeping, Water Quality and More
- Why is West Lake Dragonwell Green Tea More Expensive Than Other Dragonwells? Long Jing and The Hidden Factors of Tea Pricing
- Beyond the Tea Sourcing Trips – Why Terroir Matters, An Interview with Victoria Wu (Part 2)
- Beyond the Tea Sourcing Trips – An Interview with Victoria Wu (Part1)
- Wuyi Rou Gui: What’s the Difference between Shui Lian Dong and Ma Tou Yan?
- Meet Fo Shou Zhen Yancha, a Buddha’s Hand Wuyi Rock Oolong
- How to Season a Yixing Teapot
- How to Drink Tea from a Gaiwan
- What’s Right for You, the Gaiwan or the Teapot?
- Choosing the Right Utensils: The Gaiwan
- A Brief History of the World’s Oldest Tea: White Tea
- The Complete Guide to Iced Tea, Pt. II: Cold Brewing
- The Complete Guide to Iced Tea, Pt. I: Flash Chilling
- What Makes for a Good Green Tea?
- Why Tea Lovers Look Forward to the Tea Harvest
- Meet the Legendary “Mother of All Teas”
- A Brief Guide to Steeping Loose Leaf Teas
- Understanding Pu’erh and Appreciating the Importance of Terroir
- What is Gan Pu Tea and Why Should You Be Drinking It?
- What is Teng Tiao Cha (“Rattan” or “Vine” Tea), and What Makes It So Unique?
- Pu’erh You Should Know: A Brief Introduction to Mengku Pu’erh
- Tea Tasting Guide: How to Taste and Appreciate Wuyi Rock Oolongs
- Bai Ji Guan: One of the Four Famous Wuyi Rock Oolongs and Why You’ve Never Heard Of It
- Pu’erh Tea Benefits: What You Need to Know about the Next Big Superfood
- A Brief History of Tea: How Curiosity Accidentally Created the Drink that Conquered the World
- Should You Use Bottled Water or Tap Water for Your Tea? It’s Complicated.
- The Difference between Sheng Pu-Erh and Shu Pu-Erh
- Family, Friends, and Community: The Importance of the Chinese Lunar New Year and What it Means for You
- How Can You Get the Most Out of your Pu-erh?
- What Makes Wuyi Rock Oolong Tea So Unique?
- Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Teacup Shapes
- Pairing Your Tea and Teaware, A Regional Approach
- What You Need to Know about Anxi Tieguanyin
- Four Reasons We Love Yixing Teapots
- Say Hello to Jian Shui Zi Tao Purple Clay Teapots!
- Meet the Intoxicating, Enchanting Long Yuan Mark, a Fire-Roasted Puerh
- The 2018 MeiMei Fine Teas Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide, Pt. II (Teaware)
- The 2018 MeiMei Fine Teas Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide, Pt. I (Teas)
- Recipe: Move Over Coffee, the Eggnog Tea Latté has Arrived
- A Look at the Latest Award-Winning Teas, pt. II: Wuyi Rou Gui Rock Oolong
- A Look at the Latest Award-Winning Teas, pt. I: Long Jing Dragonwell
- What is Lapsang Tea? Just the Best Tea You can Drink in the Fall Season!
Victoria Wu
Author